Summary
An illiterate stooge in a traveling medicine show wanders into a strange town and is picked up on a vagrancy charge. The town's corrupt officials mistake him for the inspector general whom they think is traveling in disguise. Fearing he will discover they've been pocketing tax money, they make several bungled attempts to kill him.
Good for
- Date night
- Family movie night
- Friends night
Where to watch
Fingerprint
At a glance
Critics vs audiences
Critics like it more than audiences (+18)
Critics 91Audiences 73GoodWatch 81
Tomatometer91%
Audience score79%
IMDb6.7
Running time
1 h 41 min
A typical length for comedies
typical 100101Half of all comedies run 91–111 min.
Reach
Streams in 139 countries
+129Released
1949
December 31, 1949
77 years ago
Genres
ComedyRomanceLanguage
English
Original language
Made in
- United States
Rated
- NRUnited States
Yes: it's rated NR in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for family nights.
What's in it
- ViolenceLittle or none
- Gore, disturbing imagesLittle or none
- Frightening scenesLittle or none
- Sex, nudityLittle or none
- Dark themesLittle or none
Levels from the title analysis.
Viewing guide
AdultsDate NightFamily Movie NightFriends NightIntergenerationalPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensBackground WatchComfort WatchPure EscapismNot listed for kids.
24 of 46
Danny KayeGeorgi
Walter SlezakYakov
Barbara BatesLeza
Elsa LanchesterMaria
Gene LockhartThe Mayor
Alan HaleKovatch
Walter CatlettColonel Castine
Rhys WilliamsInspector General
Benny BakerTelecki (uncredited)
Leonard BremenLieutenant (uncredited)- RCRobert CherryPeasant (uncredited)
- FCFrank ConlanOId Villager (uncredited)
Jimmy ConlinTurnkey (uncredited)- HDHelena DareTownwoman (uncredited)
- BDBryn DavisCouncilman's Wife (uncredited)
George DavisLadislaus (uncredited)- ADAbe DinovitchPeasant (uncredited)
- ADArt DupuisSentry (uncredited)
- RFRobert FilmerSentry (uncredited)
Byron FoulgerBurbis (uncredited)- KHKaren HaleCouncilman's Wife (uncredited)
- LHLew HearnIzzick (uncredited)
Sam HearnGizzick (uncredited)
Herbert HeywoodGoatherd (uncredited)
Directing · 1
- Henry Koster Director
Writing · 3
- Harry Kurnitz Screenplay
- Philip Rapp Screenplay
- Nikolai Gogol Theatre Play
Production · 2
- Jerry Wald Producer
- Sylvia Fine Associate Producer
Camera · 1
- Elwood Bredell Director of Photography
Editing · 1
- Rudi Fehr Editor
Sound · 2
- Johnny Green Music Director, Original Music Composer
- C.A. Riggs Sound
Art · 2
- Robert M. Haas Art Direction
- Fred M. MacLean Set Decoration
Costume & Make-Up · 2
- Travilla Costume Design
- Perc Westmore Makeup Artist
Other crew · 2
- Edwin B. DuPar Special Effects
- Eugene Loring Choreographer
Tropes
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