Callaway Went Thataway (1951)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Directors:

Melvin Frank
Norman Panama

Writers:

Melvin Frank (writer)
Norman Panama (writer)

Release Date:

15 November 1951 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Plot:

Two smart marketing people resurrect some old films starring cowboy Smoky Callaway and put them on television...

Plot Keywords:

Cowboy | Marketing | Hollywood | Foundation | Dual Role

Cast

Fred MacMurray	...	Mike Frye
Dorothy McGuire	...	Deborah Patterson
Howard Keel	...	Stretch' Barnes / 'Smoky Callaway
Jesse White	...	Georgie Markham
Fay Roope	...	Tom Lorrison
Natalie Schafer	...	Martha Lorrison
Douglas Kennedy	...	Drunk
Elisabeth Fraser	...	Marie
John Indrisano	...	Johnny Terrento (as Johnny Indrisano)
Stan Freberg	...	Marvin
Don Haggerty	...	Director Don
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dick Powell	...	Himself (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

The Star Said No (UK)

Runtime:

81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #16383) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows - 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "Hopalong Cassidy" (1952)

Soundtrack:

The Washington Post

Cute send-up of TV western stars and ad men

"Callaway Went Thataway" is a slight comedy enlivened by some fine performances by Dorothy McGuire, Fred MacMurray, Howard Keel and Jesse White. As television was threatening to take over the film industry, MGM produced this send-up of the TV western hero craze. Smoky Callaway's old movies are being run on TV and are such a hit with kids that an enormous licensing potential develops for Smoky products and endorsements, plus the making of more Smoky movies. One small problem - Smoky done left the corral 10 years earlier and no one - including his agent (White) knows where he went. The ad agency partners (McGuire and MacMurray) find a lookalike, Stretch Barnes, a simple man with simple needs, and convince him to take Smoky's place, claiming that Smoky is dead. All goes well until Smoky's agent finds the real Callaway, a womanizing boozer, and brings him back.

This is a fun film for baby boomers who grew up with Gabby Hayes, Roy Rogers, The Cisco Kid, The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers etc. etc. and who used all the products that carried their hero's face: the cereals, the lunch boxes, the toys. Howard Keel is terrific in the dual role of sweet, sensitive, aw shucks ma'm Stretch and the hard-drinking slob Smoky. McGuire is lovely in her role, and MacMurray does well as her less conscience-stricken partner.

MGM takes the opportunity to plug its stars - there are cameos of Esther Williams, Elizabeth Taylor, and Clark Gable, and there are lots of future TV stars as well. Besides Jesse White, there's Stan Frieberg, Natalie Schaeffer, and in an uncredited role, Hugh Beaumont. Fun viewing.