Wonder Man (1945)
Overview
Boisterous nightclub entertainer Buzzy Bellew was the witness to a murder committed by gangster Ten Grand Jackson. One night, two of Jackson's thugs kill Buzzy and dump his body in the lake at Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Buzzy comes back as a ghost and summons his bookworm twin, Edwin Dingle, to Prospect Park so that he can help the police nail Jackson.
Cast
Danny Kaye
Edwin Dingle / Buzzy Bellew
Virginia Mayo
Ellen Shanley
Vera-Ellen
Midge Mallon
Donald Woods
Monte Rossen
S.Z. Sakall
Schmidt
Allen Jenkins
Chimp
Edward Brophy
Torso
Steve Cochran
Ten Grand Jackson
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CinemaSerf
Danny Kaye is "Dingle" - a charismatic, if slightly annoying, nightclub entertainer who, after witnessing an hit, falls foul of some mobsters. His ghost returns to try and inspire his rather timid twin to help deliver his killers to the cops. The split-personality approach allows for plenty opportunities for light comedy. "Dingle" must reconcile the attentions of his fiancée "Midge" (Vera-Allen) - engaged to the murdered man, and of the shy and retiring librarian "Ellen" (Virginia Mayo) who prefers the quieter man. This love triangle thread is a bit wearisome, to be honest, and concludes in a rather predictable way - indeed, the whole storyline is pretty unremarkable. Kaye is at his best when he is ostensibly "possessed" by his twin - and the flower-allergy number "Otchi Tchorniya" is the highlight of the film. Also quite notable are the visual effects. Both "Dingle" characters frequently and imperceptibly appear in the same shot, the ghostly apparition even walking through objects. Fans of the star may get more from this, but I found his performance just a bit too dominating, the rest of the film is as nothing to his appearances and the songs are all pretty lacklustre, save for Leo Robin & David Rose's "So in Love". It's quirky, colourful and well paced, so fans should enjoy it - it just over-did it for me.
