So You Want to Be a Detective (1948)

68% User Rating

11min

Joe McDoakes imagines himself as a private detective on a murder case. Throughout the film, he spars verbally with narrator Art Gilmore.

Richard L. BareDirector

Cast

View Cast & Crew

George O'Hanlon

Joe McDoakes (a.k.a. Phillip Snarlow)

Art Gilmore

Narrator (voice)

Lila Leeds

Veronica Vacuum (uncredited)

Kit Guard

Barroom Thug (uncredited)

Reviews (1)

All Reviews

talisencrw

Rating 80%

August 4, 2016

This short film, an extra from my blu of 'The Treasure of the Sierra Madre' is one of the better Richard Bare-directed 'Joe McDoakes' comedic shorts. Like Leonard Maltin states in his introduction to the 1948 'Warner Night at the Movies' that Warner Bros. attempts to recreate with this (as well as the cartoon 'Hot Cross Bunny'), it was a clever homage/satire of both Bogart's detective work in 'The Maltese Falcon' and the first-person point-of-view camera work prevalent in Robert Montgomery's 'Lady in the Lake' from the previous year.

Media

View All Media

Currently no videos

Collection

Part of

So You Want... Collection

Includes: So You Want to Be a Detective, So You Want to Be Pretty, So You Want to Hold Your Wife, So You Want to Hold Your Husband, So You Want to Know Your Relatives, So You Want to Move, So You Want to Be a Bachelor, So You Want to Build a House, So You Want to Be on a Jury, So You Want to Be a Salesman, So You Want to Enjoy Life, So You Want to Be a Plumber, So You Want to Be in Pictures, So You Want to Give Up Smoking, So You Want to Be in Politics, So You Want to Be a Gladiator, So You Want to Be Your Own Boss, So You Want to Be a Baby Sitter, So You Want to Be a Handyman, So You Want to Play the Piano, So You Want to Be a V.P., So You Want to Wear the Pants, So You Want to Be a Muscle Man, So You Want to Get Rich Quick, So You Want to Be a Gambler, So You Want to Be an Heir, So You Want to Be a Cowboy, So You Want to Go to a Convention, So You Want to Play the Horses, So You Want to Get It Wholesale, So You Want a Model Railroad, So You Want an Apartment, So Your Wife Wants to Work, So You Want a Television Set, So You Want to Be Popular, So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck, So You Think You're Allergic, So You Think You're Not Guilty, So You Think You Can't Sleep, So You Think You Need Glasses, So You Think the Grass Is Greener, So You Want to Keep Your Hair, So You're Going to Be a Father, So You're Going to Have an Operation, So You're Going to the Dentist, So You Want to Be on the Radio, So You're Having In-Law Trouble, So You're Having Neighbor Trouble, So You Want to Throw a Party, So You Want to Be a Paper Hanger, So You Want to Buy a Used Car, So You Never Tell a Lie, So You Want to Be a Musician, So You Love Your Dog, So You Want to Go to a Nightclub, So You're Taking in a Roomer, So You Don't Trust Your Wife, So You Want to Be a Policeman