wes-connors
Hollywood jungle king Jimmy Durante (as "Schnarzan") is getting a little lion in the tooth. After seeing Greta Garbo's famous close-up conclude "Queen Christina" (1933), audiences pan a preview of Mr. Durante's newest loin-cloth adventure "Schnarzan the Conqueror!!!" Durante concludes the film franchise needs livelier lions, and has a "Hollywood Party" to celebrate the fact. Contrary to the promotional and opening credits, this film does not star Laurel and Hardy. You will see The Three Stooges (Larry, Moe and Curly) and wonder where you missed Stan and Ollie. They are featured later, with Mr. Hardy wearing a torn suit jacket (understandably, considering). This is a "revue" picture hanged around a spoof of MGM's "Tarzan" with Durante starring. And Jimmy Durante's movie "Jane" is Johnny "Tarzan" Weissmuller's wife Lupe Velez...The party goes on too long - well, it seems too long even in a short movie. After a good opening, highlights occur sporadically. Don't miss the clever "I've Had My Moments" song and dance sequence by Eddie Quillan (as Bob) and June Clyde (as Linda). It occurs after about 30 minutes, just before The Three Stooges appearance; this Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn song became the film's only "new" hit, making the Hit Parades in a version by Lew Sherwood with Eddie Duchin's orchestra. The "I've Had My Moments" melody resembles the later hit "How About You?" (1941-42). Later, an animated Mickey Mouse introduces the color cartoon "The Hot Choc-Late Soldiers" by Walt Disney. Lastly, Laurel and Hardy become involved; some (not I) think their "breaking eggs" scene with Ms. Velez is a classic. For the end, MGM lions take over...***** Hollywood Party (5/24/34) Allan Dwan ~ Jimmy Durante, Lupe Velez, Eddie Quillan, Stan Laurel
calvinnme
This film is excellent if you take it for what it is - a thin but pleasant comical storyline as an excuse for what turns out to be practically a revue of MGM's lesser stars of the day, plus two great stars - Laurel and Hardy - that didn't even work for the studio. However, Hal Roach did distribute his films through MGM, thus the boys do show up in a couple of MGM films of this era. Also, Disney's Mickey Mouse shows up for a comedic bit. I'd love to know how MGM ever worked that out with Walt.The jist of the plot is that Schnarzan (Durante) is losing his audience for his jungle jaunt movies since the death of his original lion. People think that the subsequent lions he wrestles in his films are flimsy excuses for courageous carnivores and box office receipts are beginning to drop. His producer says that he can guarantee a hit if Durante can procure one or more of the lions of the famous Baron Munchausen who is a renowned hunter of wild beasts. Durante decides to wine and dine the baron at his mansion and give a big party in his honor.There are a couple of very good precode musical numbers in this film including the title song featuring scantily clad chorus girls in various states of undressing/dressing and singing and dancing telephone operators dressed up in weird metallic outfits. At the party Lupe Valez spars with Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges put in an appearance back when they were still with Ted Healy, and there is an early musical cartoon number involving chocolate soldiers with music by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown. Finally there are Charles Butterworth and Polly Moran as a wealthy oil magnate and his wife who have some hilarious moments.If you don't know who any of the people I just mentioned are, you are probably not going to like this film. If you know who all or most of them are you are sure to enjoy it as one of the last pre code films made, released just one month before strict enforcement of the code began.
Michael_Elliott
Hollywood Party (1934) ** (out of 4) Jimmy Durante plays an actor best known for his wannabe Tarzan character known as Schnarzan. People quit going to see his jungle movies because the lions look fake so Durante decides to buy some new ones by throwing a Hollywood party to get the lion owners to his house. This is a very hit and miss film from MGM, which was suppose to have been a film full of A-list cameos but instead had its budget cut to the point where we get mostly second hand actors, although The Three Stooges and Laurel an Hardy show up. There are several musical numbers as well but they're all rather cheap and boring as are the dance numbers. Durante gives it his best but doesn't really have any good scenes until the very end when he must fight a lion. It's obvious that it's a double doing the fighting but this scene is rather shocking at how brutal and realistic it is. The Three Stooges have a fairly funny bit as three scientists debate on which one is closest to a neanderthal man. Laurel and Hardy also have a funny bit with actress Lupe Velez where the three break eggs on one another. Velez is actually the main reason to see this film as she walks around in an extremely provocative dress that shows off the best curves in her body. These scenes certainly got in just before the Hayes Office took over as she comes off very sexy in her role. There's an earlier scene that features some tease nudity sequences with women undressing and getting ready for the party. Mickey Mouse also shows up to spoof Durante and after saying all of this you'd think it was a good movie but it's not. The majority of the film is just endless skits with the majority of them not working. Even at 68-minutes the film seems overly long so in the end only fans of any of the stars should check this out.
MartinHafer
The film is a huge assemblage of near-stars and Laurel and Hardy--with lots of silly Busby Berkeley-style song and dance routines and a totally forgettable romance between Eddie Quillan and some lady about whose identity I could not care less. These people all come to a party at Jimmy Durante's home and Jimmy is trying to convince one of the guests to sell him his collection of lions.For film historians and fans of classic Hollywood comedy, this is a must-see film--even though the overall results are less than thrilling. That's because although the film lacked a decent plot and had many lulls, it still gives an interesting combination of Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges, Jimmy Durante AND Mickey Mouse. Talk about a strange group of party guests!!! Sadly though, Laurel and Hardy get top billing even though they don't appear until near the end AND their scenes are far from distinguished--in fact, they are downright dull. The Stooges don't have a lot to be happy about here, either. Mickey is okay. The only one who had good writing and came off well was Durante--who played an amusing and improbable role as "Schnarzan"--sort of like a hairier and uglier Johnny Weismuller.Overall, I'd give Jimmy Durante an 8, Stan and Ollie as well as the Stooges a 3, the romance a 1, the song and dance routines a 2 and the overall film a 4 for entertainment value and 8 for historical value. Using my complicated mathematical formula (known only to a select few), I'd give the film an overall score of 6--though this is being a tad charitable.FYI--According to the Leonard Maltin Guide, TV versions lack the Mickey Mouse and color Chocolate Soldier cartoons, but when this was shown on Turner Classic Movies this was indeed included.
AD
