Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town

"The NEWEST and hilarious adventure!"

1950 1h 19m EN

👍

6.6

SOLID

★6.6TMDB · 14

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When Pa wins a jingle-writing contest, he and Ma head for New York City. They they get in trouble with gangsters when they lose some stolen money which they had already agreed to deliver to one of the thugs.

“The NEWEST and hilarious adventure!”

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Cast

Marjorie Main
Ma Kettle
Percy Kilbride
Pa Kettle
Richard Long
Tom Kettle
Meg Randall
Kim Parker Kettle
Gregg Martell
Louie
Charles McGraw
Shotgun Mike Munger
Kathryn Givney
Mrs. Victoria Masterson
Jim Backus
Joseph "Little Joe" Rogers

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Charles Lamont
Writers: Martin Ragaway, Leonard B. Stern
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

76 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Ma and Pa Kettle Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Charles Lamont, shot by Charles Van Enger. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Milton Schwarzwald. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Russell F. Schoengarth shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride and Richard Long carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The NEWEST and hilarious adventure!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Charles Lamont directs. Charles Van Enger behind the camera. Milton Schwarzwald scores. Russell F. Schoengarth cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 79-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
276 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Ma and Pa Kettle Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Charles Lamont, shot by Charles Van Enger. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Milton Schwarzwald. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Russell F. Schoengarth shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride and Richard Long carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "The NEWEST and hilarious adventure!".
9IMDB entry: tt0042697 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 14 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Charles Van Enger
Original score: Milton Schwarzwald
Editing: Russell F. Schoengarth
Costume design: Rosemary Odell
Makeup / hair: Joan St. Oegger
Runtime: 79 min · 1h 19m
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town (1950)

Part of

Ma and Pa Kettle Collection

Ma and Pa Kettle have their hands full with a ramshackle farm and a brood of ramshackle children. When the future comes a-callin' in the form of modern houses, exotic locales and newfangled ideas, Ma and Pa must learn how to make the best of it with luck, pluck and a little country charm.