Man of the Century

Johnny Twennies is a newspaper man with moxie, see. He's a fast-talkin', wise-crackin' upright joe straight out of a Howard Hawkes comedy. But Johnny Twennies resides in modern Manhattan, see--a fact of which he seems blissfully unaware. The fedora-sporting hero of this neo-B-grade screwball comedy, Johnny is the invention of screenwriters Adam Abraham (also the director) and Gibson Frazier (also the star), who have given him a sexually frustrated modern girlfriend (his outdated morals get her only kisses on the cheek) and a big scoop that leads to the mob trying to rub him out. An ingenious homage to the kind of dime-a-dozen crowd-pleasers that delighted Depression-era audiences (but aren't up to snuff for airing on American Movie Classics), this is warmly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a short commentary with writer/star Gibson Frazier, an eight-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, original poster art and photo galleries, and the text "Johnny's Lexicon and Biographical Dictionary." Bottom line: a solid extras package for a charming sleeper.] (R. Blackwelder)