Movie review of A Southern Yankee (1948) starring Red Skelton, Arlene Dahl, Brian Donlevy
A Southern Yankee is a very funny movie, set at the tail end of the American Civil War. Red Skelton plays the role of Aubrey Filmore, an inept bellboy at a Northern hotel. He manages to catch “the Grey Spider”, a very famous (and dangerous) Southern spy.
He quickly falls in love with Sallyann, a Southern nurse (played by the lovely and talented Arlene Dahl). She has come to lead the Grey Spider to a meeting with other Southern undercover spies in the North. They’ve pieced together the Northern strategy for an upcoming battle. In short order, Red Skelton is tasked with continuing his impersonation, taking false plans to the Confederacy
Comedy highlights
It’s a very funny movie, one of my favorite Red Skelton films. There are several funny scenes, including Red unwittingly sitting on a pine cone. Special mention to the scene displayed on the cover of the VHS. Where Red has to cross the line between the Northern and Southern troops while they’re engaged in a furious battle. he does so by wearing a Northern army uniform on one side and a Southern army uniform on his other side. While carrying a Confederate flag, also with an American flag on one side. This works well, until the wind blows the flag the other way, displaying his trick.
My favorite comedy scene, however, is an extended scene in a Southern hospital. A team of dentists pull one ‘bad tooth’ that doesn’t need to be pulled. And then another. Many other clowns have done hilarious dentist scenes (Laurel and Hardy and Tim Conway come to mind). But no one has done it better than this.
I truly enjoyed A Southern Yankee, and I hope that you do as well. I rate it 4 clowns out of 5.
Enjoy the funny movie quotes from A Southern Yankee as well
Cast of characters
- Red Skelton (Whistling in the Dark) … Aubrey Filmore
- Brian Donlevy (Hangmen Also Die; The Quartermass Xperiment) … Kurt Devlynn
- Arlene Dahl (Watch the Birdie) … Sallyann Weatharby
- George Coulouris (Between Two Worlds; Murder on the Orient Express [1974]) … Maj. Jack Drumman aka The Grey Spider
- Lloyd Gough (The Green Hornet TV series) … Capt. Steve Lorford
- John Ireland (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral; My Darling Clementine) … Capt. Jed Calbern
- Minor Watson (The Monster and the Girl; As Young As You Feel) … Gen. Watkins
- Charles Dingle (Half a Hero (1953)) … Col. Weatherby
- Art Baker (The Song of Bernadette) … Col. Clifford M. Baker
- Reed Hadley (Zorro’s Fighting Legion) … Fred Munsey
- Arthur Space (The Big Noise) … Mark Haskins
- Joyce Compton (Christmas in Connecticut) … Hortense Dobson
[Updated February 2, 2024]