No longer shall we suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous Catalina. On the morrow we shall show that popinjay a review of Monkees at the Movies.
I’m glad that this episode comes so soon after Monkees a la Mode in the alphabetical list. The two episodes have a similar theme: the Monkees are invited into a strange, new “culture,” where they endure insults and indignities from the snobs of the in-crowd before cheerfully deciding to wreak revenge—Monkee-style. Come to think of it, that’s a natural feel-good theme to appeal to a fan-base of teens and tweens.
By happy coincidence, a major difference between the two episodes is that the movie episode has far more plot. In Monkees a la Mode the guys were swept instantly from obscurity to the very center of the whirlwind; in Monkees at the Movies, on the other hand, the story has a more measured pace. The guys start out as mere extras; they are introduced gradually to the world of movie-making, lurking on the edges of the set for a while before falling victim to the start’s overblown ego. Then their schemes build up in layers: first to humiliate the pretentious Frankie, then to get Davy into the starring role, and finally to bring Davy back down to earth.
Director Kramm, his fawning assistant Philo and the self-centered Frankie Catalina are roughly drawn characters, rather two-dimensional when compared to the delightfully bizarre Madame Quagmire and Robroy Fingerhead. I do give young Bobby Sherman props for taking on the unappealing role of Frankie; if he had known how big a hit The Monkees was going to be with the teeny-bopper set, he might not have been so eager to play a rude egomaniac who can’t sing.
Finally, Last Train to Clarksville gets a decent romp! And it’s a perfect gem for this episode: a scripted miniature movie complete with plot, characters, setting, stunts, special effects and a surprise ending. That mini-drama sits happily side-by-side with the delightfully iconic romp set to A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You.
The story is well-structured, with several moments in the second act that gently mirror the first act. Lively dialogue, visual humor and character development are sprinkled throughout the show. It’s not vying for top-notch honors among Monkees episodes, but it does have consistent quality from start to finish—and that’s a rare thing.
Quotables
- Philo: Boys? Say hello to Luther Kramm. Mr. Kramm gave you Beach Party Honeymoon.
- Peter: You didn’t give it to us, we had to pay for it.
- Mike: Yeah. It cost us 80 cents at the drive-in.
- Kramm: Well, it was worth it, wasn’t it?
- Mike: Uh.… You owe me 60 cents.
- Micky: Here we are, in the land of make-believe. Look at that rock—it’s a phony rock. Look at that fish—it’s a phony fish. Look at that girl—oh, yeah.
- Frankie: Just remember, you guys—you’re dime a dozen extras. And I’m a star.
- Micky: You got change for a dime?
- Reporter: It must be a real thrill to work with Frankie Catalina.
- Micky: Oh, it is. It is. He’s an inspiration to all us teenagers, especially the way he’s lived down his past.
- Reporter: Past? What past?
- Micky: Ah, it’s nothing you can write about, really. He’s the sort of guy that would take money out of his own pocket, lend it to an extra he hardly knew. Take them out to dinner, offer to share his apartment.
- Reporter: He did that for you?
- Micky: No, my sister.
- Peter: You know, it’s going to be tough to replace a guy like Frankie. After all, where do you find a guy who can’t sing, act or surf?
- Mike: Oh, Davy. You drew the short straw.
- Davy: Story of my life.
- Peter: Well, what do you want? I’ve offered you my Lovin’ Spoonful collection, my Bob Dylan records, my Blind Lemon Jefferson records, and the prize of my collection—Bobby Darin Sings His Bankbook.
- Mike: Throw in the Stones.
- Peter: Okay.
- Micky: Dolenz, Reporter.
- Mike: Nesmith, Variety.
- Peter: I’m Tork, Hanger-On.
- Davy: Watch where you’re going, shorty.
- Kramm: Isn’t he beautiful?
- Peter: I used to know him!
Production Note
Although it was aired as the 31st episode of the first season, Monkees at the Movies was actually the 11th regular episode to be filmed—and it was filmed way back in August 1966, before the show ever went on the air. Monkees episodes were often shown out of order, but only one other episode was aired farther out of filming order than this one. I’ll tell you which one…soon. Very soon.
Runner-Up Sight Gag Highlight
The names on the backs of the directors’ chairs are Mr. Kramm and Yes, Mr. Kramm.
Sight Gag Highlight
One Monkee after another, walking away arm-in-arm with the lovely bathing beauties while Frankie waits impatiently outside the cabana.
Breaking the Fourth Wall
Robby Rafelson?
Third Runner-Up Nitpick
Micky is a California native. Why would he pick the call-sign W-GOGOGO for his make-believe radio station, rather than K-GOGOGO?
Second Runner-Up Nitpick
That very real David Jones album doesn’t say “Davy” anywhere on it. But Kramm identifies it as Davy Jones Sings.
Second Runner-Up Nitpick
I’ve never lived near the beach, so I could be mistaken—but it seems to me that the beach would be the last place you would ever want to take your record collection. Seeing Peter sitting on the sand with that stack of LPs in his lap just makes me think of how sand gets into everything.
Runner-Up Nitpick
“Mammoth Studios has been out of business for years!” Really? Mammoth Studios was still going strong 3 weeks earlier, when they filmed I’ve Got a Little Song Here.
Nitpick
While Frankie desperately tried to lip-synch to the variable speed record of New Girl in School, Kramm yelled “CUT!” no fewer than five times. Why didn’t they stop the first time he said it?
Absolutely Not a Nitpick
Davy did quite the makeup job on Frankie. The werewolf look encompassed his entire face and yet left his eyes and mouth uncovered—he could have done a whole movie made up that way. Why couldn’t they do such a quality makeup job in Monstrous Monkee Mash?
We’re the young generation, and we have something to recycle.
- Recurring physical comedy: A Monkees jumps into another character’s
arms. (See also: Monkees
at the Circus, I Was a Teenage
Monster and Monkees Blow Their
Minds.)
Second Runner-Up Monkee Magic
Micky’s beachside radio station was somehow able to override the real signal to Kramm’s transistor radio.
Runner-Up Monkee Magic
The Monkees erased Catalina from the footage of the beauty contest—and inserted all sorts of other strange footage into Kramm’s dailies.
Monkee Magic
All four Monkees conjured up matching red outfits and surfboards in order to do an impromptu audition for Kramm. (Micky also conjured up a clapperboard, complete with Kramm’s name as director.)
Snack to enjoy while watching Monkees at the Movies
With the extra-large tub of popcorn, you get a free Micky.
Music
- A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You: Plot-related romp.
- New Girl In School (fragment): Plot-related lip-synch.
- Last Train to Clarksville: Non-plot-related romp.
- I Really Love You (fragment): Plot-related recording.
- Valleri: Video (from Captain Crocodile).
Note: During the shooting of this episode, Bobby Sherman and Davy spent an evening in the RCA studio recording vocals for use in this episode. So that really is Bobby Sherman’s voice being sped up and slowed down while Frankie lip synchs New Girl in School.
Grading:
- Monkees vs. Frankie B
- Monkees vs. Kramm A-
- Monkees vs. Davy B+
- Overall Grade A-

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