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The movie was released around the time the story on the radio was wrapping up. They are different stories, but there are a lot of elements that are the same.
Similarities:
- Saving the town – Town residents leaving for war production plants.
- Chemistry set.
- Accidental rubber discovery.
- Isaac Newton gag with gravity. (see differences)
- Amnesia – definitely some differences.
- Buster V Davenport.
- Memory returns by familiarity, or thump on the head.
Differences:
- Abner discovers rubber instead of grandpap
- Synthetic rubber actually has merit, but as asphalt.
- Isaac Newton gag, Lum doesn’t understand and Abner tells about gravity.
- Amnesia gag is with Abner,, not grandpap.
- Buster V Davenport, Abner, thinks he is general of commandos, where he had been an extraordinary salesman on radio.
Other Differences:
- Robert Blevins, in radio was a downed pilot who was killed. Here he made good by becoming a senator.
- No mention of the Golden Era Club in the movie.
- Washington trip didn’t happen on radio.
- Transportation issue shows up only as Senators asking advice of Lum.
- Town saved through the asphalt breakthrough on film.
- Town saved through Buster’s, grandpap’s, vacuum sales on radio.
- Lots of new gags with the trip by train going to Washington, receiving accolades, sought after for advice, trouble finding a place to stay, and more.
The over all story might be easy to guess. The gents accidentally discover rubber, and rather than their misadventure to keep their newly formed company a secret, they go directly, and boldly to the nation’s capitol. They actually do have samples, but for security reasons, Lum wants only Abner to know the formula.
Of course, the worst thing that could happen is for Abner to get amnesia. The cure? Thump on the head? Familiar settings? The ruling is still out on the worthiness of the rubber. In a big climax, the story comes together..
That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of jokes about wartime rationing, housing shortages, mix ups with important men in government, travelling jokes on the train and accomodations. Lum even gets a taste of what it’s like to be a dollar a year man. As always, lots of their running gags from radio make appearances.
Don’t want to just listen to the audio soundtrack? Check out the video.
