Just a Nice Drink

Both sets of fathers and sons next head to the cocktail lounge. Both fathers are keen for beer and are dismayed when they find out there's no beer on tap. Bottled beer is available but they can't drink that as it gives them gas. Both fathers find the prices way too expensive and suggest alternatives. Both are dismayed that there are no games to play. Nothing the son can do will calm the father and they quickly leave to go to the show.

Both of these sequences start the process of the father getting on the son's nerves. In both cases, the son wants to do something nice, to do something fancy for a change but the father is uncomfortable is such a nice place and would just as soon be somewhere more relaxed. Both of these sequences amuse me for different reasons.

Albert grouses about the lack of draft beer. Their local pub, the Skinners Arms, has draft beer so why doesn't this place? The bartender suggests a drink for Albert and Harold agrees to it. From the 'deer in the headlights' look Harold gives the bartender, it appears that he doesn't know what is in the drink. For himself, Harold orders a specifically made vodka martini. Albert knows why. He's trying to look cool as it's the drink 'James Bond orders in that Doctor No film'. Harold insists it's his normal drink, but Albert disagrees, knowing what he orders at the Skinners Arms. There's no dart board here, the drinks are too expensive, and Albert's drink looks like a fruit salad. When Harold sees a young lady at the end of the bar needing a light for her cigarette, he hurries to help her. Upon noticing he's gone, Albert yells for his son to return. Uncomfortable, they leave. Harold pauses to look back on the young lady, but she's already happily talking to someone else.

The comedy here is on the shoulders of both characters. Harold is desperately trying to look cool and being let down by his father. Albert is uncomfortable and willing to share that with others. Nothing goes like it should.

In the American version, Lamont is just trying to have a good time which his father spoils. While Lamont has things to do, Fred leads the comedy here.

First Fred doesn't want to take his hat off, not quite grasping it's impolite. Finding a drinks menu on the bar, he first tries to order a Shirley Temple. Lamont stops him from doing so and the conversation about beer begins, Fred adding a request for canned beer as that doesn't make him burp and he doesn't want to burp. The bartender steps away, allowing Lamont to express his annoyance. Fred tried to order the Shirley Temple because it was the cheapest thing on the menu. Lamont's reassurance that he's got the money does nothing to slow Fred who suggests they head to a supermarket, get a six pack, and drink it in the parking lot. He's also annoyed that there's no pinball machine. The bartender returns with the suggestion of an old-fashioned but, not realizing it's a drink, Fred takes it as an insult. Lamont orders it for him and a vodka martini for himself. Fred is shocked by the price of the drinks. He sips his drink and reacts poorly, comparing it to drinking maple syrup. As Fred won't settle down, they leave, but on their way out, Fred yells for them to get a pinball machine.

I'm not sure why Fred and Lamont don't have a local bar of their own to reference. Later in the series, they will have specific establishments they frequent. Perhaps I consider the idea of a 'local' more natural as I'm from Wisconsin where such things are more commonplace? The idea of drinking a six pack in a supermarket parking lot seems so much sillier to me that it works for me. It just seems so wrong.

Fred is also much louder than Albert. Albert raises his voice but not to the degree Fred does. Fred clearly does not care who hears him. The most notable difference being in the search for games. Albert asks Harold where the dartboard is and grumbles when there isn't one. Fred loudly asks for the location of the pinball machine and his declaration to get one as they leave is not subtle. Fred's negative reaction to his drink is also meant for sharing. He keeps nothing to himself while they are in the lounge, slowly embarrassing Lamont more and more until they leave. This is Redd Foxx's moment to take charge and he does.