Customer Reviews

Yellow Cab Man [VHS]

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

 

 

Very disappointed in this tape. This tape contains a copy of the movie that was apparently edited for television. I say that becuase I noticed that there were several scenes cut from the movie. The movie on this tape doesn't flow correctly and there are references in the movie to scenes that the viewer never sees.

I wouldn't recommend the purchase of this tape.

Red Skelton gives a rib tickling performance in "The Yellow Cab Man". Skelton plays an accident prone inventor with hilarious results. He has invented a safety glass that will revolutionalize the car industry. He takes the job as a cab driver to prove how safe his Elastiglass really is. Unbeknownst to Skelton, there are other people who want to steal the formula for this fantastic invention for themselves, which results in many funny scenes; such as a truth serum sequence that sends Red back to his childhood and culminating in a rip roaring chase scene inside a Home Show exposition, which centers around a revolting house. So grab the kiddies, popcorn, cola and gather around the t.v. for approx. a hour and a half of side splitting fun!

THE YELLOW CAB MAN is a typical Red Skelton farce with plenty of fast jokes, sight gags and slapstick humor.

SYNOPSIS--
Accident-prone inventor Red Pirdy (Skelton) is struck by a cab at a busy L.A. intersection. Red meets with company claims adjuster Ellen Goodrich (DeHaven) and is about to admit the accident was his own fault when interloping lawyer Martin Creavy (Arnold) tries to convince Red to sue for a large cash amount.

Red describes his new bendable glass to Ellen and Creavy; both express interest in it. Red decides to offer the formula to Ellen and Yellow Cab, but the attorney will stop at nothing to obtain the secret process. He blackmails a cab co. executive to sabotage Red's demonstration of the new Elastiglass by switching it for the breakable kind.

As a result of the botched demo, Ellen is demoted to the lost & found dept. Red takes a cab driver job, hoping for a second shot at selling his invention, but he still has the scheming attorney to contend with. Creavy and a confederate (Slezak) may even commit murder to gain control of the Elastiglass formula!


As of 5/09, "Yellow Cab Man" was not available on DVD.


Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.

(6.7) The Yellow Cab Man (1950) - Red Skelton/Gloria DeHaven/Walter Slezak/Edward Arnold/James Gleason/Jay C. Flippen/Paul Harvey/Herbert Anderson/Polly Moran (uncredited: Tiny Jones/Roger Moore)


CAST TRIVIA--

For his next project, THREE LITTLE WORDS (1950) (VHS) (DVD), RED SKELTON portrays Tin Pan Alley songwriter Harry Ruby opposite Fred Astaire as lyricist Bert Kalmar.

In that same picture, GLORIA DEHAVEN (Ellen) plays her own mother, Flora Parker DeHaven.

WALTER SLEZAK (Dr. Dokstedder) committed suicide by pistol just shy of his 82nd birthday.

Character actor JAMES GLEASON (Mickey) fought in the Spanish-American War.

During the Roaring Twenties, JAY C. FLIPPEN (Hugo) was a ukulele-playing jazz singer.

HERBERT ANDERSON (Willis) was the TV father of Dennis the Menace (Jay North).

ROGER MOORE (Reporter) was Robert Young's older brother. He appeared in nearly 200 films from 1914 to '53, often as a clerk, photographer or reporter.

Skelton plays an inept inventor who, against all odds, comes up with a million dollar invention, elasti-glass. A sort of rubberized
flexible glass. He gets a job with the Yellow Cab Co with the aim of selling it to them and the car industry in general.
But he is sabotaged by some unsavory types who want to steal his invention. It`s a classic comedy romp full of excellent sight gags
and slapstick that will be enjoyed by young and old alike.