Copyright 16 September 1935 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. New York opening at the Capitol, 18 September 1935. Australian release: 29 January 1936. 10 reels. 103 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: Waspish newspaper columnist feuds with a Broadway producer. (In actual fact, this was a very clever publicity stunt, but this aspect is never mentioned in the movie).
NOTES: Academy Award to Dave Gould for Dance Direction (the "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin' " number — shared with his "Straw Hat" number from Folies Bergere).
Also nominated for Best Picture (lost to Mutiny on the Bounty), and Original Story (lost to Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's The Scoundrel).
Eleanor Powell's first starring role in pictures. (She had a guest spot in George White's Scandals earlier in the year).
Number 8 in the annual poll of U.S. film critics conducted by The Film Daily. (David Copperfield was first, followed by The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, The Informer, Naughty Marietta, Les Miserables, Ruggles of Red Gap and Top Hat).
The bright Freed-Brown songs and inventive Dave Gould dances are undoubtedly this movie's main attractions. The story is not too uninteresting, despite its familiarity, but the jokes are weak and their execution is below standard. Otherwise Del Ruth's direction has occasional flashes of sparkle, and technical credits are smooth, with one lamentable exception — the poor sound recording.
Of the straight players, Sid Silvers makes the most impression as Benny's stooge. Taylor tries a song (which is still in the movie) and dance (which has been cut) for the first and last time in his career. So far as dancing goes, Miss Powell as usual is absolutely a wonder to behold, although Buddy Ebsen and sister Vilma certainly run her close.
Despite the picture's comedy and technical shortcomings, the musical production numbers are so marvelously zesty the whole movie deserves an honored place in any film-lover's permanent collection.
SYNOPSIS: Waspish newspaper columnist feuds with a Broadway producer. (In actual fact, this was a very clever publicity stunt, but this aspect is never mentioned in the movie).
NOTES: Academy Award to Dave Gould for Dance Direction (the "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin' " number — shared with his "Straw Hat" number from Folies Bergere).
Also nominated for Best Picture (lost to Mutiny on the Bounty), and Original Story (lost to Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's The Scoundrel).
Eleanor Powell's first starring role in pictures. (She had a guest spot in George White's Scandals earlier in the year).
Number 8 in the annual poll of U.S. film critics conducted by The Film Daily. (David Copperfield was first, followed by The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, The Informer, Naughty Marietta, Les Miserables, Ruggles of Red Gap and Top Hat).
The bright Freed-Brown songs and inventive Dave Gould dances are undoubtedly this movie's main attractions. The story is not too uninteresting, despite its familiarity, but the jokes are weak and their execution is below standard. Otherwise Del Ruth's direction has occasional flashes of sparkle, and technical credits are smooth, with one lamentable exception — the poor sound recording.
Of the straight players, Sid Silvers makes the most impression as Benny's stooge. Taylor tries a song (which is still in the movie) and dance (which has been cut) for the first and last time in his career. So far as dancing goes, Miss Powell as usual is absolutely a wonder to behold, although Buddy Ebsen and sister Vilma certainly run her close.
Despite the picture's comedy and technical shortcomings, the musical production numbers are so marvelously zesty the whole movie deserves an honored place in any film-lover's permanent collection.