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George White's Scandals

1934, Movie, NR, 83 mins

George White's Scandals: Review

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Alice Faye became a star in this movie that was not nearly as good as it should have been. George White had many successes on the stage in New York and went to Hollywood in the hope of hitting the jackpot in film. He wrote the story, codirected, and even took a large part in the goings-on: too many hats as it turned out. There was much too much plot for what is basically a song and dance vehicle. Gertrude Michael is a reporter who wants to get some material for a feature article. She secures White's okay to go backstage and watch one of his stage musicals in action. Faye is one of the show's stars and in love with Vallee, the headliner, but he has been entranced by Ames, a society deb. In Faye's dressing room, the two women quarrel and Faye whacks Ames across the face. Vallee sees this and rushes to Ames' side, thus disappointing Faye who plans to leave the show. Meanwhile, Durante is in love with Faye and, after a fight with Dunbar, also plans to quit the proceedings. Ratoff is a nutsy salesman who is pestering producer White to buy one of his many items, which range from life insurance to a bulletproof vest. They do a radio show. Ames is there and exposed as being a "groupie" and little more. White convinces Vallee and Faye to sign what he says are new contracts for the show but what they are really signing is a marriage license. Vallee and Faye are married and White is thrilled, now knowing that he'll have a successful long run of his show. Lillian Harvey was supposed to costar with Vallee but created a stir with the producers and wanted her part made larger. The producers responded by firing her and hiring Faye, Vallee's band vocalist, for the lead. Until then, she was supposed to have a small part and do one song. They were so impressed by her work that they combined the two parts in a rewrite and Faye became a star. Durante does a silly blackface number--no amount of dark makeup could make The Schnozz look any different. Some terrific dance numbers by George Hale that borrowed their originality from Busby Berkeley. No great songs but fun anyhow. The tunes include: "Nasty Man," "So Nice," "Hold My Hand," "My Dog Loves Your Dog," "Sweet and Simple," "Six Women," "Following in Mother's Footsteps," "Every Day Is Father's Day with Baby," (Ray Henderson, Jack Yellen, Irving Caesar), "Picking Cotton" (Buddy De Sylva, Lew Brown, Henderson), "The Man on the Flying Trapeze" (revised by Walter O'Keefe). leave a comment
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