February 22 . . .
The Father of Our Country, George Washington, was born this day in 1732 in Virginia.
I cannot tell a lie: For someone with such an imposing title as "Father of Our Country", and the distinction of being first President of the United States, old George wasn't the hottest of film properties. Lincoln gets the John Ford treatment, Jefferson gets the juicy sex scandals,l but Washington . . . well, aside from a wooden-toothed TV miniseries starring Barry Bostwick and a token appearance in the musical '1776', Washington's film legacy is negligible.
But don't be disuaded. Celebrate his birthday with the delightful vintage comedy "George Washington Slept Here" (1942). Jack Benny stars in one of his best film roles as a city-loving husband whose wife (Anne Sheridan) buys an old colonial home in the country. The selling point: George Washington once slept there. The bad news: Nobody's been there since, and the place is falling apart. Benny delivers his one-liners with his typical great timing, and his interplay with the eccentric locals is priceless. The movie served as the template for such future rural comedies as "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" with Cary Grant, and the TV series 'Green Acres'.
The Father of Our Country, George Washington, was born this day in 1732 in Virginia.
I cannot tell a lie: For someone with such an imposing title as "Father of Our Country", and the distinction of being first President of the United States, old George wasn't the hottest of film properties. Lincoln gets the John Ford treatment, Jefferson gets the juicy sex scandals,l but Washington . . . well, aside from a wooden-toothed TV miniseries starring Barry Bostwick and a token appearance in the musical '1776', Washington's film legacy is negligible.
But don't be disuaded. Celebrate his birthday with the delightful vintage comedy "George Washington Slept Here" (1942). Jack Benny stars in one of his best film roles as a city-loving husband whose wife (Anne Sheridan) buys an old colonial home in the country. The selling point: George Washington once slept there. The bad news: Nobody's been there since, and the place is falling apart. Benny delivers his one-liners with his typical great timing, and his interplay with the eccentric locals is priceless. The movie served as the template for such future rural comedies as "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" with Cary Grant, and the TV series 'Green Acres'.
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