Will Rogers Collection, Vol. 2 (Ambassador Bill / David Harum / Mr. Skitch / Too Busy to Work)

Will Rogers was a prominent figure in radio and in the movies. He often talked politics, a relevant topic in the Depression years, but always managed to spin the discussions with a bit of humor. His "hometown folk" personality won him plenty of favor with the public, and despite his plain appearance and less-than-polished grammer, he was a top star. Unfortunately, he met an early end in a plane crash in 1935.The first movie in this set is a short and fun one. Ambassador Bill shows off all of the charms of the legendary Rogers with great ease. His trademark personality brings about plenty of humor in the film. There is nothing really important in this movie, but it is an enjoyable way to pass the time. Bill Harper (Rogers) is the US Ambassador to Sylvania, a troubled country in the midst of a revolution. The former ambassador has suffered a nervous breakdown, so the US sends Bill to take over the job. The elite in Sylvania are corrupt individuals intent on taking power, and Bill is an unwanted foil to their plans. The young king (Tad Alexander) quickly takes to Ambassador Bill; the two play baseball together. The queen (Marguerite Churchill) appreciates his efforts to reunite her with the abdicated king (Ray Milland), although she fights the reconciliation. Although Bill's manners do not mesh well in Sylvania, he charms many people there, and the powerful abhor him. To get rid of him once and for all, they plant a beautiful young girl (Greta Nissen) in his room and hope for the best.Too Busy To Work is the best film of the lot, an excellent example of just how good Rogers could be. Here he plays Jubilo, a man who roams the world and refuses to work. His life's ambition is to find the man that charmed his wife away from him while he was away at war. Finally, after years of searching, he stumbles upon the house of his enemy. There, he gets a job as a farmhand at the insistance of his daughter (Marian Nixon) who does not recognize him. (After all, she was only a baby when her mother re-married, and her mother is dead now.) Jubilo decides not to tell her the truth, but he does his best to ensure her happiness. When her boyfriend (Dick Powell) gets mixed up in a crime ring, Jubilo does his best to get him out. The entire cast is excellent here and each perform to the best of their abilities. The story is sentimental and sweet, a treat to watch many times over.Mr. Skitch is your typical Depression era story, although the film is quite rare. Usually, Hollywood avoided such sad topics and moved on to a lighter fare, but Rogers' popularity as an average man made it possible for audiences to connect happily to the character. As a result, this film features events very much like The Grapes of Wrath, but instead presents them lightheartedly and ends happily. The Skitch family has been uprooted; the local bank has foreclosed and lost off of the family's money. Unhappily, the gang packs up into their car, and makes way for California, the land of dreams. Mr. Skitch (Rogers) is in charge, Mrs. Skitch (Zasu Pitts) takes care of the food and the children, the twins Winnie and Minnie (or is it Minnie and Winnie?) describe every location they visit like travelling Encyclopedias, Little Ira (Wally Albright) questions the validity of everything, and Emily (Rochelle Hudson) falls in love. Lots of minor events occur, but the general feeling is of optimism in spite of the desperate times.David Harem is the weakest entry. It concerns Rogers as a horse trader who constantly tries to trick the local Deacon (Charles Middleton) into getting a bad deal. David gets tricked instead, and winds up with a tempermental horse that won't move unless he is sung to. Trying to make the best of a bad situation, David enters him into a race, hoping he has stumbled onto something special. Stepin Fetchit appears as a stable hand, and although he is normally a pretty good comic underneath the racial stereotypes, here he is more embarassing than anything.Overall, this is a worthwhile set to have to experience the talents of a forgotten star. Also included is a booklet with information on all four films which come with cards for their scene selection menus.

The Will Rogers collection seems to be going in reverse; volume 1 highlights his last 4 films he made before his tragic death. Volume 2 continues to explain why Rogers' appeal was so universal, and why he became one of the top box office stars in the Thirties."Ambassador Bill" (1931) is an early Rogers vehicle as he plays the title role. Sent to a foreign country and at first, shocking the officials with his down-home diplomacy & etiquette, he then teaches its boy-king how to be a regular boy. The friendship between Rogers & the boy-king is quite touching, Rogers briefly shows off his rope tricks, and even a young Ray Milland is in the cast! "Too Busy To Work" (1932) has Rogers re-prising the role of Jubilo the bum, which he first played in the silent era. It's a balance of comedy & drama as Rogers plays a seemingly ineffectual & "lazy" drifter who winds up affecting everyone around him. Its closing shot of Rogers strolling down a country road to his next adventure is strikingly reminiscent of Chaplin's ending in "Modern Times". "Mr. Skitch" (1933) begins with echoes of the Depression era as Rogers & family lose their their home, load up the jalopy, and travel from Missouri to California to start over. This gives Rogers opportunity to converse with several interesting characters en route. "David Harum" (1934) has Rogers at his eccentric best as a bank owner/horse trader who affects the lives of a new bank employee & his object of affections during the 1890's. Its climax is memorable as Rogers discovers his horse loves song during a harness race, and before you know it, the entire crowd is singing along!What's so enchanting about these films is that all Rogers had to do is play himself, while everything else took a back seat or just coasted along. Rogers didn't have to do broad humor to get laughs; all he had to do was drawl one of his humorous observations & hang his head in shyness, and an audience was hooked.A wonderful talent is thankfully preserved on DVD...and I'm sure glad to have "met" him!

This is the second volume in the Will Rogers collection, and what a dandy it is.I won't go into Roger's personal story,because if you're interested enough to be looking at his films,you probably already have a fair idea of what he's all about.Besides his acting on stage,screen,personal appearances in wild west shows,his columns and his political commentaries,above all he was an honest and decent man and not far removed in person as he appeared on film.That counts for a LOT and says volumes of him that words cannot adequately express.This set contains the following films:David Harum(released Mar/34)stars,among others,Will Rogers,Louise Dresser,Charles Middleton and Stepin Fetchit.The story concerns a small town banker(Rogers) who has a thing for horse trading,which he always seems to end up on the wrong end of.A young and trustworthy gentleman from New York arrives to become an employee at the bank.He falls in love with a local girl but doesn't have the funds to marry her.After Rogers sells a balking horse to the girl, they discover if you sing while riding it,it has the makings of a good sulky horse.Rogers persuades the young man to bet all he's got on the horse to win in order to finally marry the girl.He wins,he does and all live happily ever after.This is a charming film,and the interplay between Rogers and the Deacon(Middleton) as they trade horses is neat to watch.And every time the blaking horse is traded,Stepin Fetchit goes with it. Extras include an interview with Jane Withers to who acted alongside Rogers when she was young.3 1/2-4 stars.Ambassador Bill(released Nov/31)stars,among others,Will Rogers and Ray Milland.This story finds Rogers as the new ambassador for the U.S.in the fictional country of Sylvannia.The man who flies him in is actually the real king(Milland) who has abdicated, but returns to see his wife,who cares for his eight year old son who is filling in as king.The young king is too young for all the responsibilities thrown at him and Rogers sets about to teach the youngster more about the American way of life through baseball and cowboys and Indians.Revolutions seem to start up at a moments notice,and when the last one starts, Milland decides to finally return Rogers steps in to help,and thwarts an inside attempt to kill the young king.This film is another natural for Rogers as an ambassador,with an easy going way.There are some nice moments between he and the young boy,which include Rogers showing off some of his renowned roping skills..Extras include a featurette on the restoration of the Rogers ranch in California and interviews with family members.4 stars.Mr.Skitch(released Dec/33)stars,among others,Will Rogers,Eugene Pallette and Zasu Pitts.Pitts and Rogers are husband and wife and when their home gets repossessed in Missouri,they head west to California to seek employment.They end up stopping at various famous locations like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone Park.Along the way they have a daughter who falls for a cadet from West Point, who follows them out west,and meet an English wanna be actress who does a great impersonation of Garbo and Pitts.At a casino In Nevada Rogers meets up with Pallette and somehow wins enough money to go back home and buy their home back.However short to buy a new car,he heads back to get the extra,but loses it all.The lad who loves their daughter comes to the rescue and not only bails them out of their dilemma but marries the girl also.This film has a lot of charming and funny moments in it,in the most unexpected situations.Extras include the 1922 short The Ropin Fool.If you have never seen Rogers roping tricks,this will simply amaze the heck out of you.I give this 4 stars.Finally we have-Too Busy to Work(released Dec/32) stars,among others,Will Rogers and Dick Powell.Here Rogers plays a lazy Stepin Fetchit character,who hasn't done a lick of work in years.He decides to leave to go to California.He arrives and gets employment with a local judge.However he isn't there just to get work.He is there because the judge is the man who took Rogers wife away from him when he was in the army years before.She has since died,but Rogers daughter is there,along with a step brother from her fathers previous marriage.Just after arriving in town Rogers witnessed a bank robbery and Powell,the judges son,was the driver.Eventually Rogers is hauled in by the cops to be questioned and meets up with one of the participants who is dying.Rogers persuades him to make a confession and this exonerates Powell,who could have been in deep trouble( he was out with them but had no idea what they were going to do).Concurrent with this side plot,is that Rogers finally confronted the judge about the losing of his wife to another man.He asked him in third person terms,what he would do if he caught up with someone like that.The judges thinks about it and later hands him a gun.Rogers never uses it for that purpose, and when the criminal case is all but wrapped up,leaves town to head back home.He never tells his daughter who he really was.I found this film to be the best of the bunch,even though a film like David Harum is often considered in far higher esteem.Roger's Stepin Fetchit like character is right on the money,and you can tell the pain he carries re his wife's infidelity,eventual death and being so close but so far from his only daughter.Extras include a newsreel of an interview with Rogers over the radio,with J.Edgar Hoover(we only see Rogers).I give this film 4-4 1/2 stars.The thing I have found with Rogers and his persona is that he wasn't really an actor by trade,but by wrote.He seemed to let the actors around him act,while he,having the most rudimentary of acting skills,just carried on being who he was.And to the public's delight,it worked out beautifully.This set,by the way contains just four films and each come in their own snap case.It's a fantastic set and any Rogers fan will delight in what Fox has to offer here.The thing is,there are more Rogers films to be released,so a third volume is certainly in order.However considering this second volume was released back 13 years ago now,the likelihood of a new one is unfortunately very remote.How about an on-demand release?