Review of Ruggles of Red Gap (1935) by Ashley H — 27 Aug 2014

What a delightful comedic classic! This movie feels undervalued as I've never seen it discussed anywhere before. Charles Laughton gives a hilarious performance, and his comic pairing of him and Charlie Ruggles (that must have been confusing on set) is classic and one that deserved a whole series. I've never seen a funnier depiction of someone drunk as the one Laughton portrayed. Sure it's over the top exaggerated, but the coy smile Laughton wears sells it. Charlie Ruggles' character may have a little too much Yosemite Sam in him, but it somehow still works.

The other real standout is Leo McCarey's direction. He helps the actor's nail there comedic timing and has a great sense of pacing. He's directed a great body of work that also seems unappreciated when compared to the notoriety of other great American film directors, and I'm starting to find him on par with Ford, Hawks, Huston, Ray, Curtiz, Minnelli, etc. McCarey is probably my third favorite classic comedy director after Hawks and Wilder (Wilder may also deserve more credit for having co-written many of his movies to one degree or another), and he's also capable of making some terrific drama (Make Way for Tomorrow is a classic and is sort of the American Tokyo Story).