Playing a role similar to the one he played opposite Lucille Ball in "The Fuller Brush Girl", Eddie Albert is the poster child for Mr. Wimp. He has a dream of being skipper on his own boat but is too scared to reach for his dreams and too manipulated by everybody to stand up for himself. He sets out to resign his job at a newspaper but his fear brings him back. But even at work, he's not appreciated. "Seems to me that there's an awful lot of mind reading going on around here", Albert tells his boss John Litel who seems to rely on his ideas to take credit for. "Got any million dollar ideas you want to give away? Tell Mr. Wade!", girlfriend Joan Leslie tells him, constantly reminding him of the ideas he's constantly giving away. Every time Albert tries to stand up for himself, either his good nature takes over him or somebody tells him he's doing it all wrong. This poor guy can't win, and as much as I like him, I wanted to take him by the shoulders and shake him.It's an O.K. comedy with little to recommend past the sitcom standards of the early 1950's and 60's. If I had a buddy like the overly chatty Alan Hale, I'd have to put in ear plugs because it seems like he never stops spouting unwanted advice. Then, there's his fiancée Joan Leslie who should be president of a club called "Future Nags of America". John Litel is his seemingly decent boss who takes total advantage of Albert's passive nature. Sweet Dickie Moore (just taken from our world a few days before his 90th birthday) is very likable as a handicapped kid who pals around with Albert and really seems to be the only one who respects him. A scene with a beggar being told off by Albert as he hands the poor guy a wad of cash is amusing and very true to life. I've actually seen people do that!The problem here is that the script is excruciatingly noisy and there isn't a moment to rest in the film's 70 minute running time. I really had to turn the volume down because it made me start to get a headache. It's an acceptable little programmer that probably offered some laughs as the bottom of the double bill, but really didn't do all that much for me. Even in the silliest (or noisiest) of the Leon Errol/Edgar Kennedy shorts, I wasn't as frazzled as I was when this one was over.

Hapless New York newspaper ad salesman Eddie Albert (as Robert "Dreamy" Smith) is finally going to fulfill his dream. He plans to quit work, buy a sailboat and head out for adventure at sea. After a mishap disposing of his automobile, Mr. Albert must cancel the trip. Pretty co-worker Joan Leslie (as Mary Clover) is happy, but jealous roommate Alan Hale (as "Skipper" Martin) thinks Albert should stop dating Ms. Leslie and save money for his share of their boat. Albert gets into more money problems when he decides to help partially crippled paperboy Dickie Moore (as "Limpy" Barnes)...Hoping for a bonus at work, Albert comes up with ideas to boost the circulation of his newspaper, but sneaky John Litel (as John Wade) takes all the credit. Albert gets in more trouble for helping future "Bowery Boy" William "Billy" Benedict (as Jigs) get a job. As if that wasn't enough, handsome William Lundigan (as Richard Amesworth) moves in on Leslie..."The Great Mr. Nobody" is quite pleasant, with future "Green Acres" star Albert shining in a whimsical role. It's interesting to hear Mr. Hale being called "Skipper" throughout as he resembles son Alan Hale Jr., familiar as the Skipper on "Gilligan's Island" in the 1960s. However, this Hale acts differently (more like a stocky Robert Young). Hale Jr. patterned his skipper after Oliver Hardy. Also interesting is how much you Moore's crippled newsboy resembles "Captain Marvel Jr." from the best selling comic book introduced shortly after this film. The ending is weak, but certainly fit the times.****** The Great Mr. Nobody (2/15/41) Benjamin Stoloff ~ Eddie Albert, Alan Hale, Joan Leslie, Dickie Moore

Eddie Albert plays a mild-mannered super-saint who is lowly clerk at a paper. He keeps coming up with great promotion ideas the editor Litel steals for his own advancement, but Albert puts up with it (to his fiery girlfriend's disgust--as played by Joan Leslie). Meanwhile, Albert helps everyone from Limpy the newsboy played by Dickie Moore, and Skipper played by Alan Hale Sr. It's all quite absurd--Albert going without money or food in order to help others--altruism at its almost Christ-like zenith. Then Albert loses his job, but he's such a dupe that it takes Leslie to threaten Litel in order for Albert to get his job back, and then to top it off, Albert immediately gets drafted. He's ecstatic: "Finally what I've been waiting for!" he chirps with a salute to the flag, and the film ends, thankfully. Just a piece of fluff to fill the bottom of a double-bill.

This probably never figured high in Eddie Albert's resume. Indeed, at first I almost skipped it: The opening scenes with "Skipper" Alan Hale are most unpromising.(All scenes involving him pull the movie down, in fact.) But it is a very sweet tale, once given a chance. Albert plays newspaper clerk Dreamy, who is far too kind and honorable for his own good. The well-being of his charming girlfriend Joan Leslie also suffers.He allows his boss to steal his ideas and take credit for them. He helps out any of the downtrodden. Figuring most noticeably in this category is Limpy, the lame newspaper boy, played by Dickie Moore. He and his family are recipients of great, selfless kindness by Dreamy.It has a happy ending, though not a typical Hollywood ending: After Dreamy has been recognized for the hero he is, he is given some news that thrills him. Indeed, it could be seen as good news. But his final line is funny,ironic, a bit off-kilter, and very touching.