WasAnnon
Slow pace in the most part of the movie.
PiraBit
if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.
HotToastyRag
In the opening scene of Thank You, Jeeves, we hear a big swing band and David Niven is seen playing the drums. The camera zooms out, and we see that in his "flair", he continually drops or throws his drumsticks over his shoulder, but miraculously, a stick is replaced in his hand and he keeps playing. We also see that he's alone in his room; there is no big band accompanying him. And he's a terrible player! And his valet, Arthur Treacher, is mildly standing by with an endless supply of drumsticks, waiting for his master to lose one so he can place a replacement in his hand. It's pretty hilarious.Arthur Treacher, known for his many roles of servitude in Shirley Temple movies, plays Jeeves in this 1930s comedy about the random adventures of a gentleman and his valet. David Niven, in one of his first starring roles, plays the gentleman. The timing that bounces off the two is priceless, and much of the film feels ad-libbed in their casualty and naturalness together. While The Niv is wealthy, idle, and in search of adventure, Arthur Treacher is always there to lend a helping hand, hence the title.While there are some hilarious moments in Thank You, Jeeves!, the appalling racism that was present in many 1930s films kind of ruins the rest of the film. The two leads pick up a hitchhiker, Willie Best, and he's constantly treated and portrayed as stupid, ignorant, and as a blight on the rest of the story. It's pretty awful, and had the men picked up a white hitchhiker, I'm sure the plot would have included different gags.However, if you love Arthur Treacher, or if you want to see a young, hilarious David Niven, you can sit through this hour movie for the good parts. Just know what you're getting in for when Willie Best shows up
mark.waltz
Fast moving, lavish B comedy is the first of two leading role for Mr. Fish n' Chips himself, Arthur Treacher. Seemingly born to play a butler, he's dryly droll, excessively loyal and completely in charge. Like Mr. Belvedere after him, Jeeves made everybody think that they were in charge when really the truth was obvious. The subject of his subordination is the young David Niven, seen in the opening complaining about been oh so rich and bored. The next 55 minutes is certainly anything but boring.For starters, they become involved with mystery girl Virginia Field who is being chased a la The 39 Steps by alleged Scotland Yard detectives. Beleaguered saxophonist Willie Best gets the ride of his life when picked up by Niven and Treacher who end up being chased by the men following Field, creating more comical adventure. There's a hysterical sequence with Best playing his sax and Treacher dancing, unaware that there's a trap door underneath them. This is a fun adaption of P.G. Wodehouse's series of stories, later adapted for several plays and an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. This version is delightfully witty, often over the top and filled with plenty of surprises.
bkoganbing
Although he's third billed in this film, David Niven finally was noticed by critics in the role of eternal playboy Bertie Wooster. But the first billed individual here Arthur Treacher was typecast for the rest of his life playing P.G. Wodehouse's dour butler Jeeves.This was a B film for 20th Century Fox one of the first under the banner of the new company and it doesn't quite make an hour's running time. Still both Niven and Treacher got their starts.Niven has been described as the man who carried more films with charm than any other actor. That's what Bertie Wooster's about, a rich young and bored heir who is forever getting in situations because he doesn't have to work for a living. This was Wodehouse satirizing the British upper classes between the World Wars. Yet Wooster is likable and charming if completely useless.One fine boring evening Virginia Field changes all that by crashing the Wooster living space being pursued by some men. Then she leaves after spending the night and Niven wants to find her and over Treacher's objections they pursue her as well as her original pursuers.Arriving at an inn they blunder into things without knowing exactly who the players are. In the end thanks to Jeeves it all turns out all right.I remember Arthur Treacher years ago when he was through acting and was an announcer for the Merv Griffin Show. I got to meet him and let us say he was Jeeves to the nines.Thank You, Jeeves is one of two films Treacher played Jeeves, but he played a lot of butlers after that. That's because he was so good at them.
DJJOEINC
Thank You Jeeves! - 1936 Hollywood adaptation of the P.G. Wodehouse characters.Arthur Treacher does a good job as Jeeves and David Niven is fine as Bertie Wooster- but aside from the funny opening drum sequences and some great one-liners- this movie feels like the screenwriter is trying to sandwich the Wodehouse characters into a whodunnit Thin Man style or something.Things really go south when they pick up a wayward sax player played by Willie Best-who shucks and jives his way thru most of the second half of the movie-although he is part of a funny sequence where he is playing the sax and Jeeves is dancing-has to be seen to be believed.This is more a curio-than a true adaptation of the Wodehouse books- it has enough funny stuff to sustain it's 53 minute run time- but it will be a disappointment to hardcore fans of the Wodehouse prose.The DVD has a good 24 minute biography on Wodehouse. C+
