The idea of turning Nikolai Gogol’s play into a musical comedy is great, but to have Danny Kaye in the title roll is absolutely brilliant. After a hilarious beginning where Georgi (Kaye) ruins his boss, super huckster/shyster Yakov’s (Walter Slezak) plans to sell “Yakov’s Elixir” to a duped crowd, Kaye stumbles into a town where he has the good fortune of being mistaken for the Inspector General appointed by Napoleon to root out corruption in local governments. And there is plenty of corruption in the town run by a crooked Mayor (Gene Lockhart) and his corrupt cronies. With the equally corrupt Yakov calling the shots after he discovers Georgi’s good fortune, he makes sure Georgi doesn’t ruin a good opportunity by doing something as stupid as being honest. The prolific Gene Lockhart as the corrupt Mayor almost steals the show, but Danny Kaye takes center stage with some great musical numbers in which he winces, grimaces and dances his way to one of the most hilarious musical romps ever put on film. The supporting cast of Warner regulars is wonderful, with Elsa Lancaster as the Mayor’s philandering wife brought in for just the right touch of proper British humor. (1949)