Watch Whistling in the Dark For Free

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Excellent but underrated film

A different way of telling a story

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

While the 1941 version of "Whistling in the Dark" is by far the most famous version, back in the 1930s there was a previous version and I enjoyed it very much. Now, less than a decade later, MGM is back with a new version--this time starring Red Skelton. As for me, I much preferred the original version even if it starred the much less famous Ernest Truex. Of course the original was more famous but it also didn't try so hard to be funny and was more subtle and likable.When the film begins, some evil scumbags are scamming lots of gullible ladies with their cult. However, this is no common, ordinary cult leader, as apparently he and his gang of thugs are killers! Their latest atrocity needs to be the perfect murder and instead of the boss (Conrad Veidt) planning it, he decides to force a radio program writer and performer, Wally Benton (Red Skelton) to plan this perfect killing. And, to provide Wally with an incentive to cooperate, they also kidnap his two lady friends along with him. How can Wally possibly escape or warn the authorities about the pending murder?This film is interesting and mildly funny--only mildly. This is because many of the laughs are a bit forced and Skelton's almost constant one-liners are almost never funny. I MUCH preferred Skelton's later roles, as his character was much sweeter and likable. Here, his character is unusually smart and unusually bland. As for me, I really thought the original film was far better...and is the version to see if you get a chance. However, the remake isn't bad...good enough at the time, that it spurred on two sequels--"Whistling in Dixie" (1942) and Whistling in Brooklyn (1943).

I had never seen a Red Skelton film until now. Based on "Whistling In The Dark" alone, I think he is probably an underrated comedian. Some of his expressions and double takes are quite funny. But he is also backed up here by a wonderful supporting cast: having to choose between Ann Rutherford and Virginia Grey would be any man's dream dilemma, and Conrad Veidt is perfectly cast as the bogus cult leader. Pleasurably, the women don't just sit back and scream when a big fight breaks out at the end - they (literally) jump right into it! The movie offers laughs (nearly all of the characters have some gems in their dialogue - "You can put my mind at ease by not using yours" - but you must listen carefully) and some genuine suspense as well - but as has already been mentioned, what's up with the title? The Fox doesn't whistle, he howls! *** out of 4.

Like the Road To Singapore which was the debut and yet the weakest of the Road films for Crosby and Hope, Whistling In The Dark which was Red Skelton's starring debut was overall rather weak, but definitely shows Red Skelton's zany comedy style. He did two more films as radio detective Wally Benton aka the Fox, Whistling In Dixie and Whistling In Brooklyn that were better than this one.The fact that smooth and clever villain Conrad Veidt who runs a spiritualist racket would need help from Red Skelton to construct a perfect murder is dopey on the face of it. Still Skelton is kidnapped by Veidt and along with him are two women that he's been seeing, Ann Rutherford and Virginia Grey, and he's got to come up with a foolproof method of homicide. Nobody notices that in addition to being a performer and writer, Skelton is also something of a fool.But that's what makes the weak premised film provide a lot of laughs with Grey, Rutherford, and even Veidt joining in on the general hilarity. And I do love the way Red apparently has a knowledge of electronics and makes the villain's radio receiver set a broadcast method. Can't be a complete fool to devise that.Though the succeeding Fox films were better, Whistling In The Dark will provide a great introduction to the comedy stylings of Red Skelton.

If that cracks you up, you'll be deliriously happy for an hour and twenty minutes. If you're not amused, watch Red Skelton say it. If you're funny bone still hasn't been tickled, go away. Otherwise, Whistling in the Dark is a good bet, even for family.