The Milkman

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The Milkman
The Milkman.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Charles Barton
Screenplay byAlbert Beich
James O'Hanlon
Martin Ragaway
Leonard Stern
Story byMartin Ragaway
Leonard Stern
Produced by Ted Richmond
Starring Donald O'Connor
Jimmy Durante
Piper Laurie
Cinematography Clifford Stine
Edited byRussell F. Schoengarth
Color process Black and white
Production
company
Universal International Pictures
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release dates
  • November 22, 1950 (1950-11-22)(Los Angeles) [1]
  • December 30, 1950 (1950-12-30)(New York) [2]
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Milkman is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton and starring Donald O'Connor, Jimmy Durante and Piper Laurie. [3]

Contents

Plot

Roger Bradley is denied a milkman job at his father's company because of his postwar trauma; when he becomes stressed or frustrated, he quacks like a duck. In revenge, Roger secures a job with his father's archrival Breezy Albright at another milk company. Roger becomes very successful and quickly falls in love with the boss's daughter Chris Abbott.

Cast

Release

Prior to the film's American release, it opened in the United Kingdom in September 1950. [4]

Reception

In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther called The Milkman an "assortment of nonsense" and wrote: "It is painful to have to greet the New Year with a bleakly unfavorable report on a picture in which the cheeriest comic in all the world hopefully appears. But Universal-International's 'The Milkman' ... doesn't do right by Jimmy Durante, said comic—so it gets what it deserves. ... Mr. Durante is largely left out in the cold. Considering the quality of the humor which four writers have drearily contrived, that is not the least enviable location in which the great man could be. For the lamp of inspiration did not burn very bright when these four fellows put their heads together and tried to bring forth a script. Most of their comic invention is just old beat-up slapstick routines, mechanically put together and directed by Charles Barton in that way." [2]

Critic John L. Scott of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "The idea of teaming the talented pair as milkmen is novel but the script reveals weaknesses as it rolls along, and finally brings in gangsters—a device that is; growing moth-eaten. Every broad comedy nowadays seems to wind up with gangsters chasing the comedians. Come, come, boys, let's think up a new one." [1]

References

  1. 1 2 Scott, John L. (November 23, 1950). "Durante, O'Connor Vie for Laughs in Slapstick Comedy, 'The Milkman'". Los Angeles Times . p. 23, Part II.
  2. 1 2 Crowther, Bosley (January 1, 1951). "The Screen in Review". The New York Times . p. 13.
  3. ↑ "The Milkman". Turner Classic Movies.
  4. ↑ Graham, Virginia (August 31, 1950). "This thriller made me gasp". Evening Standard . London, England. p. 9.


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