Valentine Special/Second Honeymoon
The Honeymooners stood in stark contrast to prosperous suburban sitcoms of the 1950s. The constantly battling Brooklynites Ralph Kramden and his wife Alice are undeniably lower middle class. The quick tempered Ralph, always game for a get-rich-quick scheme, is assisted by his upstairs neighbor and friend, Ed Norton a dim-witted sewer worker. Ed’s loyal wife Trixie is also Alice’s best friend. Unlike most couples in situation comedy, both the Kramdens and the Nortons were childless and rarely talked about their situation in a baby-booming post-war America.
Jackie Gleason first introduced The Honeymooners during his first variety series in 1951, Cavalcade of Stars, which aired on the DuMont network. First aired as a series as six-minute sketches, it ended as a comedy sketch on The Jackie Gleason Show, broadcast live and in color out of Miami. In the mid-seventies, three out of the four original cast members reunited for four specials, two of which are being released by MPI this week: “Valentine Special” and “Second Honeymoon.”
Little could match the so-called “Classic 39” original episodes that aired beginning in 1955 as a situation comedy, but as TV reunion shows go—in which everyone is older, and an air of nostalgia takes over—these are pretty good. Besides, fans of The Honeymooners will likely want these to add to their collection.
For the most part, The Honeymooners was shot on a single set that reflected the blue collar life of the characters. We usually saw one main room that was used as the kitchen, dining room and living room; sparsely furnished, it consisted of a plain table and chairs, a chest of drawers, a curtain-less window (with a view of a fire escape) and an old icebox. That room was the New York tenement of bus driver Ralph Kramden (Gleason) and his wife, Alice (Audrey Meadows). Their tenement neighbors were good friends Ed Norton (Art Carney) and his wife Trixie (originally played by Joyce Randolph, but featuring Jane Kean in the color episodes and reunion specials).
The “Valentine Special” brings back most of the elements that made the original show so memorable— the men trying to out think and outsmart the women who always have the upper hand. Also on display is the contrast between the loud Ralph and goofy, punching bag Norton, and the give-and-take relationship between Ralph and Alice. In one scene, Ralph shows he can move pretty gracefully for a big man. Most important, there’s a big misunderstanding at the heart of the episode that drives the comedy.
Ralph and Alice are both trying to surprise each other with a special gift for Valentine’s Day, as that’s the day Ralph popped the question so many years before. Alice secretly takes on a job as a telephone switchboard operator whose stories about calls she’s handled satisfy’s Trixie’s love of gossip. Apparently, she has to keep a record of her calls rather than throw them away; she decides to hide the list in a compartment under the tabletop that was always the predominant feature in their one-room apartment.
Since they’ve always lived in an apartment with less than modern amenities, Ralph decides to go out and buy every single electric convenience he can on time payments. He resolves to get them their first TV set, their first stereo, their first washer and dryer, and a real refrigerator. He’s giving her an electric kitchen, he tells Norton. But where to hide his agreement with the store? One guess. In the compartment under the tabletop.
The huge misunderstanding comes when Norton believes he’s figured out the meaning behind all the calls Alice has been making. There’s a pharmacist, an undertaker, a cemetery, and a strange man named Armand. It can only mean one thing: Alice has decided to kill Ralph so she can run off with this guy, Armand.
Some of the specials flat out funny moments come when Alice tries to measure Ralph for the suit she’s working to buy him for Valentine’s Day. Of course, he has no idea that’s what she’s doing, and as soon as he hears the click of the tape measure, he naturally assumes he’s being measured for a coffin!
If you liked the Raccoon Lodge episodes from the first 39 episodes, you might enjoy “Second Honeymoon,” in which Ralph decides to remarry Alice in a special ceremony at the lodge. But the gigantic misunderstanding this time is that Ralph gets the idea his wife is somehow pregnant, and it’s up to Ed (though he’s both childless and childlike) to teach Ralph about caring for babies.
“Valentine Special” is presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio in color; this is not a remastered presentation. While there’s plenty of grain and indistinct edges, the colors seem to have held pretty well over the years.
The audio is a Dolby Digital Mono, and you can expect it to emanate from your center speaker. While it’s not a particularly strong Mono presentation, I heard no hisses, pops, or other distractions.
The only special feature is a unfunny parody from 1971 starring African American comedian George Kirby as Ralph, Sheila MacRae as Alice, and celebrity impersonator Rich Little as Norton.
The audio and video for “Second Honeymoon” is a near carbon copy of the “Valentine Special,” but does include a rarely seen Honeymooners skit from 1967, starring Audrey Meadows and Ray Bolger.
These reunion shows would be a great addition to the DVD library of anyone who is well familiar with the “Classic 39.” Those who aren’t, would be advised to visit the original series first.
