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4.8/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 4.8/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Check and Double Check remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
This one, Check and Double Check, is a real time capsule. If you're into old-time radio or early sound films, especially anything with Duke Ellington, you should probably check it out. Others? Well, you might find it a tough sit. It’s got that specific kind of early talkie charm, but it also shows its age, big time. Expect something slow and a bit… odd. 😬
So, the whole deal here is that it's the only film appearance of Amos 'n Andy, those huge radio stars. Freeman F. Gosden and Charles J. Correll play them. They’re running an “open-air” taxi, basically a beat-up car, trying to make a buck. Things get mixed up when they need to drive some musicians to a swanky party.
The movie really leans into the whole radio show vibe. You can almost hear the studio audience laughing at some of the gags, even though there isn't one. It feels like a radio play with pictures. Which, honestly, isn't always a good thing for a film.
Amos and Andy themselves are… an interesting pair. Andy, played by Correll, is the more pompous one, always thinking he’s smarter than he is. Amos, Gosden, is the earnest, often exasperated voice of reason. Their back-and-forth has a rhythm, for sure. It’s a very particular kind of humor from that era. Not every joke lands today, let's just say.
One scene, where they’re trying to fix their broken-down cab, goes on for a while. They’re pulling out every tool, making a huge mess. It’s supposed to be funny, I guess, but it just feels drawn out. You can see the effort, though.
Then there’s the Duke Ellington Orchestra. 🎶 Man, that's the real draw for me. They pop up playing at this fancy party, and suddenly the screen just comes alive. Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, Barney Bigard, Joe 'Tricky Sam' Nanton… you see them, clear as day. The music is just incredible, a real jolt of energy. It’s like a mini-concert slipped into the middle of the film.
It makes you wish they had more screen time. The movie almost stops for their numbers. And then, once they're done, it's back to Amos and Andy trying to navigate some society drama. A bit of a whiplash.
The plot around the party and the society folks feels a little thin. There's a diamond necklace involved, a mix-up, some mild peril. It’s all pretty low stakes. The film doesn't really commit to the mystery or the slapstick. It just sort of happens.
There’s this moment where Andy is trying to impress some rich folks, fumbling over his words. It’s meant to show his social climbing, but it feels more awkward than genuinely funny. Like, you almost feel bad for him. Almost.
The "Mystic Knights of the Sea" get mentioned a bunch, which was a big part of the radio show. It's cool to hear those familiar names, but if you don't know the radio context, it probably just sounds like a bunch of gibberish. That’s a common thread here: it expects you to be in on the joke already.
Visually, it's pretty standard early talkie stuff. Static cameras, long takes, not a lot of fancy cutting. The sets are mostly interiors, a bit stagey. When they're outside with the taxi, it opens up a little, but not by much. It definitely has that pre-Code feel, though not in the scandalous way, just in its straightforward, unpolished look.
One small thing I noticed: the way some of the extras are just staring at the camera sometimes. You see it a lot in these early films. Nobody told them to look natural, I guess. It gives it a very candid, almost documentary-like feel in those moments. Weirdly charming. 🤔
Is it a great movie? No, not really. But is it an important piece of film history, especially for those interested in radio's transition to screen? Absolutely. It’s a curiosity. A document. A chance to see these radio giants. Don't go in expecting some lost classic. Go in expecting to see the Duke Ellington Orchestra doing their thing and a glimpse into a very specific type of American humor from the turn of the 30s. It’s a unique experience, even if it sometimes drags. 🕰️
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