(78 min) Released 1938-03-03
Director: Albert S. Rogell
Stars: Jimmy Durante, Walter Connolly, Joan Perry.
Daniel Dare ... dance numbers (as Danny Dare)
Genres: Comedy | Musical | Romance | Sport
Watched online, good print.
Gertrude Niesen sings 3 songs, is the only female soloist, sings alto similar to Frances Langford. But she has only 5 film credits, 3 with Soundtrack credit (1 more as songwriter), and will appear at least once more in this quest.
Charles Starrett, the movie actor turned college footballer, has 166 film credits; 132 are Westerns. The Soundtracks don't mention a dubber for him (he sings twice), and he has 3 Soundtrack credits total. Not likely he show up in this Quest again. He's handsome, athletic, watchable. Guess he was terrific on a horse.
We get one big production number (hence the dance director credit), and it's pretty good. Mostly a lot of people executing various dances (the Big Apple, Charleston, etc.) that the singer calls, but his instructions aren't like a square dance, so the amazing coordination of the crowd on the floor is implausible, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Hal Le Roy does a solo to this tune, and, well, um, I can't find a reason to like him. I've seen him before; he has 17 short film credits, and only 5 features; he was in Wonder Bar ('34), and will appear once more in this quest. His style is all angles and elbows, he's very tall, and has a face for radio. He doesn't travel much, doesn't do big movements, doesn't tap fast, doesn't vary his pace, doesn't dance comedically, but definitely wouldn't fit into a chorus line or ensemble. I guess the studios agreed with me since his credits are limited.
Jimmy Durante twice sings one of his own songs, When I Strut Away in My Cutaway, but his role doesn't charm me in this one. Louis Prima and his Orchestra is featured in the closing credits, but I didn't notice him, and he's not listed among the Soundtracks.
The Three Stooges appear a couple of times, but not enough to please their fans nor irritate their detractors. We get a comic who eats lit cigarettes and all manner of paper products; that endured so long I actually forwarded past him (on YouTube!)
Let's face it, Columbia is not the gem of the musical. Certainly not yet. This is only their 15th musical ever, and the next one is 2 years away (finally: Rita Hayworth). This is only the 4th Columbia film in this quest, and the prior 3 were Grace Moore vehicles.
I can't find a reason to watch this again.
Columbia, dir. Rogell; 5
