QUICK MILLIONS

Robert Shaw, June Carlson, Kenneth Howell, Helen Ericson

QUICK MILLIONS (1939). Director: Malcolm St. Clair.

Just when the Jones Family has returned from their adventure in Hollywood, they discover that an uncle has died and left them a house and a mine -- in the middle of the Grand Canyon! What's worse, the notorious bank robber, Floyd "Bat" Douglas (Horace McMahon) and his gang are using the place as a hide-out. The gun moll Daisy (Helen Ericson) passes phony money to Mayor Jones (Jed Prouty) and the cops think he's one of "Bat's" confederates. Then there's the question of whether or not there's any gold in the mine or just new cans of pork and beans. Robert Shaw -- not the actor from Jaws -- plays a ranger that Lucy (June Carlson) is attracted to and Eddie Collins is the alleged lawyer, "Beaver." Funny, while I wasn't overly impressed with Jed Prouty the first time I saw him, I have to say he grows on you and is especially good in this installment. As usual Granny (Florence Roberts) nearly walks off with the movie. Collins was also in the Jones Family film Down on the Farm.

Verdict: Actually quite pleasant and amusing. ***.

SAFETY IN NUMBERS [JONES FAMILY]

Lucy is comforted by her mother 

SAFETY IN NUMBERS (1938). Director: Malcolm St. Clair.

Mrs. Jones (Spring Byington) wins a radio contest as "best mother" after daughter Lucy (June Carlson) pens an essay about her. Meanwhile Major Jones (Jed Prouty) is nearly hornswoggled by some folks who say the town swamp contains mineral water with miraculous properties and want money to build a health spa on the site. On the romantic front, Jack (Kenneth Howell) falls seriously for a gal, Toni (Iva Stewart), who is already engaged to another, a situation which doesn't thrill her mother (Helen Freeman). The title comes from a speech Mrs. Jones has in which she mentions that the advantage of large families is that if one member is sad or in trouble, the others can pitch in and help -- there's safety in numbers. Robert Lowery [Batman and Robin] has a small role as a radio show host, and Cy Kendall is again the portly Chief of Police. Followed by The Jones Family in Hollywood.

Verdict: More than acceptable entry in the Jones Family series. **1/2

THE JONES FAMILY IN HOLLYWOOD

George Ernest tries to console June Carlson

THE JONES FAMILY IN HOLLYWOOD (1939). Director: Malcolm St. Clair.

The long-running Jones Family series [a total of 17 movies!] actually started with Every Saturday Night in 1936 when the family was named "Evers." (Presumably somebody with the same name objected because they became the more generic Jones Family with the next installment and thereafter.) This movie is about at the halfway mark for the series, and has the family traveling to Hollywood when Father Jones (a dithery and unappealing Jed Prouty) attends an American Legion convention, and everyone else, including the peppery Granny Jones (Florence Roberts), insists on going along. Lucy (June Carlson) thinks she's going to become a movie star thanks to the manipulations of sleazy actor Danny Regan (William Tracy of Terry and the Pirates), while girl-crazy Jack (Kenneth Howell) thinks he's fallen for an actress who only wants to use the handsome lug for research. The more studious brother, Roger, is played by the aptly-named George Ernest. At one point Roger, who is making a home movie, stands in for Lucy and shows her how to make love to her boyfriend, Tommy (Marvin Stephens), making it seem as if he has a crush on him. The actors are all adept, but the script is thin and silly and the laughs merely sporadic when they come at all.The only "name" in the cast is Spring Byington (Walk Softly Stranger), who is her usual self as Mrs. Louise Jones. Howell was also in Henry Aldrich for President and Junior G-Men. St. Clair also directed Jitterbugs with Laurel and Hardy.

Verdict: If nothing else a quaint curiosity of a long-forgotten series. **.