So This is New York is a standardly shot, madcap yet no real frills comedy from Richard Fleischer. His first feature length comedy. His next film was a minor noir classic Bodyguard. Richard Flesicher knew (even then) screen economy and how to keep things moving. So This is New York is never dull. The writer on this started off with Bowery Boys pictures. This may be why he is able to write Leo Gorcey such a good part in this film.

He is a jockey that tries to hook up with the sister of an Indiana couple that comes to New York to live high on the hog and blow an inheritance. Gorcey is the best looking he has ever been and quite romantic in his scenes but he is also a drunk and the concept of drunk jockey will play itself out in a predictably comedic way. Still Gorcey is a nice diversion from the other suitors the film gives the sister, a huckster and an old married man (I get the feeling old married men put up with a lot more nonsense to get somewhere with a woman than they would these days).

But I am very off topic and doing so discussing a movie that is very singularly focused. And it is focused on the husband of the married couple, a famous (at the time) radio comedian played by Henry Morgan, a barbed but often self-deprecating satirist. This film feels sort of like an hour of good comedic radio or a Max Shulman book on tape (nah Thurber, Shulman was far too good). There are some great lines here:

“New Yorkers all walk on tiptoes…yours.” and about the great war: “The US will never forget New York for coming in on our side.” These lines are indicators of the discount between small town and New York that is still felt to this day, even in the “Information Age.” The film is at its best when it is commenting on this difference and unlike Ma and Pa Kettle, smaller town is not seen and unsophisticated just thrifty and with more good sense. The film is more akin to a Alan Young film I saw recently aaron slick from punkin crick. Both films are very good and never quite condescening. I enjoyed this film quite a bit. I just wish that the 2nd half was not a quest to find the sister a suitor with a fair amount of stale jokes thrown in.

All in all, I think this is a very funy film, well worth one’s time.

3.5/5