Pot o' Gold

Starring: James Stewart, Paulette Goddard, Horace Heidt, Charles Winninger, Mary Gordon
Directed by George Marshall
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance
1941

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: The owner (James Stewart) of a failed music shop goes to work for his uncle, but befriends a musical family locked into a bitter dispute with his uncle. This presents some problems for him as he falls in love with one of the family's daughters (Paulette Goddard)

Review:

Tim: This is a different film then what we are used to seeing. It is a musical comedy that feels more like an extended variety show of some kind. The film draws its strength from its energy and the original and different feel. In this sense, the movie is very fun. However, the story gets more and more ridiculous the longer the film progresses. There are a few absurd subplots that never amount to very much at all. This is when the film unravels.

James Stewart is decent, but not great. He is certainly likeable, but he is just a bit too goofy for his own good. He has some appeal, but it is so far below the levels of previous films. Paulette Goddard is not much better. She could have been more enjoyable to watch, but she comes across as too stupid to be entertaining. The supporting cast leaves something to be desired as well.

Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the film is the music. Some of the songs are a bit annoying, but there are some legitimately good ones as well. The jail scene is fairly entertaining, as is the scene involving the convincing of insanity.

While Pot o' Gold has some interesting elements, as a whole, it is too silly and not believable enough to be enjoyable. Stewart has made so many good films over the years, including a number of lighthearted movies. This one is not even close to the top end of his films. This is one of those misfires that happen to even the greatest of actors. Stewart fans might not want to miss this, but everyone else can afford to skip it.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Made for Each Other, Magic Town, The Glenn Miller Story