(82 mins.) Released 1935-02-22
Director: Roy Del Ruth
Stars: Maurice Chevalier, Merle Oberon, Ann Sothern, Eric Blore
Dave Gould ... dance director, Oscar winner, see below
originally posted 23 Oct 2017 23:30
Chevalier, Ann Sothern, Merle Oberon, produced by Darryl Zanuck.
Club performer is dead ringer for a banker in trouble.
Excellent opening numbers, especially the umbrella'd ensemble dancing to Rhythm of the Rain (almost worthy of early BB). Second ensemble with MC & AS starts at 1:14:20, Singing a Happy Song; lots of straw hats of various sizes (real, enlarged, and the size of a stage); again BB-worthy.
I was unhappy with Dave Gould's dances being edited in Flying Down to Rio and The Gay Divorcee. I don't remember such trouble in Hollywood Party, and not here. Perhaps it was Sandrich, although he was only 2nd unit director on FDTR. Aha! Dave Gould won the Oscar for Best Dance Direction For "Straw Hat", and in Broadway Melody of 1936: "I've Got a Feeling You're Fooling". Other nominees.
Also filmed the same year: the same thing in French with MC and a French cast; also a 20th Century production, with a second director.
Remade as That Night in Rio (1941) with A.Faye, D.Ameche and C.Miranda, and On the Riviera (1951) with D.Kaye, G.Tierney and C.Calvet.
Well, 7 is generous, but I won't change it. This made me smile.
