GASOLINE ALLEY (1951)

[drednm]

Here's a find on Netflix. A simple, low-budget film probably meant to be a franchise since two films were released in 1951. I vaguely remember the Sunday comic in the Boston papers but other than the names of a couple characters, I drew a blank. The mostly unknown cast works well with the "name" actors, Scotty Beckett and Jimmy Lydon, both of whom were struggling to establish themselves in adult roles.

Beckett is terrific in this one (haven't seen the 2nd one yet) playing a strong, resourceful, independent 20-year-old who buys a filthy diner and tries to make a go of it with a little help from his family. Was very impressed with Susan Morrow as Hope and Dick Wessel as Pudge. But the real surprise in storyline and performance comes from Gus Schilling, a minor burlesque comic actor ( a Don Knotts type) who was a favorite of Orson Welles' (he appeared in several Welles films). Schilling helped elevate this minor film into something very memorable.

I believe Beckett's problems with drugs and alcohol probably doomed Gasoline Alley from becoming a popular series for Columbia. These films proved to be his last starring film roles. I haven't found any information on whether the films were successful at box office or not.

[Richard M Roberts]

Here's a find on Netflix. A simple, low-budget film probably meant to be a franchise since two films were released in 1951. I vaguely remember the Sunday comic in the Boston papers but other than the names of a couple characters, I drew a blank. The mostly unknown cast works well with the "name" actors, Scotty Beckett and Jimmy Lydon, both of whom were struggling to establish themselves in adult roles.

Beckett is terrific in this one (haven't seen the 2nd one yet) playing a strong, resourceful, independent 20-year-old who buys a filthy diner and tries to make a go of it with a little help from his family. Was very impressed with Susan Morrow as Hope and Dick Wessel as Pudge. But the real surprise in storyline and performance comes from Gus Schilling, a minor burlesque comic actor ( a Don Knotts type) who was a favorite of Orson Welles' (he appeared in several Welles films). Schilling helped elevate this minor film into something very memorable.

I believe Beckett's problems with drugs and alcohol probably doomed Gasoline Alley from becoming a popular series for Columbia. These films proved to be his last starring film roles. I haven't found any information on whether the films were successful at box office or not.

Beckett's drug addiction problems and lifestyle issues had absolutely nothing to do with the failure of the Gasoline Alley series at Columbia. The series didn't hit with audiences at all. The second one goes for a bit more slapstick, hoping to reach an audience the first one didn't, then Columbia called it quits.

Basically the series pictures weren't doing well at the boxoffice once television came in strong, this was the kind of stuff folks could see at home. Columbia's detectives had all gone by the wayside, Blondie was also a Big Screen Goner (the Gasoline Alley series was an attempted replacement) and the new attempted Detective/Espionage series like David Harding, Counterspy were no more successful and the B Westerns were soon to follow on the road to the scrapheap.

I do agree that the first Gasoline Alley film is a charmer, partially because of the veteran cast, both Gus Schilling and Dick Wessel are terrific (Wessel's one of our favorite unsung character actors. We went through the RIVERBOAT television series and enjoyed his regular appearances on that show), and Beckett and Lydon acquit themselves well (I definitely prefer Lydon here to the Henry Aldrich films). Both the Gasoline Alley films came out on a VCI/ Kit Parker DVD set a few years ago.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[drednm]

The sequel is hideous. Beckett has nothing to do, Lydon is boring and bland, and Gordon Jones plays his usual odious character and dominates the film. No one else gets a moment. Same director, same writers, and the sequel is a complete misfire. Any chance at a series was killed by this dud.