1930 was James Hall's busiest year, a popular leading man of the silents, talkies proved he had a pleasant, recordable voice and he could sing - an indispensable attribute in those crazy all talkie, all singie days. But even though he was the star of "Hell's Angels", by the end of the year he was on his way out - courtesy of alcohol and a reputation for being unreliable.
It was advertised as "more fun than a circus" and had the usual 1930 Paramount cast - overworked supports Jack Oakie and "Skeets" Gallagher (who surprisingly didn't get a song to sing), slinky "other woman" Kay Francis, silly ass Englishman William Austin (who did get a song and was very funny) and personalities Eugene Palette and Charles Sellon. Beautiful Jeanette MacDonald who fitted into the zany proceedings perfectly, had created a splash in "The Love Parade" but musicals were on their way out and after this one Paramount dropped her.
This film was so typical of what killed off the early musical cycle - stars stepping into production numbers at the drop of a hat, mediocre songs and indifferent choreography but in spite of all that this wacky film works and no one seems out of place.
This terrifically fun film features MacDonald as Joan Wood, a costumer who loses her shop because all of her money is tied up in a South American bound revue with F.O.B. (Fast Outcurving Blondes)!!! James Hall plays her boyfriend Wally Wendell who has been disinherited by his grandfather (Sellon) because he refuses to marry slinky Constance (Francis) a childhood friend. Before she sails and for the edification of the tradesmen (accident prone Eugene Palette) she and Wally sing "My Mad Moment". Also shipboard are Wally's friend Basil (Austin) and taxi driver "Voltaire" (with non stop comment about his name)(Oakie) - on the run from, it seems, the whole New York police force.
Typical of the weirdly conceived musical numbers is "It Seems to Be Spring" which starts as a rehearsal then becomes a wild life montage as MacDonald and Hall peel off their coats when it begins snowing!! It has some zany comedy - what starts as a couple of chaps throwing boaters into the ocean ends with a whole crowd and boaters going everywhere. The scene is set for Jack Oakie as he goes into "Joe Jazz" - which would have been great staged in the conventional way with Oakie doing his patter and the chorus cuties tapping on their boxes but there is just so much inter-cutting and over direction - the whole effect is just too busy.
Suddenly the liner hits a wreck and our intrepid group find themselves shipwrecked on an island ruled by King Jerry (Gallagher) and his island sweeties ("they were part of the Virgin Islands but they drifted"!!) who have to dodge oil geysers and throw pearls around like marbles. The title song "Let's Go Native" is staged in a good innovative way as the dancers, strutting their stuff at the beach, are reflected in the water. And maybe the film's highlight - Kay Francis, in a low melodious voice, doing her own singing to "I've Gotta Yen For You". Francis who out shines MacDonald in looks and barely there costumes (Jeanette's outfit of seaweed and cocoanuts makes her look frumpy) had to be content with finding true love with "Joe Jazz".
Even Paramount's musical misfires were often witty and now "Let's Go Native" can be looked as a satire to that whole crazy, lovable period.
Very Recommended.
It was advertised as "more fun than a circus" and had the usual 1930 Paramount cast - overworked supports Jack Oakie and "Skeets" Gallagher (who surprisingly didn't get a song to sing), slinky "other woman" Kay Francis, silly ass Englishman William Austin (who did get a song and was very funny) and personalities Eugene Palette and Charles Sellon. Beautiful Jeanette MacDonald who fitted into the zany proceedings perfectly, had created a splash in "The Love Parade" but musicals were on their way out and after this one Paramount dropped her.
This film was so typical of what killed off the early musical cycle - stars stepping into production numbers at the drop of a hat, mediocre songs and indifferent choreography but in spite of all that this wacky film works and no one seems out of place.
This terrifically fun film features MacDonald as Joan Wood, a costumer who loses her shop because all of her money is tied up in a South American bound revue with F.O.B. (Fast Outcurving Blondes)!!! James Hall plays her boyfriend Wally Wendell who has been disinherited by his grandfather (Sellon) because he refuses to marry slinky Constance (Francis) a childhood friend. Before she sails and for the edification of the tradesmen (accident prone Eugene Palette) she and Wally sing "My Mad Moment". Also shipboard are Wally's friend Basil (Austin) and taxi driver "Voltaire" (with non stop comment about his name)(Oakie) - on the run from, it seems, the whole New York police force.
Typical of the weirdly conceived musical numbers is "It Seems to Be Spring" which starts as a rehearsal then becomes a wild life montage as MacDonald and Hall peel off their coats when it begins snowing!! It has some zany comedy - what starts as a couple of chaps throwing boaters into the ocean ends with a whole crowd and boaters going everywhere. The scene is set for Jack Oakie as he goes into "Joe Jazz" - which would have been great staged in the conventional way with Oakie doing his patter and the chorus cuties tapping on their boxes but there is just so much inter-cutting and over direction - the whole effect is just too busy.
Suddenly the liner hits a wreck and our intrepid group find themselves shipwrecked on an island ruled by King Jerry (Gallagher) and his island sweeties ("they were part of the Virgin Islands but they drifted"!!) who have to dodge oil geysers and throw pearls around like marbles. The title song "Let's Go Native" is staged in a good innovative way as the dancers, strutting their stuff at the beach, are reflected in the water. And maybe the film's highlight - Kay Francis, in a low melodious voice, doing her own singing to "I've Gotta Yen For You". Francis who out shines MacDonald in looks and barely there costumes (Jeanette's outfit of seaweed and cocoanuts makes her look frumpy) had to be content with finding true love with "Joe Jazz".
Even Paramount's musical misfires were often witty and now "Let's Go Native" can be looked as a satire to that whole crazy, lovable period.
Very Recommended.