Joe E. Brown stars as Frank X. Farrell, rookie pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Talented but quirky, Farrell quickly picks up the nickname Alibi Ike—it seems that he apologizes for everything, even his accomplishments:
Cap: "How many games did you win last year?" Ike: "Only 28. Had malaria most of the season."
Brown is hilarious as the alternately boastful and bashful Ike. William Frawley (looking almost young!) is fine as Cap, the often frazzled team manager. Ruth Donnelly is solid as always as Frawley's wife.
Olivia de Havilland, at the very beginning of her career, is lively and cute as the girl who wins Ike's heart, dumps him when he makes one excuse too many, and then roots for him to redeem himself when it counts.
Brown's charm really carries the picture; his reluctance ever to give a straight answer is humorous, sometimes almost poignant, but never as irritating as it would be in real life. Sometimes his excuses are very funny, too—like when his buddies, hoping to pin him down, ask him if he gave de Havilland a ring, and he says no, he lent it to her.
Lots of laughs, with some great on field baseball action too.
Cap: "How many games did you win last year?" Ike: "Only 28. Had malaria most of the season."
Brown is hilarious as the alternately boastful and bashful Ike. William Frawley (looking almost young!) is fine as Cap, the often frazzled team manager. Ruth Donnelly is solid as always as Frawley's wife.
Olivia de Havilland, at the very beginning of her career, is lively and cute as the girl who wins Ike's heart, dumps him when he makes one excuse too many, and then roots for him to redeem himself when it counts.
Brown's charm really carries the picture; his reluctance ever to give a straight answer is humorous, sometimes almost poignant, but never as irritating as it would be in real life. Sometimes his excuses are very funny, too—like when his buddies, hoping to pin him down, ask him if he gave de Havilland a ring, and he says no, he lent it to her.
Lots of laughs, with some great on field baseball action too.