The Inspector General (1949)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Henry Koster

Writers:

Nikolai Gogol (play)
Harry Kurnitz (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

31 December 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

An illiterate stooge in a traveling medicine show wanders into a strange town and is picked up on a vagrancy charge...

Plot Keywords:

Snake Oil | Medicine Show | Corruption | Deception | Impostor

Awards:

Won Golden Globe.

Cast

Danny Kaye	...	Georgi
Walter Slezak	...	Yakov Goury
Barbara Bates	...	Leza
Elsa Lanchester	...	Maria
Gene Lockhart	...	The Mayor
Alan Hale	...	Kovatch
Walter Catlett	...	Col. Castine
Rhys Williams	...	Inspector General
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Benny Baker	...	Telecki (uncredited)
Leonard Bremen	...	A lieutenant (uncredited)
Jimmy Conlin	...	The turnkey (uncredited)
George Davis	...	Bela (uncredited)
Byron Foulger	...	Burbis (uncredited)
Lew Hearn	...	Izzick (uncredited)
Sam Hearn	...	Gizzick (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey	...	Villager (uncredited)
Norman Leavitt	...	Lazlo (uncredited)
Ida Moore	...	Villager (uncredited)
Paul Newlan	...	The woodchopper (uncredited)
Nestor Paiva	...	Gregor (uncredited)

Directed by
Henry Koster

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Nikolai Gogol		play "Revizor"
Ben Hecht		uncredited
Harry Kurnitz		screenplay
Philip Rapp		screenplay

Produced by
Sylvia Fine	....	associate producer
Jerry Wald	....	producer

Original Music by
Sylvia Fine
Johnny Green

Cinematography by
Elwood Bredell		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Rudi Fehr

Art Direction by
Robert M. Haas		(as Robert Haas)

Set Decoration by
Fred M. MacLean

Costume Design by
Travilla

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
Frank McCoy	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Lenore Sabine	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Al Alleborn	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arthur Lueker	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.A. Riggs	....	sound
Treg Brown	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Edwin B. DuPar	....	special effects (as Edwin DuPar)

Camera and Electrical Department
Saul Butner	....	gaffer (uncredited)
George Gordon Nogle	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Eugene Richee	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Stanley Young	....	grip (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mitchell Kovaleski	....	associate color director: Technicolor

Music Department
Johnny Green	....	musical director

Other crew
Natalie Kalmus	....	technicolor color director
Eugene Loring	....	choreographer
William J. Hole Jr.	....	script supervisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1949) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Films (1950) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• ClassicLine (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• DIV (Brazil) (VHS)
• Punto Zero (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (video)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Roan Group, The (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Vogue Video (1982) (Canada) (video)
• Weton Wesgram (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Happy Times (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:G (Ontario) | Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: When Yakov first reads the note from Leza we can see it says "They are trying to kill you. Don't go near the barn." Later, when the woodchopper reads it he says "Don't go near the barn. They are trying to kill you."

Quotes:

Kovatch: Oh, I love my family, but I'd give my six kids to get rid of my wife.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Hogan's Heroes: The Collector General (#3.27)" (1968)

Soundtrack:

Happy Times

A splendid time is guaranteed for all

I loved it as a kid and i love it even more now. This is a classic movie about mistaken identity, which inspired so many later movies. A tramp (Danny Kaye) is mistaken for the Inspector General by the corrupt mayor and his equally corrupt officials.

I find Danny Kaye one of the best performers of our times and he has given one of his best performances here. Look at him rolling like a dog (a scene so touching) or imitating a fish in the beginning or singing 'drink gypsy' later on. An institution in himself. The movie can be hilarious, very touching, delightful and thrilling at the same time. It's a treasure.