Thursday, September 15, 2011

Radio review – Lux – “Life of Riley” (1949) ***

Radio adaptation of film adaptation of a radio show – so it’s no surprise that it translates so well: a simple domestic comedy with William Bendix very funny and engaging as the big hearted lug surrounded by loving family (exasperated wife, hot daughter who has romantic escapades, son who gets up to mischief). The plot of this involves Riley struggling to pay the rent, and the daughter falling for the landlord’s nephew (Richard Long, who specialised in these sort of parts) but being tempted to marriage to a man she doesn’t love so her father doesn’t get fired – which feels a bit contrived. The undertaker character was hilarious. This feels as though it should be set in Brooklyn but actually takes place in Los Angeles.

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