FLIRTING WITH FATE

Cinemavixion Review

Frank McDonald's "Flirting with Fate" from 1938 offers a charmingly outlandish premise, anchored by the effervescent Joe E. Brown. The film plunges us into the predicament of a struggling vaudeville troupe stranded in South America, where their resourceful manager, Dixon (Brown), concocts a desperate, insurance-fueled scheme. The narrative cleverly weaves together elements of slapstick comedy, as expected from Brown's persona, with the unexpected threat of banditry, personified by Leo Carrillo's Sancho. While the plot summary from OMDb presents a slightly different scenario involving a highway incident and a bandit's infatuation, the core of a troupe's financial woes and Dixon's audacious plan remains consistent. The film's blend of peril and pratfalls, set against an exotic locale, makes for a diverting cinematic experience that showcases Brown's unique comedic talents and the adventurous spirit of 1930s filmmaking.