Film critic Leonard Maltin called It Happens Every Spring “a most enjoyable, unpretentious picture.”
That pretty much sums it up.
Back in my teen years, one of our local TV stations ran old movies on weekday afternoons, just in time for me to tune in after school. I watched a lot of second-tier movies, particularly when the weather wasn’t conducive to being outside. This week’s pick was one of those movies.
I hadn’t watched it since and turned it on this time as background while I cleaned up the house. But after about 15 or 20 minutes, it pulled in me. I sat and watched the rest of the film, mostly because of Paul Douglas.
Douglas plays Monk Lanigan, a (somewhat old) baseball catcher, who’s tasked with keeping an eye on his team’s new and mysterious pitcher, King Kelly (played by Ray Milland).
You see, Kelly is really chemistry professor Vernon Simpson, who has accidentally discovers a compound that when applied to baseballs makes them avoid wood — perfect for a pitcher wanting to strike out batters. The low-paid professor wants to earn extra money to marry his sweetheart Deborah Greenleaf (Jean Peters).
If you completely discard the fact that the movie centers around cheating in baseball — doctoring the ball — it’s a thoroughly enjoyable flick.
Douglas is both funny and sincere as Monk, and much more engaging than either Milland or Peters. The rest of the cast is filled out with familiar faces from the 20th Century Fox studios lineup.
If you’re looking for something to watch on a rainy afternoon, grab a box of Cracker Jacks and check out It Happens Every Spring to brighten your day.
Epilogue: Untitled Film Project is back after an unplanned hiatus just as our Criterion film club reconvenes following its holiday break. Assuming nothing distracts me again, I plan to have my comments posted here Saturday mornings.