Charles Mobilizes the Town

Retired Colonel William Seaborn Effingham (Charles Coburn) has returned to his hometown of Fredericksville, Georgia. He approaches the local newspaper editor, Earl Hoats (Allyn Joslyn) and offers his services as a military commentary columnist. Seeing a possible increase in advertisements, Hoats agrees, only to find that the Colonel's idea of a "military" column is not the same as the publisher. The Colonel is intent on using the column to undermine the efforts of the local government to raze the courthouse, and line their own pockets with the proceeds. Thus begins Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946).

The idea that a small town is willing to get together (at the urging of the dynamic Colonel Effingham) to save their 200 year old courthouse is an interesting premise. In an age where what was old should be destroyed to make way for the new, it is refreshing to see a film that is concerned with not only preserving the older structure, but spending the time and the funds required to make it a useful structure again. As people who watched beautiful structures (like Penn Station in New York City) demolished to make way for the new and supposedly better, only to have the change decried AFTER it was too late, we were sympathetic to the efforts to preserve an elegant 18th Century building.

Charles Coburn is compelling as the assertive Colonel Effingham. A military man, used to having his orders obeyed, he sees no difference in his duties in civilian life. His interactions with Ninety Eight (Nicodemus Stewart), who is apparently the only man of color in this southern berg, show Effingham training his "Orderly" to be a soldier. There is a rather odd fencing scene (in which it is clear that neither man knows how to fence), but by in large, the relationship between the two characters is good. At one point, Monty Woolley was considered for Colonel Effingham (perhaps because of his appearance as Retired Colonel Smollett in Since You Went Away two years earlier). Georgia-born Coburn was a far better fit.

William Eythe (Albert Marbury) is attractive in a Tyrone Power-type sort of way. In fact, he spent much of his career assigned to roles that Mr. Power turned down (TCM article). However, unlike Mr. Power, he's not a particularly powerful actor, and his character is easily overshadowed by the more commanding Mr. Coburn. Mr. Eythe's film career was short-lived - a scandal sheet outed his relationship with Lon McCallister, and Mr. Eythe eventually returned to work on stage (he appeared in four Broadway plays) and on television. He was with his partner, Mr. McCallister, when he died of hepatitis in 1957 at the age of 38.

Totally wasted in a part that was originally intended for Alabama-born Mary Anderson (Maybelle Merriweather, and screen-tested actress for Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind) (AFI Catalog), is Joan Bennett (Ella Sue Dozier). Smart and gorgeous, we found it rather horrifying that Albert only notices her when a gust of wind blows up her skirt slightly. We also found the wolf whistle that the director used (much like a laugh track) offensive. Once was bad enough, but the whistle is repeated several times. Ella Sue and Ms. Bennett deserves better.

The film demonstrates the abilities - to a greater or lesser degree - of some outstanding character actors: Elizabeth Patterson has a small amount of screen time as Emma, cousin to Effingham. Donald Meek  and Thurston Hall make a nice pair of charlatans as Doc Buden and Mayor Edgar. And Allyn Joslyn as the shady newspaper editor is also well-served. 

One interesting side note - the film, though released in 1946 is actually set in 1941, just before the American entrance into World War II. That Albert joins (to impress Ella Sue) the Georgia National Guard becomes an issue as the film ends - the National Guard is mobilized, with Albert saying  he would have been drafted soon anyway.

Based on the 1943 novel of the same name by Berry Fleming (which was based on an actual attempt to raze the Richmond County Courthouse in Augusta, Georgia). The film got decent reviews - Bosley Crowther in his New York Times review called it "pleasantly amusing". Charles Coburn would reprise the role in 1949 on the Hallmark Playhouse radio show. 

It's a cute movie - not great. It hasn’t aged very well - it is sexist and borders on racist. The main selling point of the story is Charles Coburn in a lead role - he is always fun to watch.