Friday, September 11, 2009

Ma and Pa Kettle: Why Not?


A couple of weeks ago I was on the Turner Classic Movies Message Boards. I visit them often, and it's rather fun to join or just read discussions on classic films. If you are ever there, my screen name is HarlowFan (big surprise). Anyways, I stumbled onto a discussion about Augusts Summer Under the Stars series. Somebody was complaining about the line-up for the month and somehow got going on which movies are classics and which are not. I am pretty broad minded about classic films, and consider any old movie a classic movie. I understand not all are "classics" in the true sense of the word, but they're all classic to me.

Eventually this discussion turned to the Ma and Pa Kettle series. Much was said against them and how they are awful movies that are not classics. Other people defended these movies, and soon it was apparent many people love this classic duo.

The characters Ma and Pa Kettle (played by Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride) were first brought to screen in the 1947 film "The Egg and I". This picture starred Claudette Colbert and Fred Macmurray. Ma and Pa Kettle were a side story in this film, but made a great impact. So much, that there were seven more Ma and Pa Kettle movies made!

So why not Ma and Pa Kettle??? These films are so much fun. The humor is wonderful and all of the zany characters are hilarious! They have brought so much joy to many people over the years, and hopefully for many more to come! I know everyone has an opinion, so if they don't like Ma and Pa, they don't have to watch them. I for one will continue to watch these wonderful films as long as I live, and any other classic movie that might not be considered a "classic". Hurray for Ma and Pa Kettle!!

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