ThiefHott
Too much of everything
Afouotos
Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.
ActuallyGlimmer
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Candida
It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.
vincentlynch-moonoi
I give this film fairly high marks for a couple of reasons. First, it's very difficult not to like Joe E. Brown on screen. There's just something sort of indefinable about him that makes you smile...and often laugh...sometimes out loud. Brown makes the most of his role here as a great baseball player that has the habit of not being able to be quite honest about anything he says at all...and he not attempting to be deceitful...he just has the CONSTANT urge to fabricate his response to any question or situation. It's interesting here to also note that Brown was a pretty athletic guy, so just right for this film.This film was also the first to be released of a new actress -- Olivia deHavilland. And, she just as she always was. Delightful.William Frawley (much later to be Fred Mertz) has a meatier role here than he did in most of his films...as the baseball team manager. And he's very good in it.The other players, though key to the story are not names many of us know today, but they all do their jobs well, here.The one downer to this film is the lack of an explanation. Why does Ike fabricate everything instead of just telling the truth? That is never answered.Even for us non-sports-fans, every once in a while a baseball movie will come along that keeps us entertained. This is one of those films. Definitely worth a watch.
DKosty123
Joe E Brown gets a lot of mileage out of his character in this baseball farce about the Cubs winning the World Series with Brown as an outrageously funny pitcher. The director of this film started in silents with a short comedy & a Rin Tin Rin film where Rin Tin Tin plays another dog. That does not mean this is a dog.The film is pretty entertaining as William Frawley plays the Cubs manager. This is one of the first of many sports films Frawley would do. As for Brown, he is an under-appreciated funny man who in his films always plays someone a bit eccentric. He is that character here for sure. The script is co-written by Lardner & the writer who did Torpedo Run & Command Decision later. For a 1935 feature, while it is by no means a perfect film, it does hold up better than some others from the year it was made. Dreaming of the Cubs winning a World Series continues to this day & it might be a few more years before it happens yet as the Cubs are closing in on 100 years without a World Series Victory.
canterburyroads
The Chicago Cubs finally win the pennant! And it takes Joe E. Brown's immortal character Alibi Ike to do it. William Frawley once again is superb in the supporting role, as the manager. Olivia De Havilland shines as the love interest. The rest of the supporting cast which includes Ruth Donnelly and Roscoe Karns are excellent. Director Raymond Enright keeps the film moving along in good fashion. The movie is predictable but it's a lot of fun getting to the end. The ending puts a lasting smile on one's face reminiscent of the movie "Some Like It Hot". This feel good movie hits a home run with this viewer. Take yourself out to the ballgame and enjoy!
whpratt1
"Alibi Ike" 1935 was just one of Joe E. Brown's great contributions to the comedy world. In this picture he was a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and played other roles as a St.Louis Cardinal, always arriving in the top of the nineth inning and saving the game as a top notch pitcher and hitter. It surprised me to see that Oliva de Havilland co-stared with this slap stick comedian, it was her very first film in 1935 and she went on to great fame in "Gone With The Wind" 1939 and many other famous classic movies. William Fawley, veteran film star("My Three Sons" TV Series) also performed his great talents. Another great star in this film was Roscoe Karns, who played, "Rocky King, Inside Detective" in the 1950's TV Series. Joe E. Brown's famous large mouth was his trade-mark and he sure gave people a great deal of happiness during World War II, his films will live on forever and ever.