My favorite comic will always be Uncle Miltie and he was a scream in this one. Hammy and corny beyond belief, this slapstick had me rolling on the floor. The story involved a up and coming third rate comic trying to break into big time show biz. He must first work second rate clubs and resorts, but finally gets his big shot when taking over a routine for a fellow actor. Lots of good hoofing, sight gags, and joking around in the famous Berle style.

There are a couple of reasons why lovers of musicals on the silver screen might want to watch this old stinker, none of them having to do with its quality as a film. One is the musicals numbers themselves, of which there are many, including great old standards by Harry Warren and George Gershwin. The other is to watch the unbelievably corny shtick performed by Milton Berle and Bert Lahr. It's hard to explain Berle's popularity as a television pioneer; his jokes and routines reek of someone who wants to be the life of the party but ends up being just annoying.

Probably not intended as such in 1949, in retrospect this film shows an interesting juncture between old time show biz and the imminent influence of television, which changed everything. The film captures some fascinating relics of an earlier time, such as Bert Lahr reprising a famous burlesque-type routine of his from the early '20s. Milton Berle excels in acting out all sorts of comedic styles and formats then in vogue or already seen as passe. Despite its chirpy title song, the film has a surprising toughness and unsentimentality for its era (witness the happily cruel "Men's Club" scene). Recommended for those into show biz history, and also a great way to see some genuinely funny stuff.

The comedy giants of the black and white era film. Uncle milty. Bert lahr. Alan hale, who must have been in every single movie made before 1950. The top actresses of the day virginia mayo, ruth roman. Kip ( milton berle) is trying to book somewhere, anywhere, but ... he's past his prime, and all his gags are old, dusty vaudeville bits. Television killed off vaudeville way back when. Even one of the agents says "this kind of thing went out ten years ago." there's some funny stuff in here, done by the pro's, but it won't be for everyone. Some fun guests, and many references to other performers. Unfortunately, he does blackface, a reference to al jolson. Possibly the last time it was done in the movies. Fountain pens? Just shows how old the material really was. The story is pretty silly, but we do get to see milty doing comedy. And drag. He did mostly television after this. Directed by roy del ruth, who had started out with the genius mack sennett. Del ruth has an interesting story detailed on wikipedia dot org; he worked with all the greats.

"Always Leave Them Laughing" is an interesting curio in many ways, but isn't a particularly good movie. Let me explain. When this film was made back in 1949, Milton Berle was the biggest name on television and much of his show's success was based on Berle doing t the sort of shtick he'd been doing for years in Vaudeville. So, here you get to see a semi-autobiographical film where Berle does a lot of the corny and over-the-top routines that made him famous. However, and this is VERY important, a lot of it just isn't funny. The jokes are so old and familiar that many viewers will recognize them and the rest fall pretty flat. Worst of all is the cop routine by Bert Lahr--that REALLY aged poorly. Yes, he was popular in the good old days but today this seemed very tired and cringe-worthy at times. Another thing that will make you cringe is seeing Berle do a third-rate Jolson routine--in black- face! Plus, Berle's character was, at times, really difficult to like.

Is it all bad? No. When Berle isn't trying to be funny he's pretty good. And, it's surprising to see how limber and graceful he is when he dances--and several of the dance numbers (particularly with Lahr) were nice. But this just isn't enough. The film is a window into a bygone era...one that just doesn't work or entertain in the 21st century.

Comedy is often hilarious, but gets bogged down in sentiment.

I happened upon this film by accident whilst I was channel surfing. Having never seen "Uncle Milty" in an acting role before I just had to stop and watch.

While this films story is one of those behind the scenes show biz stories of a comic trying to get into the big time, what I found to be absolutely fascinating was the character of Rene played by Iphigenie Castiglioni in what can only be read as a very, very lesbian night club owner for whom Berle auditions doing a comedic routine playing the piano and singing Miss Otis Regrets, a song written by the very gay Cole Porter.

The nightclub owner Rene with her mannish hairstyle, tuxedo (worn during the day!) and long, long cigarette holder with her aperitif is the quintessential gay stereotype for the era. How the combination of Rene in her garb and the suggestive Cole Porter song got past the censors is beyond me, but I am sure it was quite appreciated by gay audience members as an acknowledgment of their presence in show business.

What surprised me most about this movie were the few moments watching Ruth Roman doing some fancy dancing. As my old girl friend used to say -- "I didn't know you had it in you." Miss R usually plays it straight, and always well. I have no idea why she was not used more often in song-dance roles.

She looks good, acts good. And, the ever lovely Virginia Mayo was excellent as an opportunist. I'll watch her anytime so, don't hold the Mayo.

The star, obviously, was Uncle Milty who was admired by all the critics, with the exception of one sourpuss. As another reviewer pointed out many of the comedians excelled in straight roles. In this movie, the Unc alternated between very funny and very serious, but always convincing.

The Cowardly Lion was his usual self, and there's not a thing wrong with that.

I would have enjoyed more skits but this flick was not a review. There was a good story attached. The movie always left me laughing, except when it was not supposed to.

Kipling 'Kip' Cooper (Milton Berle) is a hack comedian doing second rate nightclubs. It's a long road to his eventual success. A young whippersnapper is eager to copy his success, but Kip's agent recounts the hard winding road.

It's a lot of hack comedy. Milton does a black-faced spoof. It's all very hacky and not actually that funny. It's no surprise that the best moment is Bert Lahr's heart-felt speech about comedy from the heart. I've only seen Milton Berle in old small clips. I wasn't around during his heydays. I do wonder if comedic sensibilities have changed or maybe Milton Berle is playing the hack comedian too well.

The reviews for this film seem to be split between those who don't think much of it and those who adore it. I can understand the enjoyment in reliving some old comedy bits, but that is not enough--for me--to make this film a success.

Unfortunately, the writing is terrible. In parts, the script is so melodramatic that it pulls you right out of the scene. And even worse, the writers often have Milton Berle performing for the film's audience when he should be performing for the theater audience in the film. I guess they just couldn't help themselves. But it takes the viewer out of the story, more than once. If they had done that consistently throughout the film, then we might be able to forgive them and consider it a stylistic choice. But when Bert Lahr is on screen, he stays in character the entire time and does not play to the viewer. His performance is the best part of this film and the main reason I give it three stars.

I wanted to give it two stars just for the luminous beauty of Virginia Mayo (Zsa Zsa like in her perfection) and Ruth Roman, but Ms. Mayo's "serious scenes" are excellent examples in how to chew scenery; she can blame part of it on the dialogue they gave her. Ms. Roman, on the other hand, has the chops to shine right through words.

It IS fun to hear some of the tried and true (repackaged and reused) bits from Vaudeville and lesser locales. But that is about all this film has to offer.

The life of a comic is, no doubt, full of unpredictability, self-doubt and wearisome travel. It's too bad the script of Always Leave Them Laughing couldn't stop laughing long enough to be taken seriously.

For a better example of the comic as serious actor, see Jerry Lewis in The King of Comedy.

Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, and Jack Lemon. I bet you can think of others.

Unfortunately, Berle ain't one of them. Bert Lahr doesn't do so well either.

It is great to see some of his old acts but some of them don't hold up.

A small-time comic works his way up to the big time.

The two hours is mainly for fans of Uncle Miltie. Berle is in just about every scene, along with a number of his costumed skits. As expected, some skits are funnier than others; however, I wish this overlong movie had stayed on a light comedic level. Instead, it veers off near the end into heavy drama, which could have been easily lopped off.

Catch that bouncy opening—as I recall, it plays much like Berle's hit TV show that helped put TV on the map in the early days. Anyway, if guys get tired looking at the star, there's the delectable Ruth Roman standing around in various stages of undress, and also a shapely Virginia Mayo doing some surprisingly good dance steps. Comic actor Bert Lahr gets his turn on the stage. But to me, his brand of humor is a matter of taste.

I suspect Warner Bros. was testing the waters to see if Berle's appeal carried over to movies as well as TV, in the way it did for Bob Hope over at Paramount. However that may be, I think the movie would be better if shorter and strictly light-hearted.

This is not much of a story but it is a GREAT chance to see 2 Old-Timers, Berle & Lahr , do some classic routines , that were so familiar the audience, they could have followed along word for word. Inside info says they both couldn't stand each other but it doesn't show in the work ! I know Uncle Miltie has had his time in the spotlight but I hope someone says "Thanks " before he's gone !

I just caught this movie on TCM, and I quite liked it. Milton Berle perfectly plays the wise-cracking comic trying to claw his way to success. I enjoyed hearing the old shtick delivered rapid-fire and with an edge of irony. Having missed Uncle Milty's tv days, I can see that he really was a consummate entertainer...not to everyone's taste, but one of a kind in my opinion. Not a bad song and dance man either. And a pretty fair dramatic actor when drama is called for. This movie is worth seeing if you're interested in the world of entertainment back in the day.

I came across this movie at 4am on TCM. What a Missing Gem of a movie. Unlce Milton Burl was at the top of his Form in this film. True like some comments have said the Skits were old even in "48" and Unlcle Milton used the skits on his Long Running TV show. I know this because I grew up watching him on Reruns. Too Bad someone doesn't bring this out on DVD it show cases a Classic Comic in his Prime would love to hear his Commentary on this Movie. By the everyone says this is Milton Burls only Movie. Have we already forgotten the Great "Mad Mad Mad Mad World"?????????? He did a great job in that movie as well but at a different point in his life.

In the frame story of the first television star Milton Berle's 1949 big screen vehicle ALWAYS LEAVE THEM LAUGHING, a young comic watches Milton as fictional-self Kipling "Kip" Cooper filming his own successful TV-variety show...

Which is supposed to be what Berle's Kip worked so hard to perfect: a vaudeville-trained standup comedian's hyperactive struggle to reach the point of being, basically, TV's beloved Milton Berle...

Yet ironically, this supposed creative peak is worse than the deliberately low-rent gigs leading up: ranging from a heckling men's club violently preferring strippers to comics, or lying about a lucrative musical role to his girlfriend...

And despite the second-billing and poster covers, it's not Virginia Mayo... her part's relatively peripheral as a gold-digging wife of a comic superstar that Kip... who makes a sparse living imitating more famous comedians... ultimately aspires to: until taking over hospitalized Bert Lahr's Broadway Show, where leggy bombshell Mayo's both wife and on-stage co-star, edging towards a spicy romance with Kip...

Meanwhile his genuine love-interest (initially more engaged in friendship than romance) is the strongest character aboard in Ruth Roman's Fay Washburn... along with Lloyd Gough's caustic yet dependable agent, she remains faithful to a zig-zagging career where Berle desperately tries to, as the title goes, ALWAYS LEAVE THEM LAUGHING: a propaganda programmer that both overreaches and entertains like the fervent entertainer being depicted...

And yet, despite TV's biggest star ultimately flopping on the big screen, a vigorous, determined, always-moving Milton Berle proves he can try being funny like no one else, keeping busy enough so not to rest on his laurels: which would ironically happen for the rest of his hit-and-miss (real life) career.