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Palmy Days

1931, Movie, NR, 80 mins

Palmy Days: Review

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A cute follow-up to Goldwyn's production of WHOOPEE, this farcical musical, like its predecessor, had the benefit of Berkeley's choreography, and the master was developing the style that was to make him famous. Lots of pretty girls, plenty of songs, and the incredible energy of Cantor triumphed over a fairly ordinary story that sees shy Cantor, a nervous type who sings when he gets too excited, working in a bogus spiritualist scam for his downstairs neighbor, Middleton. Charters, who owns a successful bakery, consults Middleton from time to time and is on the verge of being swindled by the phony medium. Through a mistake, Cantor is hired as the efficiency expert for the bakery and thinks he's in love with Charters' daughter, Weeks, but the company's physical culturist, Greenwood, isn't about to let that happen. Middleton gets Cantor to secure the bakery safe's combination, then Cantor won't give it to the villain. Middleton sends his henchmen, Raft and Woods, to "convince" Cantor to turn over the information. Cantor sees the hoods coming after him, hides in the company gym, dresses in drag, and tries to blend in with the Goldwyn Girls (as bakery workers). He darn near pulls it off until Greenwood, who can't see past the disguise, orders Cantor to take a shower with the other women. Cantor manages to escape Raft and Woods, goes to the office, takes out the weekly payroll cash, and slips it into a loaf of unbaked dough which is mistakenly baked into a bread. Middleton tells Charters that Cantor stole the money and suggests Cantor be turned over to the cops. Greenwood and Cantor race to the ovens to try and find the correct loaf containing all the money. There is a breakneck chase as Cantor and Greenwood attempt to locate the dough in the dough while the bad guys try to locate them. Cantor finally finds the missing money and gives it to Charters, who blows the whistle on Middleton and his malfeasants. When Cantor learns that the girl of his dreams, Weeks, is going to marry her longtime boy friend, Page, he shrugs it off and contents himself with Greenwood, whom everyone knew he would wind up with from the start. It's hokey and jokey but it never stops pleasing. Look hard at the Goldwyn Girls and note Betty Grable, in her seventh film appearance, a few of which were as one of Sam Goldwyn's nubile beauties. No smash hits in the score but the songs were pleasant enough and kept the action humming. Tunes include "Bend Down, Sister" (Ballard MacDonald, Con Conrad, sung by Charlotte Greenwood, the Goldwyn Girls), "Goose Pimples" (MacDonald, Conrad, sung by Greenwood), "Dunk Dunk Dunk" (MacDonald, Conrad, sung by the Goldwyn Girls), "My Honey Said Yes, Yes" (Cliff Friend, sung by Cantor, the Goldwyn Girls, reprised by Cantor, Greenwood, the Preacher [unbilled]), and "There's Nothing Too Good for My Baby" (Cantor, Benny Davis, Harry Akst, sung by Cantor). Greenwood is delightful as the randy woman out to put stars in Cantor's banjo eyes. This acrobatic dancer and comedienne began in movies at the age of 18 and continued her high kicks until well into her sixties. Raft was appearing in his fourth film and added little to the picture, having not yet settled in on the screen persona which stood him in such good stead for many years. Cantor had a chance to do all his tricks, including his standard "blackface" number, a drag scene, and his usual frenetic chase. leave a comment
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