“Mr. Washington Goes to Town” (1941) Starring Mantan Moreland & F.E. Miller / Z-View

Mr. Washington Goes to Town (1941)

Director:  Jed Buell, William Beaudine (uncredited)

Screenplay:  Lex Neal from a story by Walter Weems

Stars:  Mantan Moreland, F.E. Miller, Maceo Bruce Sheffield and Marguerite Whitten. 

Tagline: The First All Colored Cast Feature Comedy Ever Made!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Wallingford (Miller) and Schenectady Jones (Moreland) are buddies serving time in the county jail.  Wallingford sees a newspaper article about a rich man who died and left his hotel to any living relative that he may have had. Since the man’s last name was Jones and he was from the same area as Schenectady, Wallingford asks his buddy if he may have been related to the rich old man.  The two discuss the life of luxury that would come from being a rich hotel owner.  As Schenectady falls asleep he dreams…

Miller and Moreland can be favorably compared to Abbott and Costello.  Both duos are funny.  Miller, like Abbott is the brains of the two and takes advantage of his partner.  The difference is that Miller is more of a true friend.  Mantan Moreland is one of the most under-rated comedians in Hollywood.  He has great timing and his line and non-verbal reactions are priceless.

The set-up of owning a hotel presents great opportunities for gags as different guests arrive.  We get a magician, a Lonesome Ranger, a guest with a gorilla, an invisible man, and more.  Each different arrival provides laughs.  The main storyline involves Brutus Blake (Sheffield) looking for money hidden somewhere in the hotel and hoping that midnight arrives before Moreland can pay the balance owed on the hotel’s mortgage.

Mr. Washington Goes to Town earns 4 of 5 stars.