Having a multi-region DVD player is very useful, as it has enabled me to purchase and watch movies in Region 1 (USA/Canada) format that will not play on a British Region 2 DVD player but which are not available in Region 2 format either. On 7 July 2020, I watched one such movie, The Incredible Mr Limpet, which is a famous, much-loved fantasy film in the USA but is scarcely known here in the UK.
Directed by Arthur Lubin, released in 1964, and based upon a 1942 novel by Theodore Pratt, The Incredible Mr Limpet is a superb mix of animation and live-action, and is set during the USA's entry into World War II following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
It tells the decidedly surreal story of an archetypal nerd, Henry Limpet (played by Don Knotts, again a famous name in the States but far less so in the UK), who has a passionate, abiding fascination for fishes. Sadly, Henry fails the enlisting process due to his poor eyesight, much to the disappointment of his very patriotic wife Bessie (Carole Cook), who has no time for her husband's ichthyological interests. One day while visiting Coney Island with her and their successfully signed-up navy friend George Stickle (Jack Weston), Henry daydreams about how much he would love to be a fish and inadvertently falls into the sea – where for reasons that are never explained, he duly transforms into a fish.
This mystifying metamorphosis marks the beginning of the movie's first of several well-executed animated segments, all of which were produced by Warner Brothers' celebrated cartoon studio as its very last project before it closed for good at the end of 1963. However, because Henry does not reappear in human form and they have no inkling about Henry's extraordinary transformation into a fish, Bessie and George inevitably if erroneously presume that he has drowned.
To cut a long and convoluted story short, Henry the fish then volunteers to seek out German U-boats in the Atlantic for the US Navy, and he proves exceedingly successful in this capacity, becoming the Navy's greatest top-secret weapon in the Battle of the Atlantic. Moreover, he is even assisted by George once they encounter each other at sea and Henry reveals to his astonished friend who – and what – he is now.
Henry remains a fish, meeting up with Bessie just once to reveal his new form and that he didn't drown, after which they say their goodbyes, Henry having previously rescued and fallen in love with a lady fish and Bessie having become very enamoured with George. So everything ends happily for everyone, and serenading this strange yet charming tale are four very catchy, melodious songs by famous Hollywood songwriters Sammy Fain and Harold Adamson.
The Incredible Mr Limpet is indeed incredibly weird but also totally wonderful, as will be confirmed if you click here to watch this delightful trailer for it on YouTube. (If you don't want to watch its lengthy opening advertisement, featuring American radio/TV broadcaster Arthur Godfrey publicising an available 45 rpm record of one of this movie's songs, skip to 1 min 45 secs and start watching the trailer from there onwards.) Incidentally, there have long been plans for a fully live-action remake, but as yet this has still not transpired.
And to view a complete listing of all of my Shuker In MovieLand blog's other film reviews and articles (each one instantly accessible via a direct clickable link), please click HERE!
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