Customer Reviews

George Washington Slept Here [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

George S. Kauffman & Moss Hart's GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE was one of Broadway's most successfull comedies of the early 1940s, a bright and witty tale with a slightly Americana tone that World War II audiences found particularly appealing. The film version, sparked up by the completely unexpected chemistry of dry-humored Jack Benny and "Oomph Girl" Ann Sheridan, is every bit as charming.

When New Yorkers Bill and Connie Fuller (Benny and Sheridan) are evicted from their apartment (their third change of address in less than a year), wife Connie decides what they need is a place in the country... and buys an incredibly dilapidated house where George Washington is said to have once slept. Needless to say, husband Bill is horrified--and keeps on being horrified as the price of renovation skyrockets. Benny was most popular when he played himself in roles tailored to his talents, but although this role is atypical his talents are well suited to the constantly harried Bill Fuller--and he has remarkable rapport with co-star Ann Sheridan, an underestimated actress who shows tremendous flair for comedy as his determinedly optimistic wife. Both are well supported by a cast that includes Charles Coburn, Joyce Reynolds, and Percy Kilbride, and Hattie McDaniel (best remembered as Mammy in GONE WITH THE WIND) really shines as Hester, their long-suffering domestic who finds herself with a hole in the kitchen wall big enough for a horse to walk through--and one does! The pace is snappy, the script is witty, and every one is sure to have a good time. Recommended.

I loved Jack Benny's performances. I won't go into all the antic of the film, the other review capped a few for you. This movie is charming and funny. It is a seldom seen film and wish this was on DVD. Please someone get this on DVD!

Dream House, starring Cary Grant & Myrna Loy in 48. George Washington Slept Here is pretty good, with a sheen of patriotism over the whole thing since it was made in 1942. Jack Benny is Bill married to Connie played by Ann Sheridan. Without Bill's knowledge or consent, Connie buys a ramshackled 200 year old mansion in rural Conneticut. Legend has it General Washington stayed there during our revolution. Bill is strictly a urban dweller from NYC but they've been kicked out of there second apartment in a year. You cannot think of something that doesn't go wrong when they move to the country. Bill, in despair, watches as the place bleeds them dry & strains their marriage. He blames Connie, rightfully so, for being suckered. Benny is hilarious of course. He has to act but just a little bit. He is still playing the ever exasperated Jack Benny, then at his height of popularity. The house doesn't even have a right of way or a road. The commuter train back to the city has the most inconvienent schedule ever. As a final indignity, research finds that George Washington never slept there. But Benedict Arnold did. Hilarious. Charles Coburn plays a penniless, demanding uncle & the rest of the supporting cast is pretty good. The dry well, rotting floors, leaking roof all evaporate in a pariotic flourish that saves all. A good one from Jack Benny playing to his strength. If they ever revived this play in my area, I'd go.

I watched this movie as a child and so did my kids. I had a copy that was lost in moving around the country about 10 years ago. My youngest son (now 26) asked for it for his Valentine's gift. Lucky, I found it from a 3rd part buy in VHS. I always wished this had been in color BUT I love Jack Benny and this movie is one of the best/funniest in his movie career. I recommend this movie if you want to relive the past and especially if you want to laugh....it's great! I'd love to have this on DVD!

This is a better comedy than the other reviews indicate. To appreciate it you have to remember two things - it was made in 1942, and thus there are quite a few patriotic themes in the movie, since that was the kind of film being made at the beginning of World War II, when the U.S. didn't yet know if it would be successful fighting a two front war in which everything was at stake. The second thing to remember is that Jack Benny did all of his scenes with Percy Kilbride (later known as Pa Kettle) on days in which he had gotten no sleep the night before. He did this deliberately, because Jack had insisted Kilbride play the part when Jack Warner just wanted to insert one of his contract players. Jack Benny insisted that Kilbride made the play and was thus essential for the movie. Jack Benny got his way, but every time Jack Benny looked at Percy Kilbride when he was shooting the movie he broke into hysterical laughter. When the director threatened to remove Benny if he continued this, then Benny decided to stay up all night before he had any scenes with Kilbride because then he was so exhausted that he just didn't care.

If you're in the mood for a light sweet movie from the 40's with Benny's brand of understated comedy, this certainly fits the bill. Just don't expect Benny the miser of Jack's radio and TV days. This film takes advantage of Benny's comic timing and deadpan delivery of comic observations when confronted by outrageous behavior and situations on all sides, but it is just not a role for a cheapskate.

George Washington Slept Here stars Jack Benny in this vintage film about a city-guy who suddenly decides to move to an old delapidated farmhouse. The transition isn't an easy one, and the usual high-jinks occur. Good clean comedy.

I have this great comedy on DVD and I don't understand why it isn't available because it's one of those wacky Benny movies tha's great. It's kind of slow in spots but that's just the way films were made in those days. If you can find it in DVD get it.

Based on a play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, this charmingly funny movie thoroughly entertains and shares with us some gentle lessons about what is and isn't important in life. The excellent script is superbly performed by Jack Benny, Ann Sheridan, Percy Killbride, Charles Coburn, Hattie McDaniel, and Joyce Reynolds. A well-wrought, well-acted comedy, "George Washington Slept Here" will bring pleasure to all who give it a chance. It deserves to be saved and released on DVD. Do it for the wonderful Mr. Benny, Ms. Sheridan, the rest of the cast and crew, and the many people who will be happy to see a lovely movie once again available.

Jack Benny is a little stiff in his performance, but he and Sheridan play amazingly well together in this sometimes hilarious little comedy about a couple who move into an old, broken-down country home in Connecticut; it's one catastrophe after another as the couple tries to renovate the place and deal with their greedy neighbour. Based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

"George Washington Slept Here" stars Ann Sheridan and Jack Benny as a married couple that buys a run down house where supposedly George Washington slept. The movie has a clear resemblance to films like "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" and "The Jackpot", in which unsuspecting nice people find themselves in complicated situations where one mishaps leads to another.

I've always been a big Jack Benny fan. I think he had the greast comedic persona of all time. His persona has been so strong to this very day some people have difficulty thiking of him any other way. We completely bought the character he played. Benny though had trouble finding films that made use to his talents. Like Bob Hope or W.C. Fields their movies were really just excuses for their fans to pay money to see them iin movies. Plot really don't matter, we just came for the jokes. I have seen Benny in "To be or not To Be" and "The Horn Blows at Midnight". I enjoyed his performance in both, but, believe it or not I found Benny all wrong for this movie. Now perhaps this isn't Benny's fault. The movie was based on a play written by Kaufman and Hart. Maybe they never intended for Jack Benny to ever play this role. But I found Benny annoying in this movie. All he does is complain. And Ann Sheridan is annoying for a completely different reason, her stupidity. She's so optimistic.

"George Washington..ect" also lacks the charm of a film like "Mr. Blandings". In that movie Cary Grant and Mryna Loy played their parts straight. Here Benny and Sheridan know they are in a comedy. Especially Benny.

Given Jack Benny's persona its a shame the movie doesn't take advantage of it. Benny just dishes out cash, never complaining. This is the same man who said "I'm thinking it over" when held at gun point and told "Your money or your life!". What if, in order to save money Benny decided to help fix the place. This would have caused more funny scenes, and would have shown Benny gaining an emotional investment in the house.

The film was directed by William Keighley who also directed Kaufman and Hart's film adaptation of "The Man Who Came To Dinner", there is a direct reference to that play in this film. He also directed several Errol Flynn movies; "The Master of Ballantrae", "The Adventures of Robin Hood", and "The Prince and the Pauper". But I'm not convince he understood comedy. And that's what hurts this movie most.

Bottom-line: Good promise that doesn't quite deliver. Benny isn't used to his fullest capabilities and that hurts the movie. Not enough big laughs, but, if you're a Jack Benny fan check it out.