There's something very clever in the idea of a ruthless gangster (Nat Pendleton) whose mommy issues mean he does anything he can to promote a talentless singer (Zasu Pitts). Add in his moll (Pert Kelton, the most consistent bright spot of the film) who, jealous of losing her position and own failed showbiz dreams, has Pitts kidnapped. All ending in a show. Good concepts, but I just don't think the idea translated well - or at least not to feature length.
The characters are very static. You wonder if the gangster may change his ways, but instead we get a treatment of domestic violence with Kelton that feels shockingly casual even for the era. Don't get me wrong - I know this was 1934, and I can't say I'm upset over the movie's lack of interest in teaching lessons (even if I'm not surprised to hear there were censorship problems as a result), but the lack of progression leaves you still not caring about characters you didn't care a great deal about in the first place.
One of my main irritations with the film is the Edward Everett Horton character. In worlds where Horton can have some back-and-forth, he can be a delight, but in this case, he just has the same disbelieving response to Pitts' singing and mocking comments about her appearance, repeated so many times that I eventually started to wonder if she was all that bad, which went against the whole purpose of the story. Pitts, a wonderful talent, also feels wasted in such an extremely passive role. With that said, Pitts and Pendleton, even if they don't quite get opportunities, are always watchable.
As the film winds down, things do pick up, with a wonderful sequence involving the gangsters threatening a leading theater critic into laughing his head off at the terrible comedy and crying real tears at the melodrama (it's not too difficult for him to weep with a gun to his side). Richard Carle is terrific in these moments, but what makes them even better is seeing the reactions of the other critics, who are visibly reeling from how awful the production is, but force themselves to laugh, cry, and praise when they see that the critic they see as the end-all-be-all loves it. A brilliant moment of satire.
The last moments, where Pitts, finally getting some fun to play, offers herself to Pendleton as gratitude for her one night of fame, also entertain. Pendleton, who is a bit thrown and makes it clear he has no interest in her, heads off to see his dear, sweet mother...just released from prison. (I wish we'd seen her meet Pitts - the comedy would have written itself). As he rushes off with Kelton and his entourage, Pitts tells her seemingly meek-milled fiancé (John Qualen) that she's now ready to go back to the simple life with him. He shows her the ransom money he pocketed from Pendleton. Not so meek after all. And not a bad way to go to the credits.
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