Minor mystery notable mostly as the final film of Carole Landis before her suicide. The mystery is average but what makes this stand out is that approximately the final third of the picture shoves the main plot aside to present a variety show since the main male lead Carroll Levis, a well known radio personality of the time, could not act and to spare him and the audience they had him emcee this concoction containing some good musical performances and some weak comedy bits. Avril Angers, a noted comedienne, is saddled with a character that is supposed to be charmingly daffy but comes across as idiotic. As for Carole Landis the Ping Girl performs her part professionally although its obvious that the quality of her films was declining if this cheapie was the best that was being offered. If you aren't familiar with her she looks well, slim and well put together but once you realize that she was only 29 years old when this was made her appearance becomes shocking. She is dangerously thin and looks at least five to ten years older at times, plagued by the aftereffects of malaria and other diseases she had incurred while entertaining the troops during WWII plus a very messy private life the strain was obviously beginning to take its toll.
9 Reviews
A transatlantic mish-mash
JasonTomes23 October 2005
"The Brass Monkey" is a low-budget comedy-thriller-cum-variety show of little artistic merit but maybe some slight curiosity value. It is most likely to appeal to viewers with a nostalgic interest in 1940s popular culture. It does have a story, concerning the efforts of Mr Ryder-Harris, a British convert to Buddhism, to recover three very precious and sacred brass figurines of the wise monkeys - hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil - originally made for a Japanese temple. With the involvement of a crooked art dealer and his underworld associates, the quest for the stolen third monkey turns nasty and a couple of people are shot dead. But viewers will probably care no more about the details of all this than the writers and performers appear to have done. It is not a compelling tale.
Made in England by an American director, "The Brass Monkey" is an uneasy transatlantic mish-mash in respect of both style and casting. The plot-line and production values resemble those of American murder-mystery potboilers of the time, such as the Charlie Chan and Falcon series. The leading lady, Carole Landis, performs in full Hollywood glamour mode in modest British settings (Southampton and London) with a supporting cast of British character actors and light comedians. The central figure of the film, however - I hesitate to call him 'the star' - is Carroll Levis, playing himself. This prompts the question: who was Carroll Levis? To anyone watching the film, it is unnecessary to point out that he certainly wasn't an actor. Levis presented a popular radio variety show and was - we are told - "Britain's favourite Canadian". Ah, such fleeting fame! He may be envisaged as a precursor of Hughie Green, compère of "Opportunity Knocks", the old British television talent contest. At his side is Avril Angers, trying hard to get laughs in the guise of a silly secretary. Her patter is a weak imitation of American 'wise-cracking'.
The last third of the film is largely turned over to a succession of variety acts performed on the Carroll Levis radio show. Terry Thomas makes-up as an elderly man to sing "Somebody blew my bluebird egg" in a Swiss-German accent. Avril Angers delivers an energetic comic number about the housing shortage. Mr Fred Cross from London gives a rendition on the musical saw of "Believe me if all those endearing young charms". Winnie from Halifax plays "The Flight of the Bumble Bee" on her piano accordion. Meanwhile, the police inspector swiftly winds up the unengaging mystery. Occasional bursts of portentous music add unintended humour to this awkward confection of light entertainment.
Made in England by an American director, "The Brass Monkey" is an uneasy transatlantic mish-mash in respect of both style and casting. The plot-line and production values resemble those of American murder-mystery potboilers of the time, such as the Charlie Chan and Falcon series. The leading lady, Carole Landis, performs in full Hollywood glamour mode in modest British settings (Southampton and London) with a supporting cast of British character actors and light comedians. The central figure of the film, however - I hesitate to call him 'the star' - is Carroll Levis, playing himself. This prompts the question: who was Carroll Levis? To anyone watching the film, it is unnecessary to point out that he certainly wasn't an actor. Levis presented a popular radio variety show and was - we are told - "Britain's favourite Canadian". Ah, such fleeting fame! He may be envisaged as a precursor of Hughie Green, compère of "Opportunity Knocks", the old British television talent contest. At his side is Avril Angers, trying hard to get laughs in the guise of a silly secretary. Her patter is a weak imitation of American 'wise-cracking'.
The last third of the film is largely turned over to a succession of variety acts performed on the Carroll Levis radio show. Terry Thomas makes-up as an elderly man to sing "Somebody blew my bluebird egg" in a Swiss-German accent. Avril Angers delivers an energetic comic number about the housing shortage. Mr Fred Cross from London gives a rendition on the musical saw of "Believe me if all those endearing young charms". Winnie from Halifax plays "The Flight of the Bumble Bee" on her piano accordion. Meanwhile, the police inspector swiftly winds up the unengaging mystery. Occasional bursts of portentous music add unintended humour to this awkward confection of light entertainment.
Carole Landis Memorial
Garranlahan6 July 2007
The two previous excellent reviews present a fair, balanced, and accurate view of this movie. It is of interest now primarily as a period piece---actually an English period piece: believe me when I tell you that in 1948 there wasn't one American in 500,000 who had ever heard of Carroll Levis, "England's favorite Canadian." There is, however, a second and far more important reason for this movie's value. It captures the luminous Carole Landis at the height of her beauty (and very shortly before her tragic suicide at 29). If ever there was a movie actress who was not only breathtakingly beautiful and amazingly talented, but also underused, unappreciated, and relegated (for the most part, as here) to roles far beneath her, it was Carole Landis. She lost what could have been her best Hollywood years by her unselfish, indefatigable, tireless entertainment of American troops throughout the world in World War II, surpassing even Bob Hope and Martha Raye in miles traveled and military outposts visited. As above noted, she was in a class by herself for beauty, absolutely nonpareil in face and figure---Betty Grable and Alice Faye were just pretty made-up dolls in comparison. What a shame that, in the end, she ended up in fare such as this.
Diffuse Mix of Film Noir And Musical Comedy
boblipton17 January 2022
Ernest Thesiger wants an antique brass monkey from Japan, but it's stolen by a ring of do-badders which include Herbert Lom. To smuggle it through customs, it's given as a gift to Carole Landis, who gives it to radio personality Carroll Levis, who's playing radio personality Carroll Levis; he had a popular amateur hour show on the BBC in this period. The monkey becomes misplaced, and we get to witness a lot of amateur hour acts, including Terry-Thomas doing two of his routines.
It looks like it's going to turn into film noir -- how could it not, with Lom and Thesiger involved? -- but it never quite gets there. Instead the plot is dropped, and we get a show business story, with a girl contortionist, scatter-brained secretaries, and so forth, in Thornton Freeland's next-to-last time in the director's chair. Miss Landis committed suicide soon after appearing here. It was her last movie released in the United States, not making it into the theaters until 1951.
It looks like it's going to turn into film noir -- how could it not, with Lom and Thesiger involved? -- but it never quite gets there. Instead the plot is dropped, and we get a show business story, with a girl contortionist, scatter-brained secretaries, and so forth, in Thornton Freeland's next-to-last time in the director's chair. Miss Landis committed suicide soon after appearing here. It was her last movie released in the United States, not making it into the theaters until 1951.
Bizarre cross-genre mix
Leofwine_draca29 May 2016
THE BRASS MONKEY is a bizarre cross-genre mix of thriller and variety show, of real-life and make-believe. In fact it's one of the oddest films I've seen of the 1940s, as it comes across as an attempt to tack a half-hearted murder mystery/thriller style plot onto some very dated 'talent show' stagings which certainly haven't stood the test of time.
The film features real-life Canadian radio star Carroll Levis, who visits England and becomes embroiled in the hunt for a stolen brass ornament that's being pursued by a wealthy collector (THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN's Ernest Thesiger). A shady Herbert Lom hangs around and looks, well, shady, while the lovely and tragic Carole Landis (who would take her own life shortly after this film was made) brings plenty of glamour to her central part.
There are a couple of murders to enliven things and some plodding police procedural stuff to drag them down again. The last third of the film is given over to a variety show where real-life entertainers play themselves; a pianist called Hutch, a comedienne by the name of Avril Angers, and finally Terry-Thomas himself, constantly mugging. There's a surprising plot twist at the end, but I have to admit this dated talent show stuff left me cold and reminded me of the glut of reality TV plaguing our screens in the modern age. Thus THE BRASS MONKEY is a film I can hardly say I enjoyed, although fans of any of the main participants (are there still any?) will no doubt want to see it.
The film features real-life Canadian radio star Carroll Levis, who visits England and becomes embroiled in the hunt for a stolen brass ornament that's being pursued by a wealthy collector (THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN's Ernest Thesiger). A shady Herbert Lom hangs around and looks, well, shady, while the lovely and tragic Carole Landis (who would take her own life shortly after this film was made) brings plenty of glamour to her central part.
There are a couple of murders to enliven things and some plodding police procedural stuff to drag them down again. The last third of the film is given over to a variety show where real-life entertainers play themselves; a pianist called Hutch, a comedienne by the name of Avril Angers, and finally Terry-Thomas himself, constantly mugging. There's a surprising plot twist at the end, but I have to admit this dated talent show stuff left me cold and reminded me of the glut of reality TV plaguing our screens in the modern age. Thus THE BRASS MONKEY is a film I can hardly say I enjoyed, although fans of any of the main participants (are there still any?) will no doubt want to see it.
A Curio, For Sure
By-TorX-113 July 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Brass Monkey is an unusual hybrid of murder mystery and music hall/radio entertainment that does not really work at all, but still has a pleasant charm (if only because it is a film so much of its time and so a snapshot of bygone theatrical entertainments). The plot is ostensibly about the theft and smuggling of a sacred brass monkey, an action that sees various characters - Herbert Lom's gangster, his boss and antique collector, Carole Landis, and the scholarly Ernest Thesiger - seeking it out, and drawing in the innocent compare and radio host, Carroll Levis, who finds himself accused of murders that have occurred in the pursuit of said brass article. In terms of being a B-movie crime caper, Brass Monkey works well enough, but throughout the film (and in a substantial section of the final act) various entertainers appear and perform full-length numbers (including turns from Terry-Thomas). These acts are so gratuitous that at one stage Lom's heavy, searching for the artefact in the theatre that is broadcasting Levis' show, sits down and becomes a passive audience member for quite some time, where he enjoys acts such as a tune played on the saw. Needless to say, this does slow proceedings down and unless you have a fervent penchant for saw players, the acts will try the patience of many a viewer (indeed, throughout the finale Levis keeps nipping in and out from his interview with the police to announce new acts!). However, all is ultimately resolved and the film does end with an interesting twist regarding the identity of the killer.
When radio ruled the world
myriamlenys18 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A man carries a little object of great value, to wit an antique brass monkey. He tells his fiancee it's just a charming mascot, hoping she'll carry it through customs for him. However, she gives it away to an old friend dating back to her days as a musical entertainer. Not everybody is pleased with this development...
"Brass Monkey" is probably best described as a mix of mystery thriller and (musical) comedy. I thought it started out well before losing its promise through all kinds of distracting song-and-dance interludes. The movie also ended on one of the most WTF conclusions plus reveals I've ever seen. In terms of illogic, "Brass Monkey" might just as well have announced that the murders were committed by the blind old nun who prepares breakfast for the Pope. As a result the dark charisma of Herbert Lom - at that time a most handsome and commanding actor - was rather wasted.
Still, the movie may interest those viewers who appreciate a snapshot of radio-related entertainment circa 1950. People sing, dance and play the musical saw ; as a viewer, you even get to watch a young Terry-Thomas doing a whole stand-up and quick-change routine, complete with egg-shaped skull.
To end on a small cultural note : the movie talks about a trio of monkeys, supposed to represent "do not indulge in evil speech", "do not watch an evil spectacle" and "do not listen to an evil discourse". I happen to live in Belgium and in this part of the world the meaning of the three monkeys has shifted. We recognize the threesome well enough but it's known as "horen, zien en zwijgen", meaning "to hear, to see and to remain silent". The general idea here is that it is wise to keep one's mouth shut, even if one notices something weird or immoral. Now "keep schtum and nobody will bother you" is not the most inspiring of messages, but in mitigation it can be said that the Low Countries have seen more than their share of war and oppression. Consequently people have learned the hard way to keep their head down, lest they lose it...
"Brass Monkey" is probably best described as a mix of mystery thriller and (musical) comedy. I thought it started out well before losing its promise through all kinds of distracting song-and-dance interludes. The movie also ended on one of the most WTF conclusions plus reveals I've ever seen. In terms of illogic, "Brass Monkey" might just as well have announced that the murders were committed by the blind old nun who prepares breakfast for the Pope. As a result the dark charisma of Herbert Lom - at that time a most handsome and commanding actor - was rather wasted.
Still, the movie may interest those viewers who appreciate a snapshot of radio-related entertainment circa 1950. People sing, dance and play the musical saw ; as a viewer, you even get to watch a young Terry-Thomas doing a whole stand-up and quick-change routine, complete with egg-shaped skull.
To end on a small cultural note : the movie talks about a trio of monkeys, supposed to represent "do not indulge in evil speech", "do not watch an evil spectacle" and "do not listen to an evil discourse". I happen to live in Belgium and in this part of the world the meaning of the three monkeys has shifted. We recognize the threesome well enough but it's known as "horen, zien en zwijgen", meaning "to hear, to see and to remain silent". The general idea here is that it is wise to keep one's mouth shut, even if one notices something weird or immoral. Now "keep schtum and nobody will bother you" is not the most inspiring of messages, but in mitigation it can be said that the Low Countries have seen more than their share of war and oppression. Consequently people have learned the hard way to keep their head down, lest they lose it...
A Very Hard Film to Obtain
whpratt18 January 2005
Over the years I have always admired everything that Carole Landis performed in on the Silver Screen. This was her last film before her untimely death and a friend loaned me the tape which I have always wanted to see. I was not disappointed in the story or the acting, however, Carole Landis was simply beautiful and very sexy in her final role and was able to keep this film from completely falling a part. I simply cannot understand why this film is not shown on our regular TV stations in America, it is truly a great Landis Film. However, a real great film that Carole Landis performed in was, "I Wake Up Screaming", along with many other great veteran actors. If you love her films, try and view this last Swan Song for Carole.
Everybody's Got Something To Hide Expect Me And My Brass Monkey
cutterccbaxter13 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The old guy who is after monkey says he is a Buddhist and will stop at nothing - even kill - to get the monkey. That struck me as an un-Buddhist.
BTW, I have those three monkeys on my tv stand, so it was fun to look over at them while viewing The Brass Monkey. The monkeys I have are made out of plastic, so I'm pretty sure no one will kill me for them.
I like movies where people play themselves. It's hard to criticize their acting when they play themselves.
If you say to them: "Your acting seems a little stiff." They can reply: "I'm not acting. I'm playing myself and I'm a stiff person."
I was surprised by who turned out to be the murderer. I never would have guessed Terry Thomas because he was playing himself. Okay, I am only kidding. People who play themselves aren't murderers. But I still was surprised who was guilty at the denouement.
BTW, I have those three monkeys on my tv stand, so it was fun to look over at them while viewing The Brass Monkey. The monkeys I have are made out of plastic, so I'm pretty sure no one will kill me for them.
I like movies where people play themselves. It's hard to criticize their acting when they play themselves.
If you say to them: "Your acting seems a little stiff." They can reply: "I'm not acting. I'm playing myself and I'm a stiff person."
I was surprised by who turned out to be the murderer. I never would have guessed Terry Thomas because he was playing himself. Okay, I am only kidding. People who play themselves aren't murderers. But I still was surprised who was guilty at the denouement.
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