A Southern Yankee (1948)

Set during the Civil War, a feather brained and bumbling bellboy (Red Skelton) dreams of being a spy for the Union secret service. He gets his chance when he inadvertently captures a notorious Confederate spy (George Coulouris) and takes on the spy's identity to infiltrate the Confederate camp. Inspired by the Buster Keaton film THE GENERAL (Keaton was the film's technical advisor) and directed by Edward Sedgwick (EASY TO WED). As a comedian, Skelton falls into the love him or hate him category (usually the latter) but this is one of his best starring vehicles. Full of sight gags and physical comedy, one may not laugh out loud but it brought many a grin to my face (Jeff Corey asks Skelton his age to which he replies "26" and Corey responds, "That's not a bad age for a jackass"). There's also a very funny sequence with Skelton trying to escape an overeager dentist. 1948 audiences lapped this stuff up and the movie was a hit. With Arlene Dahl, Brian Donlevy, John Ireland, Charles Dingle and Joyce Compton.