The Luckiest Guy in the World (1947)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Joseph M. Newman

Writers:

Doane R. Hoag (writer)
Emile C. Tepperman (story)

Release Date:

25 January 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Crime | Drama

Plot:

This short is in the "Crime Does Not Pay" series. Charlie Vurn is always looking for the 'big score.' He bets on the horses and owes his bookie...

Plot Keywords:

Crime Does Not Pay Series | Gambling

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Barry Nelson	...	Charles Vurn
Eloise Hardt	...	Martha Vurn
George Travell
Milton Kibbee
Harry Cheshire	...	Mr. Mossley
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Red Skelton	...	Comedian on radio (voice) (uncredited)
Robert Williams	...	Bit Part (uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph M. Newman		(as Joseph Newman)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Doane R. Hoag		writer (as Doane Hoag)
Emile C. Tepperman		story

Produced by
Jerry Bresler	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Max Terr

Cinematography by
Charles Salerno Jr.

Film Editing by
Chester W. Schaeffer		(as Chester Schaeffer)

Art Direction by
Harry McAfee

Music Department
Albert Glasser	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1946) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Crime Does Not Pay No. 48: Luckiest Guy in the World (USA) (series title)

Runtime:

21 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Released over a year after its predecessor, 'Purity Squad' (1945), this was the final episode in the long and successful Crime Does Not Pay 2-reel series.

Crime Does Not Pay

Luckiest Guy in the World, The (1947)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

The final entry in MGM's "Crime Does Not Pay" series seems more like a film noir than an actual film in the series but there's nothing wrong with that. Barry Nelson plays a compulsive gambler who has blown his rent money, stolen money from work and now needs money from his wife. She refuses and he accidentally kills her but this here sets off a string of good luck but of course his crime is eventually going to catch up with him. The "Crime Does Not Pay" series is one of my favorites and while this one here doesn't really feel like any of their previous films I'm okay with that because this is a very well made film that manages to have the look and feel of some of the best noirs of this period. Nelson does a very good job in the role of a loser who eventually catches a few breaks. He's totally believable as the man and really brings a lot to the character making him someone we can care about even though we don't like what he's doing. It's also worth noting that there's a comedian on the radio during one scene and this is none other than Red Skelton. This short received an Oscar-nomination, which it certainly deserved as this is one of the better examples of a noir in the shorts department.