“Birds Bother Actor Kaye”

The Spokesman-Review – Aug. 18, 1945

HOLLYWOOD—Make-believers at work: It’s 6 in the morning when a limousine pulls up to cart us out to Triunfo canyon, 40 miles from Hollywood, where Tiger Sullivan is in training, being groomed for his fight to decide the welter-weight championship of the world.

Not on the level, of course, for this situation comes out of a Samuel Goldwyn comedy script and the “fighter” is a slightly anemic-looking gent known to the world as Danny Kaye. Great comic possibilities here and it could turn out to be the neatest rib-tickler in “The Kid From Brooklyn.”

Actually, Danny is now a fair boxer, because he’s been training for weeks with Johnny Indrisano, old-time pugilist who works as a technical director and coach to stars whose roles require them to box plausibly. But Danny had to learn to box well before he could do it with true awkwardness and this sequence is where he’s a green beginner.

The sound man has his troubles. It’s a gorgeous natural setting, but the birds are numerous and noisy. Their warbling would be a welcome contribution if they would only operate on cue, but they spoil lines of characters gathered at the ringside.

It gets to the point where Director McLeod calls a complete halt. His shouting assistant directors fail to impress the birds with their loud demands for “Quiet!”

- Home -