Fit for a King: A bit of a mess, but Joe E. Brown tries

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you're a die-hard fan of 1930s slapstick or you’ve got a massive soft spot for Joe E. Brown’s giant mouth. If you’re looking for a tight, clever script, you might want to look at Girl Shy instead. This one feels like it was written on the back of a napkin during a lunch break.

The whole premise is just an excuse to drop a newspaper reporter into a royal mess. It feels less like a movie and more like a series of sketches glued together with string.

The Joe E. Brown Factor

Brown is doing a lot here. He is flailing, he is yelling, and he is constantly tripping over his own feet. Sometimes it works! Other times, you just want him to stand still for five seconds. There’s a scene in the second act involving a fancy dinner that goes on for way too long. The timing is just... off. It feels like everyone was waiting for him to finish his bit before they could move on to the next set.

It’s a bit like watching a kid try to juggle oranges. You’re rooting for him, but you’re also bracing for the splat.

Odd Details

• The extras in the background of the hotel lobby seem like they’re in a completely different movie.
• The way characters just walk into rooms without knocking is hilarious. Nobody has any privacy in this version of Europe.
• I swear the same background painting of a castle is used three times in different scenes.

There isn’t much to say about the supporting cast. They’re mostly there to look shocked or annoyed while Brown runs around. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Friendly Enemies, though with significantly less at stake. At one point, a diplomat says something meant to be profound, but the delivery is so flat it’s almost impressive.

It’s not a masterpiece. It doesn’t try to be. If you watch this hoping for a deep dive into journalism ethics or political satire, you are going to be very disappointed. But if you just want to see a guy in a tuxedo slide down a staircase by accident? You’ll be fine. 🤷‍♂️

It gets better once the plot stops trying to make sense. Somewhere around the 45-minute mark, the movie gives up on the journalism angle and just turns into a chase. That’s when it’s actually kind of fun.