User reviews

Although not a great film this is never the less, in its own way, unforgettable. The first section of the film plays as a light comedy and is amusing enough. As soon as the gender reversal fun begins, however, it moves into a different league - one which startles by the casual way it plays with sexual expectations and stereotyping.

The Willows' transformation (through the creaky genie device) is potentially explosive stuff and, to his credit, Roach successfully steers an innocent course between pantomime and farce. Although the sexual naivety of the film is obvious, to modern eyes the homosexual/lesbian resonance of the scenario is still very funny and, for its time, I think rather daring. Hubbard's fey alter ego especially is a joy to behold, and I am surprised that this film is not better known to lovers of gay camp.

Some elements of the supporting plot reinforces the echoes of sex and gender play too: the mix up with the pets for instance, prefiguring later confusions over role, or Willows' over-aggressive personal trainer, whose grappling is suggestive of an unwanted sexual encounter. Even the running joke of hiding drink from the wife suggests a furtive vice, again particularly apposite in context.

Menjou and Landis lend a touch of class to the proceedings, and although studio-bound, and not particularly realistic in scale, the set design is elegant and spacious. The otherwise (to me) unknown John Hubbard reminds me of Ed Wood in Glen or Glenda - it's that sort of film, where men slip on Angora sweaters and then light a pipe.

This is a project that is more successful exactly because it is directed by comedy veteran Roach. It would have perhaps emerged as a far safer, and therefore far less enjoyable vehicle in the hands of a larger studio or, if made by a director with a different background.

A mystical bust of a turbaned god gives a bickering, unsatisfied married couple exactly what they want: they switch bodies...but unfortunately not voices, which means the husband--who is one-third of a partnership in a big city advertising firm--talks like a girl and prances around his office complete with pocketbook! Very early entry in the body-switching genre is much fresher than some of the similar comedies which followed years later; the film doesn't have an esteemed reputation, so it's difficult to imagine that it influenced other pictures, but surely this was the starting point (or close to it). There are some very fast, very funny lines, quick and efficient gags, bright performers--however the first thirty minutes (a straight satire on big business before the 'magical' troubles begin) is just fine all by itself. The body-switching ploy pretty much comes out of nowhere and sticks out as a gimmick, when actually the movie was progressing very well without it. **1/2 from ****

This Hal Roach production from 1940 is a great comedy with outstanding actors and plenty of laughs. There is a sex change and body swapping between a husband and wife, the wife role is played by Carole Landis,(Sally Willows), "I Wake Up Screaming" and the husband is performed by John Hubbard, (Tim Willows). These two married couples have a statue of a Buddha which has magical powers and seems to be getting tired of this couple arguing about each other, so he offers this couple a chance to change their sex in order for the wife to perform her husbands duties at the office and the husband will perform the duties of the wife at home. In this household there is a great Dane dog and a bear cub running all around their dwellings. Sally Willows even climbs a flag pole in order to put up an Aeriel. William Gargan, (Joel Clare) and Mary Astor gave great supporting roles. Carole Landis gave a great performance through out the entire picture and was very young and beautiful in this film.

Although Adolphe Menjou is billed first, the "Turnabout" stars are John Hubbard (as Tim, then Sally) and Carole Landis (as Sally, then Tim); they play a bickering couple who are granted a wish: they switch bodies! There are some stereotypes evident, but this is a surprisingly well-done comedy from the time period. Possibly, the most "offensive" bit is not the gender role playing, but the repeated bit involving Mr. Menjou and the water fountain. Donald Meek (as Henry) and Marjorie Main (as Nora) are delightful as servants to the gender-bending couple. Mr. Hubbard and Ms. Landis are funny and believable. The ending is a trifle weak; but, "Turnabout" is an enjoyable surprise.

****** Turnabout (1940) Hal Roach ~ John Hubbard, Carole Landis, Adolphe Menjou

Carole Landis and John Hubbard play Sally and Tim Willows, a fairly bland married couple whose bickering accelerates to a point where they wish aloud that they could trade places…and whose wish is granted by a statue that sits on their bedroom shelf.

The opening scenes meander a bit, but we get to know Tim's eccentric business partners, their catty wives with whom Sally hangs out, and the Willows' domestic staff—all nicely played by a cast of veteran character actors led by Adolphe Menjou as one of Tim's partners.

It's when Sally and Tim switch bodies that the picture takes off—that is, when Sally takes on the personality and mannerisms of Tim, and vice versa. Landis and Hubbard are both hilarious; Landis is especially funny when she affects her husband's athletic swagger and broad gestures.

Donald Meek and Marjorie Main are typically entertaining as valet and cook; Mary Astor lends an edge as Menjou's wife. Franklin Pangborn has a funny bit as a Mr. Pingboom (not Mr. Pingpong, as he is called to his annoyance).

Other memorable moments include Landis (in her ultra-masculine persona) shinnying up a flagpole to install a radio aerial, and a rather surreal scene in which Menjou and William Gargan attempt to destroy a radio that just won't shut off. (They break it to pieces but it just keeps on playing.)

It's no classic but done in good spirits and occasionally hilarious.

Bickering husband and wife (John Hubbard, Carole Landis) have their minds switched thanks to a magic statue they call Mr. Ram. Landis is gorgeous, funny, and the primary reason to recommend this movie. Hubbard is OK but nothing special. The supporting cast includes Donald Meek, William Gargan, Franklin Pangborn, and Marjorie Main. Solid supporting actors all. Mary Astor appears in a wasted role as a friend of Landis' before The Maltese Falcon would reinvigorate her career the following year. Adolphe Menjou is annoying as a partner in the husband's ad agency. His entire role in the movie is yelling at various people. It gets old fast.

The madcap stuff doesn't really get underway until about midway through. The first 35-40 minutes is mostly setup, establishing these two characters' personalities and relationships. This probably could have been trimmed down to 10-15 minutes and I believe it would have helped the movie considerably. Everything involving the dog and then the bear was completely irrelevant and seemed to be tacked on because someone thought "Hey! Animals are funny. Let's do that." The first half is a slog to get through but the second half is lots of fun. I saw it years ago and didn't like it but just saw it for a second time and came away with a more favorable opinion. It's a very unique and risqué film for 1940. Carole Landis fans will love it most. It's probably her best role.

The best thing about TURNABOUT is a supporting cast of pros, the kind you'd expect to find in a Preston Sturges comedy--but here, it's Hal Roach directing an amusing farce about a husband and wife who literally switch places after years of bickering.

When they're granted their wish by a Buddah statue in their bedroom, he ends up wearing her nightgown and she's wearing his PJs. Not only that, but she's got his voice and vice versa. It's an amusing switch that happens halfway through the film, but the results are more meager than you might expect. JOHN HUBBARD is obviously enjoying his comedy role that allows him to swish around as the hubby with Carole's voice and manner, and she turns in a fine comic performance as the deep voiced man takes over her body. The dubbing is done rather skillfully.

And yet, despite the novelty of this sort of film being made under the Code restrictions of 1940, it only manages to squeeze a few really funny moments out of a silly screwball script. Most of those moments belong to the great supporting cast, including DONALD MEEK, MARJORIE MAIN and FRANKLIN PANGBORN, all of whom are seen at their best. MARY ASTOR looks fetching in a rather minor role as a gossipy wife.

There's a nice payoff at the end with the final line going to Carole Landis--who, by the way, has never looked lovelier or given a better performance in a comedy role.

Summing up: Modestly amusing despite a novel twist on a romantic comedy.

"Turnabout" is a moderately amusing comedy whose central premise — a husband and wife are supernaturally put inside each other's bodies and she has to negotiate his work world while he has to endure the boredom of stay-at-home wifehood — could have been the basis for a much better movie than we have. Producer-director Hal Roach had previously used the gimmick in a much funnier two-reeler starring Charley Chase, "Okay, Toots!," in 1935, and he got the plot of "Turnabout" from a novel by Thorne Smith, whose "Topper" stories had previously made him a lot of money. Though hampered by a low-voltage cast (the actors playing the couple, Carole Landis and John Hubbard, meant so little in 1940 Adolphe Menjou, in the supporting role of the husband's business partner, got top billing) and the fact that the movie is already almost half over before the actual turnabout occurs, it's still a nicely amusing comedy from a bunch of professionals who knew how to make people laugh — but imagine how good it could have been with the "Topper" stars, Constance Bennett and Cary Grant, in the leads!

What an odd little comedy. TURNABOUT is about a bickering upper middle class husband and wife who magically switch roles, although it takes over half the film to get to the switch. And when it comes, it makes little sense: the husband wakes up in the wife's nightgown and bed, and the wife wakes up in his PJs and bed. Further, he speaks with her voice and she with his, which means their dialog had to be dubbed. So what should have been a very funny and slightly ribald comedy is an exercise in cringe-inducing amazement. I am not sure why director Hal Roach simply didn't have the husband speak in a swishy manner to match his swishy body motions and the wife talk in a masculine manner and walk like a man. By the way, the wife is played by a not terribly convincing Carol Landis. Perhaps the idea of Landis playing butch was too much for Hollywood. It's not like the husband, played by a not terribly engaging actor named John Hubbard, wasn't swishing around enough and speaking in Landis's voice! Adolphe Menjou is top billed and in excellent form as one of Hubbard's partners in an ad agency. There's some great cheeescake involving models disrobing and wearing not much for product photo shoots -- and this was 1940, mind you, not pre-code 1934. Mary Astor is along for the ride as Menjou's wife, and the legendary Franklin Pangborn plays -- what else? -- a prissy client named Franklin Pingboom, whom the agency secretaries have a field day trying to pronounce correctly. I am actually surprised how much raciness they got away with in this Hayes-era production. They even work in a KKK joke, albeit not a very good one. There's a running bit involving a very large dog, but it doesn't come to much. Maybe they were trying to do a THIN MAN-type flick. If so, it didn't work. P.S. I agree with the reviewer who said how much better the movie might have been with TOPPER stars Constance Bennett and Cary Grant. Coincidentally Thorne Smith wrote both TOPPER and TURNABOUT.

Turnabout is the story of a married couple who bickers more than anyone you've ever seen. Mr. Willows (John Hubbard) and Mrs. Willows (Carole Landis) lead separate lives, and come home to fight about it. Mr. Willows is a partner for an advertising company and Mrs. Willows gossips and plays bridge with the other partners' wives. But there is one thing they can agree upon; they would love to switch lives with each other. A mysterious statue in their bedroom grants their request, and off he goes in a dress and off she goes prancing around in a suit. To say that their acquaintances are surprised would be an understatement and hilarity ensues.

Also appearing are famous names like Adolphe Menjou, Mary Astor, Inez Courtney, and Marjorie Main.

Stories like this are always entertaining, and when comedies are made on the Hal Roach lot, you're bound for success. This little known gem holds plenty of laughs, but it also abounds with a lightheartedness that can cheer anyone up on a bad day.

The Hal Roach-directed "Turnabout" from 1940 is an example of the film preservation work done by UCLA, and it looks great.

The story concerns a bickering married couple, Tim and Sally Willows (John Hubbard and Carole Landis) who have a large statue of Buddha in their home. Supposedly the Buddha will grant a wish of something they agree upon. After a particularly pesky fight, each one states they could do their jobs better than the other - Tim in an advertising firm and Sally as an at-home socialite. They decide to ask the Buddha to change places.

Well, that happens all right, but not as planned. They've switched but only internally - externally they look like themselves, but their voices have switched, too, which means Tim now has a high voice and feminine gestures when he goes to the office, and Sally is now terribly masculine.

Cute comedy with Adolphe Menjou as Tim's booze-sneaking business partner and William Gargan as an airhead who is also another partner.

I thought both the actors were good at the switch, but John Hubbard was especially funny.

Well directed, fun idea, with a twist at the end that we can only assume the Buddha was able to fix.

The setup for the situation here - that the husband and wife have their personalities and voices switched - takes 43 minutes, half of this movie, and that is WAY too long and uninteresting.

The next 30+ minutes have some clever moments, primarily when John Hubbard plays his version of a flighty and superficial woman (his wife). Carol Landis, though very beautiful in this movie, is less interesting imitating the masculine aspects of her husband, mostly because a woman imitating a man - or at least this type of man - isn't as naturally outrageous to us as a man imitating a flighty woman. I kept thinking that, with better writing, this could have been spectacular with, say, Clark Gable and Carol Lombard. Hubbard didn't have much of a public image as a macho guy to play against. Gable, or even better yet Wallace Beery, did.

The last ten minutes of this movie wrap things up in an uninteresting way. It could have been a lot more fun if the two main characters had learned something about themselves and their relationship by watching how they appeared as played by their significant other instead.

30 minutes of this movie have some good laughs. The remaining hour is a waste.

Goodness knows whats happening in Rocky River Idaho... They must have had a humour extraction... Probably something in the water... This film is a howl... How it hasn't been rediscovered is amazing... United Artists apparently have the rights... Get it out on DVD guys... THIS IS A CAMP CLASSIC... Having all the good and bad points that a film that falls into that catagory needs... Now carefull what you wish if you have bedroom statuary

The actual plot of Turnabout doesn't start until about half an hour in, but you'll be so busy laughing you won't really mind. John Hubbard and Carole Landis star as a young married couple, and for the first part of the movie, they're shown bickering alongside their other bickering, married friends, Adolphe Menjou, Mary Astor, William Gargan, and Joyce Compton. In a bizarre plot twist, a statue of Buddha makes John and Carole swap bodies so they can understand each other better. Nowadays, gender-swapping films aren't shocking, but can you imagine how hilarious this must have been in 1940? During the entire time they're swapped, their lines are dubbed over, so Carole mouths to John's voice and vice versa. It's side-splittingly funny, as are everyone's reactions to the strangely-acting couple.

Poor Donald Meek, the butler who's extremely shocked by the change in his employers' behavior! While John sashays and prances around in a nightgown, Carole insists on talking to Donald while she's in the shower. "From here on, I may be a little different than you expect. I want to be sure that anything that goes on between us will be strictly confidential." Donald, thinking she means an affair, stammers and stutters and ekes out an agreement that nothing has or ever will go on between them, but if it does, he won't tell anyone. I'm a classic film aficionado and have made character actors like Donald Meek household names, but while the rest of modern-day audiences have no idea who he is, I was tickled to see him have a bigger part than usual, and given something to do!

Watch this inventive comedy. It's quick and manages to stand the test of time, for the most part. Everyone who's unhappily married, or everyone who's ever thought someone else had it easier will get a big kick out of it.

This is a low-budget Hal Roach short feature film (at only about an hour in length). In the mid to late 1930s into the 40s, producer Roach began to make less and less shorts (15 to 20 minutes) and began to make feature-length films averaging only about 60 minutes. Except for the TOPPER series, most of these films seemed to be only modestly successful and none of them were good enough to make up for the defection of Roach's #1 stars--Laurel and Hardy.

TURNABOUT has a wonderful idea for a plot, though it sure wasn't handled very well at times. It's a fantasy about arguing spouses who are given the opportunity to change bodies to see what life would be like from the other point of view. In a funny scene, the couple's statue (called "Mr. Ram") comes to life to say he's had enough and is tired of hearing them bicker--hence his telling them he can do the transformation. Considering he IS a talking statue, they believe him and the results are pretty funny. The problem is that the humor in th film just isn't sustained very well--there are too many sluggish sections and too many places where the laughs seem very corny and forced. Plus, the very best part of the film where the change occurs doesn't even come until about half-way through the movie! With a small re-write to pick up the pace and having the transference occur much sooner could have really helped this film. Fortunately, though, the film is unique enough and has enough bright moments that it is still worth viewing--especially if you wait until the very end--which is VERY funny to say the least!!

PS--While a funny joke, there is a very off-color joke about the KKK in the film! Given the era, this is more understandable but is one of the few times the Klan is mentioned in film ever and it also is pretty insensitive.

Advertising executive John Hubbard (Tim) is the most annoying man on the planet. His keep fit regime lasts all day long, even while he is at work. This includes massages, exercises and judo while he is making decisions in his office. And he is always happy. He needed to be bumped off early in the film, but this is a comedy, so it doesn't happen. His colleagues at the advertising company are equally annoying including the secretaries. It's all about shouting and wise-cracking. It really grates. Anyway, the first half of the film is completely annoying, before we get to the point of the film – the reversal between Hubbard and wife Carole Landis (Sally). How does this reversal affect the lives of Hubbard and Landis?

The film ultimately falls short. Apart from a mostly annoying cast, the set-up is way too long – it takes about 45 minutes to get to the point of the whole thing. And then we don't get enough. It could have been much funnier. The film also goes in the wrong direction by letting Hubbard and Landis keep their original voices, so that even though Landis is now a brash, energetic type, she still talks with Hubbard's voice. And vice versa – Hubbard minces through the office carrying a handbag, but also keeps the voice of Landis. It could have been much funnier without this voice error in the film.

To his credit, John Hubbard is very funny with his female mannerisms. There are occasional funny lines, but the whole first half of the film has been wasted. One of my favourite quotes comes from Landis. When her friends are gossipping about seeing Hubbard with another woman, she says "I've lost interest in the entire incident" in a dismissive manner. Whilst I can't wait to use this line at work when a manager explains something important, unfortunately, this phrase could be applied to the film as well. The second half pulls this film into the OK category.

A horrible "comedy" where every potentially amusing situation is wasted. It has the added displeasure of being truly horrifying in execution. Even at the time it was released this had to elicit more squirming than laughing. Seeing is believing on this sixty year old piece of garbage.

Watching Turnabout and knowing it was produced and directed by Hal Roach right after One Million BC which made stars of Victor Mature and Carole Landis, I'm wondering if Roach didn't want to do this film with both of stars from One Million BC. For whatever reason Mature didn't do this one, Roach co-starred Landis with John Hubbard who was also in the cast of One Million BC.

Known primarily for his short subjects, Roach occasionally did a feature film that bent a few rules of the Code. Possibly because he was not in with the major film studios, Roach had a whole lot more creative freedom and is Turnabout he made the most of it.

Landis and Hubbard are a young and constantly bickering couple. He's a partner in an advertising agency with William Gargan and Adolph Menjou. And her two best friends are Mary Astor and Joyce Compton, said wives of Menjou and Gargan.

After a day of quarreling both express a wish to live each other's lives and they express it before a statue of a Hindu deity named Ram which grants their wish. Whoosh, and they're in each other's attire and talking for the audience's amusement with each other's voices.

After that it's a succession of gender bending jokes and lines which come so fast it's a crying shame that Turnabout is not out on DVD or VHS. With those you have the luxury of rewinding and hearing it again to catch what you missed. And this is the kind of film where you can watch it over and over and still come up with a fresh laugh.

For a small studio Roach's reputation was such that he commanded a supporting cast that could and did equal a film from any of the major studios. Besides the names already mentioned Turnabout includes Marjorie Main, Verree Teasdale, Franklin Pangborn, Berton Churchill and Donald Meek.

The last includes the funniest sight gag in the film. Meek plays Hubbard's manservant and he's quite a sight trying to deal with a ferocious little dog that looks more like a bear cub. Absolutely hilarious and there's quite the story of how that dog came into the possession of Hubbard and Landis.

This film must have been in the inspiration for those Walt Disney Freaky Friday films and the Dudley Moore/Kirk Cameron film Like Father Like Son. But none of those could boast a cast like this.

This one is an absolute gem, just waiting to be rediscovered.

Really strange little comedy. It involves Tim Wollows (John Hubbard) and Sally Willows (Carole Landis). They're unhappily married and always complaining. Then a magic Buddha (dont ask) switches their sexes so Tim acts and talks like Sally and vice versa!

The premise is certainly different and it has a couple of good ideas--but this movie manages to do everything wrong! Every single chance for comedy is either ineptly directed (I'm surprised to see that Hal Roach did this) or badly (or too broadly) played. It's not good at all but you can't stop watching. It's one of those rarities that's so incredibly bad you enjoy it! The sex change doesn't even happen till the film is half over and seeing and hearing Hubbard and Landis trying to play the other sex is truly jaw-dropping. I give them credit--they both try hard but they overdo it (Hubbard especially). The only funny parts here are from pro Marjorie Main who is hysterical as a cook.

This was independently produced and shot on some truly elaborate sets. Also everyone tries hard. So, it isn't good but fascinating in a car wreck sort of way--it's horrible but you can't stop looking.

Long before the Disney family body-swap feature "Freaky Friday" in the 70's, there was this little-known wartime Hollywood movie on the same subject, which I suppose would make it "Freaky Thursday". The odd thing here, well one of the many odd things, is that the switching couple change voices too, meaning there's an awful lot of lip-syncing with John Hubbard and Carole Landis speaking the other's lines once they've traded places.

For the first half hour of its short running time, there's very little indication of the role-switching to come other than establishing Hubbard as a well-off, go-ahead "Mad Man" advertising executive, with a penchant for keep-fit and a devotion to his massive pet dog while Landis is his lazy, empty-headed wife who likes nothing better than going out spending money on fripperies with her two chums, the similarly-minded (or should that be simply-minded) wives of hubby's business partners.

The turnabout of the title then comes into play as we're suddenly made aware of a creepy bust they keep in their bedroom which comes to life one night and duly grants their joint wish to change places with each other. From there, we're treated, if that's the right word, for the rest of the film, to the duo taking on the other's appearance and voice without either being properly aware of it and chaotically trying to get through a normal day in the life of their partner in their altered state.

It really is a strange little film, particularly seeing Hubbard camp it up in Landis's frocks and Landis butching it up, wearing trousers under a long dress. As if to acknowledge the shortcomings of the plot, there's also horseplay with a pet bear cub and the afore-mentioned dog while everyone in support, including well-known faces like Donald Meek, Adolphe Menjou and Mary Astor seems to have been directed to overact at will. Perhaps the weirdest thing of all is the last line of the film which takes the title a tad too far.

While Hubbard and Landis try hard, this madcap, all-over-the place would-be screwball comedy would tax Grant and Hepburn and I found it just too far out-there (no pun intended) to turn my frown about I'm sorry to say.

Hal Roach was a master in finding the humor in unusual situations and Turnabout is no exception. The always wry & dour Menjou has never been wittier. Landis is marvellous as the chauvinist turned pregnant wife. Everyone in the cast has a marvellous time, and so do we.

The plot of this film is quite silly, but we really don't mind as long as it makes us laugh. With a lightweight cast of B actors, this film accomplishes the minimum requirement of a comedy; it makes you laugh once in awhile. Enjoy an hour of harmless comedy as a prayer to Buddha allows a couple to switch roles in their marriage. This would occur naturally after the Women's Liberation movement.