BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
UnowPriceless
hyped garbage
Steineded
How sad is this?
jacobs-greenwood
George Archainbaud directed this B Musical, produced by Hal Roach, which features an Oscar nominated Score from Edward Ward and the Academy Award nominated Song "Pennies for Peppino", with lyrics by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright; Louis S. Kaye and M. Coates Webster wrote the screenplay. The story (between the songs) that holds it together is pretty lame:A debutante, played by Marjorie Woodworth, travels by clipper plane to the Caribbean with several of her comely girlfriends (Claudia Drake, Jane Kean, Jayne Hazard, and Dorothy O'Kelly aka Kelly) to find a Latin lover she'd written to that had sent her an autograph picture. Her father funded the trip because she'd convinced him that it would be strictly an education excursion; he sent a chaperon (Norma Varden) along, and hired an elderly guide to make sure. But the first person the girls meet is Harry Bernard (George Givot), a younger man with an annoying giggle who's on the run from the law (Edward Gargan) and poses as the older guide (Byron Foulger, uncredited), who'd been too afraid to fly in any case. Meanwhile, the plane's pilot (William Marshall) woos the debutante while the lawman's efforts are hindered by a half-pint shyster (Jerry Bergen).Thankfully, the comedy's running time is barely 45 minutes.
Ray Faiola
Hal Roach's musical streamliners were given plenty of production (FIESTA was even filmed in Technicolor) but were often sorely lacking in the scenario department. There's usually a comedy team of sorts - in this case it's big Ed Gargan and diminutive Jerry Bergen. Marjorie Woodworth is invariably the ingenue in these 5-reelers. I guess Roach must have seen SOMETHING in her. Oh well. The protagonist is George Givot, a longtime vaudevillian who specialized in Greek dialect. Here is plays it straight with the exception of a detour as a blackface mammy with composer Edward Ward matching his dialect on the soundtrack. Little Billy Roy apparently made a hit as a native boy in ALOMA OF THE SOUTH SEAS and he repeats the role singing the Oscar-nominated "Pennies For Peppino". This picture was directed by RKO's early turgedian George Archainbaud and all I can say is, where was Gordon Douglas when we needed him! Very few of the gags work and, in one of the strangest affronts to comedy, hilarious dialectician Benny Rubin - playing a French maitre d - had his voice looped! It's nice to see Norma Varden in an early role and there are plenty of familiar dress extras, including the ubiquitous Ellinor Vanderveer. I'm giving this a rating of 5 because it's only 5 reels. If it had been a longer picture I would have been much more severe in my critique. But it's 47 minutes of amiable entertainment. No harm done.
mr_hunchback
This is a typically wacky fast-paced Hal Roach comedy padded with some laughably ridiculous musical numbers. It has everything - coochie dancers, pan-American travelog, Latin crooners, jungle romance, buxom blondes, blackface mammies, mediums, even a midget. The only furnishing it lacks is a suitably funny leading man. George Givot's performance as the obnoxious boob running from alimony payments wont leave you begging for more. Despite the occasional cramp he puts in the fun, the rest of the cast sail through the gags effortlessly. I hope it shows up as an extra in a DVD package in the future - a true delight.
arneblaze
A private collector has finally allowed me to see this almost forgotten musical -and it deserves to be forgotten. It is a 50 minute Hal Roach musical programmer that is grade B in every way - there is an erroneous official timing of 71 minutes that proliferates but I am trying to get that removed.The plot is almost non-existant. The characters are thinly drawn and the direction, acting and production values are beneath contempt.
George Givot plays a man on the lam from a divorce and alimony. He disguises himself as a tour guide for five young socialites. The lead socialite, Marjorie Woodworth, is looking for love from a latin singer she idolizes - the reason for the trip - but is romanced by a pilot. Eventually all things end happily. The only bright spot is a midget, Jerry Bergen, who plays the comic foil for the detective who is trying to nail Givot.
The score (five forgettable numbers) and the song PENNIES FOR PEPPINO earned Oscar noms - totally and irrevocably undeserved - these were the days when every studio could submit its "best" as nominees in the categories of sound, score, scoring, song and special effects. It took me over forty years to find this turkey and the result was not worth the effort. Note that lyricists Chet Forrest and Bob Wright went on to create SONG OF NORWAY and KISMET on Broadway.
