1h 24min | Comedy, Musical, Adventure | 7 August 1942
Director: Erle C. Kenton
Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Virginia Bruce, William Demarest.
Katherine Dunham ... dances originated by / dances staged by
In the Tap! Appendix for Tip, Tap and Toe, who have a lengthy routine during the Ink Spots their second song Shout, Brother, Shout (written by Clarence Williams) at ~21min (dance 22:30-25:30). TT&T consist of Samuel Green (Tip), Ted Fraser (Tap) and Ray Winfield (Toe). This is the 2nd of their 4 film credits.
Soundtracks says the Ink Spots also sing Java Jive, but I don't know where that happens.
The dancing staged by Dunham must have been the "natives" on the uncharted island with the tall mountain volcano. The dancing is very swingy without feeling like the natives should be wearing modern clothes.
The movie could almost be scavenged for parts. The first part is a bus ride that could have inspired Speed (1994). Once they reach their destination, we spend time at a yacht club where they elude a cop (WD) who wants them for stealing the bus. Then they struggle with the sea as the ignorant crew of a yacht. They sail off course to the tropical isle, finding a criminal gang and cannibals (or maybe they just think so?) In addition to the volcano, we get African animals: crocodile, zebra and lions. Then they enter a native temple with life-size statues of warriors, one of whom moves slightly, but they never come to life. And the bad guys are there to steal the native's totem for safety: a beautifully cut and mounted enormous ruby. It's like the story planners drew plot elements out of a hat. I feel lucky that Frankenstein didn't show up. (The jewel was not on LC's neck toward the end of the film; not sure what happened to it.)
Glad to see TT&T's routine, to hear the Ink Spots, and watch Dunham's dance design. But the comedy was all over the place.
Soundtracks says the Ink Spots also sing Java Jive, but I don't know where that happens.
The dancing staged by Dunham must have been the "natives" on the uncharted island with the tall mountain volcano. The dancing is very swingy without feeling like the natives should be wearing modern clothes.
The movie could almost be scavenged for parts. The first part is a bus ride that could have inspired Speed (1994). Once they reach their destination, we spend time at a yacht club where they elude a cop (WD) who wants them for stealing the bus. Then they struggle with the sea as the ignorant crew of a yacht. They sail off course to the tropical isle, finding a criminal gang and cannibals (or maybe they just think so?) In addition to the volcano, we get African animals: crocodile, zebra and lions. Then they enter a native temple with life-size statues of warriors, one of whom moves slightly, but they never come to life. And the bad guys are there to steal the native's totem for safety: a beautifully cut and mounted enormous ruby. It's like the story planners drew plot elements out of a hat. I feel lucky that Frankenstein didn't show up. (The jewel was not on LC's neck toward the end of the film; not sure what happened to it.)
Glad to see TT&T's routine, to hear the Ink Spots, and watch Dunham's dance design. But the comedy was all over the place.
Universal, dir. Kenton; 6
