Typical Red Skelton fanfare, this time it's 1865 and Red is a bell-hop at a local St. Louis hotel. He seems obsessed with tracking down spies and his opportunity comes when he accidentally captures one and assumes his identity.Skelton gets more than he bargained for when he does this. He is recruited by the Union Army to go behind southern lines to pass on certain information.He meets his southern spy in partnership played by a wonderful Arlene Dahl and the two fall for each other. Brian Donlevy, as the heavy, wants Skelton out of the way so that he can resume his relationship with the Dahl character.The film is fun to watch, but it's basically some basic civil war antics routinely observed.

While this may not be the best of the MGM-Red Skelton comedies, it is one of the better ones, and the recent release on the Warner Archives DVD is nice and crisp.Both Red and Bob Hope were often very good at playing cowards that somehow showed bravery, as well seeming awkward around women -- and those are 2 themes very much in evidence with Red here. His bumbling in the early scenes of the film, particularly when he finds the "Grey Spider" spy are quite funny...along with some slapstick on the stairs (how did he fall down and up stairs without hurting himself...well he did hurt himself...in his later years he often had to wear metal braces on his legs). Then there's the recurring tongue twister with the boot with buckle and the jacket with the packet. Delightfully funny and actually key to the rather sophisticated plot. And how often do you see a comedy about the Civil War? And the dueling flags scene? This is pretty funny stuff, and particularly well handled by Skelton in this film (with some behind the camera help, apparently, from Buster Keaton).The supporting cast does its job. Arlene Dahl as the Confederate love interest to the Yankee Skelton. And while none of the other supporting actors (save one) merits particular mention, you'll recognize a number of character actors here. The one actor here who must have been very disappointed with his role was Brian Donlevy, who plays a sort of Rhett Butler-ish character. And speaking of "Gone With The Wind", not the many references to "Twelve Oaks".Yes, this is a gem in many respects, well worth a watch, and perhaps a spot on your DVD shelf!

I own all of Buster Keaton's silent films and who doesn't love Red Skelton? Having said that, this film stinks. Keaton helped write the film, which is probably why critics were reluctant to criticize it. However, the fact is that is was not funny. It was stupid, particularly in the first half hour. By then, it probably lost a number of viewers who watched this on VHS in the 1990s, as I did. (It was released on tape in 1994.)This film also had the presence of Brian Donlevy, Arlene Dahl, John Ireland and more....all good actors....but the dialog was just d-u-m-b. Maybe this was funny in 1948, but I guarantee you the laughs aren't there almost 60 years later. What made people laugh back in the '40s doesn't always work today and they will probably say a similar thing 60 years from now.Still, it's tough to knock the comedic talents of Red Skelton. If anyone a generation later could equal Keaton in silent comedy bits, it would be Red. He demonstrated that every week on his television show. After that terrible start, the film got better and it was fun seeing the bumbling bellboy (Skelton) do something right, for a change, but I just think overall the humor of the '40s doesn't cut it today. Sorry.

Contrary to popular belief, A SOUTHERN YANKEE is NOT a remake of Buster Keaton's 1927 silent THE GENERAL. Both films take place during the American Civil War and include gags devised by Keaton -- other than that, there's little resemblance. (The only remake of THE GENERAL is Walt Disney's 1956 THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE CHASE.) YANKEE's story, by the writing team of Panama and Frank, was later recycled in part for THE COURT JESTER (1956, also by Panama and Frank -- and starring Danny Kaye).Keaton's contributions to YANKEE include his suggestion to the producer that the opening scenes be toned down in order to make Red Skelton's character more sympathetic; the memorable two-sided flag gag (derived from a two-sided costume gag Keaton used in his silent days); some of the climactic chase sequence (a gag with a horse and a dress is lifted directly from Keaton's 1923 OUR HOSPITALITY); and, presumably, the acrobatic dentist sequence and, very likely, the astonishing scene involving a 19th century "lawn mower" and a land mine.