Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1944)

Very Cool!!!

All that we are seeing on the screen is happening with real people, real action sequences in the background, forcing the eye to watch as if we were there.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

"Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore" is a wartime comedy that centers around the housing shortage. From the very beginning, the film falls flat for two reasons. Firstly, the star is Simone Simon, whose French accent is distracting. More importantly, her nominal understanding of the English language derails some lines that could be funnier if she knew where to place emphases.But the bulk of the blame lies with the script, which might have done better as a play. Most of the gags are almost humorless. I doubt that any actress could have made a winner of this collection of overworked and uninspired lines.The "hijinks" begin when Simon (Kathie Aumont) spills a salt shaker. A gremlin emerges and, as everyone supposedly knows, it curses her with seven weeks of bad luck. So begins her crusade to find a place to live. She locates a temporary residence, but her privacy is invaded by a long line of people who also have keys to the premises. She reacts to this in various ways that have no apparent rhyme or reason.The film's ending, which is supposed to be a big reveal, probably had theatergoers saying "What?" or "So what?".

While a lot of unjustly forgotten films have been recently released on Warner Archives DVD, this one might have been forgotten for a reason. It's not exactly a terrible film, it just doesn't seem to work. The film's premise, about a woman who sublets an apartment from a Marine during a housing shortage, only to find that he's also issued a standing invitation for the use of the apartment to several of his male friends, has the potential for a wacky screwball comedy. Certainly Jean Arthur was able to turn a similar story line into classic comedy in "The More the Merrier". As this movie was the product of the low-budget Monogram Studios, someone of Arthur's caliber wasn't available, but the role might have been a good showcase for a reliable comedienne such as Lucille Ball or Betty Hutton. Instead, the role went to Simone Simon, who can't really milk the role for all its comic potential. It's hard enough sometimes just to understand her would-be wisecracks through her thick French accent.The lead roles are played by James Ellison and William Terry, a pleasant-looking actor who deserved better roles than he generally got over the course of his career. The actors try their best to squeeze some laughs out of the material, but much of the comedy seems uninspired. The running gag of having a gremlin (a tiny little troll) appear throughout the story to sabotage everyone's plans may have seemed like a cute idea at the time, but it's just bizarre and unfunny. Classic film buffs may appreciate seeing this mainly for the chance to catch some familiar faces, such as character actors Chester Clute and Minna Gombell as a pair of bickering landlords, and child actor Billy Laughlin in his only movie role (he was otherwise known as "Froggy" in the later Our Gang episodes). There's a brief, sad cameo by Rondo Hatton, an actor who capitalized on his severe facial deformities by appearing in B horror movies during the '40s. The gremlin is played by Jerry Maren, best known as one of the Munchkins from "The Wizard of Oz", although he's unrecognizable in the gremlin costume. The gremlin's voice is unmistakably that of Mel Blanc. And the film features an early appearance by Robert Mitchum, whose charisma shines through in a small role here. His character is described by one of the others as someone who "looks like a movie star," which in Mitchum's case is prophetic, as he would become a star just a few years after this movie was made.Despite its mediocrity, this film has a truly surprising twist at the end. So, with a 78-minute running time, it just might be worth slogging your way through it to get to the finish. Just don't expect too much along the way.

On a train, a "Gremlin" (the unmistakable voice of Mel Blanc) portends bad luck for sleepy defense worker Simone Simon (as Kathie Aumont). Arriving in Washington, DC, she discovers her intended roommate has married. Needing a place to stay, Ms. Simon sublets an apartment from passerby William Terry (as Johnny Moore), a Marine leaving for duty. Simon isn't alone in the apartment for long as Mr. Terry gave out keys to several of friends. The men are stricken with Simon's beauty, especially sailor James Ellison (as Mike Burke), who stops by for a bath. Future star Robert Mitchum also pays a visit. Director Joe May gets Simon into several sexy positions and they really arouse interest in this whimsical farce.****** Johnny Doesn't Live Here Anymore (7/8/44) Joe May ~ Simone Simon, James Ellison, William Terry, Chick Chandler

Fairly sharp script by Philip Yordan and John Kafka, from Alice Reeve's magazine story, about a working gal in Washington, DC who, because of the housing shortage created by returning WWII soldiers, accepts an apartment from a Marine on deployment. Unfortunately, he has also given copies of the key to all his buddies on shore leave, though our attractive heroine--Simone Simon, who keeps singing "Frère Jacques" to tell us she's a Frenchie--doesn't seem to mind the unwarranted drop-ins. For some odd reason, a comical Beelzebub (with what sounds like the uncredited voice of Mel Blanc) is injected into this merry mix-up of the sexes, as well as bratty twin boys who keep barging in unannounced to use Simon's bathroom! It all begins well enough before losing steam in the second-half, turning into a screwball romp with pie-in-the-face humor and the type of wrap-up in Night Court which seldom works. Noteworthy for an early appearance by Robert Mitchum (who has a funny bit flipping Simon onto a bed), but the laughs are spread pretty thin. *1/2 from ****