Sing and Like It (1934) User Reviews

This one's a real sleeper

[sideways8 · 8/10 · 9 February 2005]

I was very surprised by this. It's genuinely funny. Nat Pendelton was at the top of his game in 1934. (The Thin Man - 1934) The scene where he winds up with a mouthful of gum after kissing his girlfriend was a scream.

I would really like to see more of Nat. He is a real discovery (like Warren William) capable of many faceted parts. He was a Silver medalist at the 1920 Olympics.

The entire cast was sharp as was the dialog. Zasu Pitts had her typical part and her hand movements were as always (and that mother song). Ned Sparks was also as always. Pert Kelton was looking good. A flick to really have a laugh at. you gotta' see it.

Very Funny

[brennanjp · 8/10 · 8 October 2007]

I've seen this a few times and it always makes me laugh. Great cast playing for all it's worth, and very pre-code: When told she is to be Annie's chaperone, Ruby replies "She'd be safe on a battleship"; the gum scene; Ruby: "I belong to the world", Fenny: "You probably did before you took up with me." The end has a couple of neat twists too. It drags a bit in the middle, but all in all it's quite sarcastic and funny. And let's not forget Annie Snodgrass, who must sacrifice all because she is an "artist". The "Mother Song" is a neat take-off on a musical genre of the late 20s: "Who taught you wrong from right, while holding you so tight, who misses you tonight... Your Mother". Listen to the words, if you can take the delivery: it's one of the sappiest songs ever written. If you like old movies, pre-code humor and sarcasm, and plenty of 30s slang, this is to be seen.

The Gentleman Says Nerts

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 16 November 2013]

Very funny and endearing comedy about a gangster (Nat Pendleton) determined to make a terrible singer (Zasu Pitts) a success on the stage after hearing her sing a song about mothers. This is a fun little movie with a cast of colorful characters and some great dialogue. Nat Pendleton was one of the all-time great character actors of the 1930s and 40s. He usually played supporting parts but here he proves he can handle being the male lead quite well. Zasu Pitts, an actress whose comedy stylings are hit or miss with me, gives a terrific performance in this movie. A part like this could have easily led to overacting but she walks the line just right. The running gag about her thinking Pendleton is only helping her for sexual favors is hilarious.

What a fantastic supporting cast. There are some greats here and they really shine. Edward Everett Horton as the poor Broadway producer forced to star Zasu in his show. Ned Sparks and his trademark deanpan delivery almost steal the whole movie as Pendleton's right hand man. Pert Kelton is fun as Pendleton's sassy moll who wants to be an actress herself. The great John Qualen plays Zasu's husband and his role in the end of the film is especially funny. Special mention to Roy D'Arcy, who played Zasu's costar on the stage. Not a big name actor and his part is small but he has one of the funniest scenes in the film.

For anyone who's a fan of classic films you know how much of a treat it is to discover a hidden gem like this. About the only way you're likely to see this is on TCM whenever they show it (which isn't likely to be often). So please be on the look out for it because it's worth it believe me.

Good, nasty just-pre-Code fun

[marcslope · 7/10 · 20 November 2013]

The Production Code was strengthened in 1934; this racy RKO comedy must have just gotten in under the wire. It's a very funny gangsters-in-the-theater comedy, not unlike "Bullets Over Broadway," in which every player plays exactly what they played in dozens of other movies: ZaSu Pitts flutters and dithers (and at one surprising point tells Nat Pendleton "take me, I'm yours"), Edward Everett Horton does slow burns, Pert Kelton does sassy and grasping, Pendleton flexes muscles and plays dumb hood, Ned Sparks grunts sarcastic asides, and John Qualen does meek- spouse. They're all expert, and they have a rude, funny screenplay that pokes fun at misplaced ambition, theater critics, and the gross sentimentality of mother songs. The production values are first-rate, and the twist ending is hilarious--I totally didn't see it coming.

Underrated Comedy

[GManfred · 19 November 2013]

Amazing what a good script will do for a movie, especially a comedy. I had never heard of "Sing And Like It" before, but this picture is funny! Lots of wisecracks and asides in this one and it doesn't contain slapstick or lots of pratfalls, as many comedies made just after the silent era did. This one plays like a Billy Wilder picture which relies on clever dialogue. The best lines belonged to Ned Sparks, delivered in his patented deadpan style, and then to Pert Kelton as a jealous girlfriend.

The stars of the picture are Nat Pendleton and Zasu Pitts. He is a gangster boss who hears Pitts sing a song called "Your Mother" for a community group while he and his gang are robbing a bank next door. He is enraptured and saddened by its maudlin tune, and decides to put her in a Broadway show. He strongarms producer Edward Everett Horton to feature her in his show, and Horton himself has some funny one-liners of his own.

This picture was a pleasant surprise, the kind which you hope would never end, and to keep the one-liners coming. Hadn't seen Pendleton in a starring role before and felt he was a little overpowering, and Zasu Pitts played her normal, woebegone character and stayed within herself. Good movie and a very funny comedy, of the type not often made or seen.

Cute stuff

[75groucho · 6/10 · 31 January 2005]

Sorta like "Bullets Over Broadway" -- A gangster forces a stage producer to use a star who can't sing for a damn. The gangster (Nat Pendleton, as a kidnapping-for-ransom specialist) gets weepy whenever he hears ZaSu Pitts warble "Mother". Everyone else cringes but whatever he says goes. So producer Edward Everett Horton is stuck putting together a show around the spectacularly off-key Pitts. But how can the gang make sure it's a hit? Sour-faced Ned Sparks will twist as many arms as necessary....

The plot's nothing special, but it's got a roll call of great character actors, like Sparks, Horton, Pendleton, John Qualen, and at the top of the cast, ZaSu Pitts. Pleasant escapism.

One of the Greatest RKO comedy shorts!

[ken-583 · 10/10 · 6 July 2009]

I couldn't agree less with the negative comments about this delicious little film! It's not about talent squandered -- it's about talent SHOWCASED! Many of the best character actors from the RKO lot appear in this film and their work is stupendous! The film is, in many ways, a parody of the gangster genre -- it's got a very Runyonesque take on the underworld, where kingpins are sentimental and their molls are sharp as a tack. The surface humor is broad -- but the wit is sharp and incisive: If the screenplay were any more tightly written I'd swear it was Mamet or Sorkin who created the dialogue.

The handling of theatre critics and their work is particularly vicious -- and never fails to make me guffaw! For anyone who understands allusion and parody -- and who appreciates good comedic writing -- this is the film to see!

Lame premise produces abundant amount of laughs.

[st-shot · 7/10 · 9 May 2011]

This down at the heels production provides a lot more laughs than a lot of star filled comedies of its day with leads brought up from the supporting ranks. Zasu Pitts, Nat Pendleton, Edward Everett Horton, Pert Kelton and Ned Sparks more or less apply the same type they excel at in other films without stars stepping in front of their shot or impeding the flow of humor with a half baked romance and for the most part carry it off nicely.

T. Fenny Sylvestor ( Pendleton) makes a good living at cracking safes and kidnapping. During a job he hear's Annie Snodgrass (Pitts) warbling a tune about mom at a rehearsal. stopping the heist dead in its tracks. He then devotes himself to putting Annie on the Broadway stage by way of intimidation.

Sing and Like It is populated with Runyonesque characters playing it broad and sober. The cast of scene stealers have the patter down right and the script by Marian Dix and Laird Doyle runs from high sarcasm (after all Ned Sparks is in the room) to subtle wit (" Look at all the diamonds I've given ya' and not a mark on ya." ) It's unfortunate both writers had brief careers given the promise displayed here.

William Seiter's direction allows for dead moments (How many times must we listen to Ms. Pitts murder the same tune?) as well as a fair share of brutal slapstick in places but overall the team of second stringers he fields all have a good game making Sing and Like It a winner.

Every once in a while you find a little gem - like this!

[bmcdannell · 10/10 · 7 April 2017]

This came up on TCM the other night and was a movie neither my wife nor myself had ever encountered. Now that alone gives us pause, because we're both real fans of old movies - so if we've never heard of it chances are pretty good that it's going to be a real stinker. But it had Zasu Pitts and Edward Everett Horton and Ned Sparks and... I figured that with such a load of wonderful actors - even if it was bad - it would at least be interesting. So we recorded it and watched it last night. What a find! We laughed ourselves silly all the way through. If you're in to old movies you're going to see so many familiar faces playing the same characters they played in so many other movies and, as a result, doing it to perfection. The little things Zasu Pitts does with her hands are hilarious; and Ned Sparks interpreting Nat Pendleton's Brooklynese is wonderful. My favorite line from the movie, in all its euphemized glory, was, "How come there are so many more horses necks than there are horses?" I laughed my, um, neck off - and you can bet I'll be borrowing it and using it myself (in the non-euphemized version) often in the future. If it comes up in the listings again be sure to record it because - if you really like old movies - you're going to love this one - and you'll want to see it again.

some fun stars in pre-code gangsta caper

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 12 April 2017]

Can't beat THAT cast! Zasu Pitts. Ned Sparks. Ed Horton. A gangster's girlfriend Ruby (Perl Kelton) wants to star in a show, so when the gangster "Fenny" (Nat Pendleton) hears "Annie" singing (Zasu Pitts), he puts together a show for her, not the girlfriend. The singing and acting are terrible, but Fenny likes her, so they proceed. And of course, the girlfriend wants the lead role for herself, so Annie better watch out! This one gets a little rough around the edges... the film code wasn't being enforced yet. Honestly, if this had a different cast, I probably wouldn't have liked it as much.. I DO love Sparks and Horton. Also interesting to note that in the first couple scenes, Pendleton calls Ed Horton and one of the other guys "Honey" and "Dearie". Directed by Bill Seiter. Another interesting thang -- when Ben Mank introduced this film on Turner Classics, he stated that Walter Brennan appears in the film, but the trivia section states that Phil Tead is often mistaken for Brennan. Pretty good film, but probably because those key actors are so awesome.

The Emperor's New Clothes?

[1930s_Time_Machine · 1/10 · 19 April 2024]

Is the joke on us for watching this? I suspect the big wigs at RKO thought it might be amusing for them if they deliberately made an appallingly bad film but told their audience it was meant to be ironic.

The plot of this film surely must be the true story of how this dreadful picture was made. The plot concerns a gangster whom upon hearing a dreadful song sung awfully by Zasu Pitts forces a producer to make her the star of a musical comedy written excruciatingly badly by the gangster and his pals. He then forces the critics to say how great she is and how funny the jokes are. There is no other explanation I can think of as to why this exists.

Max Steiner's background music (yes, Max Steiner) reminds me of a Laurel and Hardy film. It creates that similar mood but without any humour whatsoever. In these types of films, cartoon characters can sometimes work but in this case without any sense of irony it's simply terrible. THE MIDSHIPMAID (1932) used the same idea - that was also pretty awful but at least that had the divine Jessie Matthews in it.

The problem with this film is that it is not funny at all. Nat Pendleton and Zasu Pitts are usually tolerable in small doses as comedy relief but they're not really actors. There's no attempt to make these cardboard characters seem even slightly real and since THEY ARE NOT FUNNY you're just looking at a couple of people reading their lines for an hour and a half. EE Horton and Ned Sparks do their best but with such a weak script, they're fighting an uphill battle and you just feel sorry for them having to do such rubbish. RKO was known for it's sparkling comedies in the 1930s but in 1934 there was a lot of turmoil with the management there and the company temporarily lost its direction. If someone who'd never seen a 1930s comedy were to watch this, they'd never watch another one again - it' that bad!

one of my favorites

[terandpatphelan · 10/10 · 24 July 2018]

Nat Pendleton is a riot as the mamas-boy mob boss who not only tries but succeeds in getting the producer (perfectly played by Edward Everett Horton) to put Zasu Pitts in his show. The ending is perfect! Not many films out there I'd give a "10" to. but this is certainly one.

Minor though enjoyable comedy

[JohnSeal · 5/10 · 31 January 2005]

Nat Pendleton has a rare starring role in this Broadway comedy about a gangster determined to turn a talentless singer (ZaSu Pitts) into a star. Pendleton, of course, is the gangster, and he's a little less dim than usual this time, though his character remains an easily manipulated lug. The script of this RKO programmer is nothing special, but the cast makes the most of it--especially Edward Everett Horton who spends the entire film at his bitchy best. Also on hand are Pert Kelton, who gets to sport two black eyes as Pendleton's moll, Ned Sparks as an enforcer, and John Qualen, wonderful as always as Pitts' paramour.

Woody Allen A Fan?

[Michael_Elliott · 14 December 2013]

Sing and Like It (1934)

*** (out of 4)

Very good little gem about gangster T. Fenny Sylvester (Nat Pendleton) who hears Annie Snodgrass (Zasu Pitts) singing and decides he wants to make her a star. The only problem is that she's got a horrible voice and can't act. Not seeing the truth, the gangster forces a producer to make her the lead in an upcoming musical. SING AND LIKE IT might sound familiar to you because Woody Allen's BULLETS OVER Broadway has a lot of similar moments. I was really shocked at how hilarious this movie was at times because I had never even heard of it until it came on Turner Classic Movies. This is exactly why I record so many "B" movies off of TCM because you just never know when you're going to discover a gem like this. What works best with the picture are the two leads. Both of them were mostly just character actors their entire careers but being able to play leads in "B" movies like this often gave both a real chance to shine and that's exactly what happens here. Pendleton plays that tough but lovable thug like only he can. Pitts is just perfect as the bad singer who still wants her big break. Pitts has to sing the same song over and over again and her voice is just "perfect" in the sense that it's so bad that you can't help but fall for the song. The screenplay offers up some hilarious dialogue and especially all the back and forth between the gangsters and the show producer. I really liked how the producer was constantly putting down Pitts but Pendleton was too stupid to know what he was talking about so one of the goons had to translate it for him. Another surprising thing about this film is its "comedy" from the gangster beating up his first girlfriend. There are two different scenes of him smacking her around, which just goes to show what some considering humor in 1934. Still, SING AND LIKE IT is a highly enjoyable little comedy that deserves to be better known.

A forgotten comedy gem

[cherold · 8/10 · 8 April 2017]

Sometimes I think I've seen every great movie from the 30s and 40s, but every once in a while I discover something wonderful, like Sing and Like It.

The movie stars Zasu Pitts as a mousy accountant (or something) who sings in community theater. Her terrible rendition of a terrible song about mothers stirs the heart of gangster Nat Pendleton, who decides to make her famous by forcing musical producer Edward Everett Horton to star her in his new show. Zasu is thrilled, and fully willing to pay *any* price to achieve fame (which is how you know it's a pre-Hays-code film).

The dialogue is crisp and hilarious. The acting is terrific; other notable cast members are the frozen-faced Ned Sparks as a sort of erudite-to-colloquial translator and Pert Kelton as a brassy moll.

What keeps this from being a truly great comedy is the rather abrupt ending. The movie just suddenly says, basically, well, this has gone on long enough, and ejects. It's a little unsatisfying, even though there is one last nice gag.

While not perfect, this is a really, really funny movie full of amazing character actors and clever bits. You should watch it.

Laugh and Like It

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 9/10 · 21 January 2021]

Never heard of this movie before today. What a tonic on a cold, snowy morning.

Dense-funny mobster and his clever-funny moll crack wise and then he discovers a Waiting For Guffman-type whitebread who still yearns to be in legitimate theatre, whereupon he makes a Broadway producer an offer he couldn't refuse. That's the plot.

There are more funny lines in the opening scene than there are in most 90-minute comedies, then or now. Maybe the new Hayes Office was still too busy picking out furniture and color schemes to notice the clever lines that made it into the film.

Later, while the moll is babysitting the thespian, Pert Kelton to Zasu Pitts, who is standing there in old-lady bloomers: ''Dig around in there and see if you can find yourself." Works on so many levels.

A gangster's best friend is his ma, see?

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 8 April 2014]

When a gangster hears an untalented vocalist singing an old fashioned tune dedicated to the love a mother has for her child, the tears begin to flow, and before you can feed the flowers in her hat to a Central Park horse, he's promoting her to be a new star, much to the chagrin of the people forced to have to listen to this ditty over and over again. Yes, it's a one-joke plot, but when you've got the hand-wringing Zasu Pitts warbling one of the worst movie songs ever written (purposely done so), you've got at least a good gag to pass the time.

Pitts could produce laughter from reading a laundry list, and she produces a ton of snickers here with Nat Pendleton in fine support as the dumb mobster, fluttery Edward Everett Horton as a reluctant producer, and crabby Ned Sparks hysterically funny tossing off one liners in Pitts' direction. The wonderful Pert Kelton also stands out as the tough moll, a far cry from her most famous role as Mrs. Paroo in the classic Broadway musical "The Music Man" and its original movie version, made decades after this.

Lol Funny!

[ellenirishellen-62962 · 10/10 · 7 April 2017]

My main reason for watching was to see Nat Pendleton & Ned Sparks in another film.Zasu Pitt was great!Sparks gets me laughing every time,with the cigar in his yap,his wisecracks and his deadpan.And when Edward Everett Horton appears,it really took off.Quite a few familiar faces,Joe Sawyer as one of Fenny's goons,Matt McHugh,who could only be related to Frank McHugh,Walter Brennan in a bit part.I know many think Pendleton a little overwhelming,but I always liked his characters,as I always liked George Macready,just give the big lug a chance.He really wasn't the dumb characters he played,Nat was very intelligent,just like Macready,but few take the chance to see the person behind the character,too busy praising over-hyped actors.Dana Andrews another under-appreciated actor as the previous gents I've mentioned.Too bad they can't be told in person how great they're considered by me!

Great Title. Great Cast. Not So Great Movie

[Handlinghandel · 5/10 · 6 February 2005]

This boasts a cast of wonderful character actors: Nat Pendleton, Ned Sparks, Part Kelton, and its nominal star ZaSu Pitts. They are squandered, though Sparks is funny as a cynical Greek chorus.

Nat Pendleton was a very likable actor. A leading man he was not. Pert Kelton could be great, racy fun. She's a little racy here but the character is, like the others in this movie, sketched in broadly.

I have seen ZaSu Pitts in "The Wedding March" and "Greed" and am inclined to agree with Erich von Stroheim's high assessment of her skills as a tragedienne. As a comic she had potential, though she often seemed to get high billing for just a few lines.

Here is simply is not funny. And that song! OK, we understand that Pendleton loves it because it makes him think of his own mother. (And his mother turns out to be in jail. Oh, ha ha ha.) But Pitts's delivery is just bad. It isn't funny. Couldn't she have been given a couple other songs or couldn't Kelton have sung something? Enough of that mother song is way more than enough.

NOTE: The Pendleton/mother angle makes this a comic, (sort of) musical version of a later, justly better known movie: "White Heat."

Listening to Zasu Pitts sing is listening to Olive Oyl sing....yikes! Yet despite this, it's a very entertaining film.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 12 April 2011]

Nat Pendleton plays a mobster. Inexplicably, when he hears Zasu Pitts singing about motherhood, he begins to cry and thinks she's the greatest. I felt like crying, too, though for a far different reason--Pitts sounded almost exactly like Olive Oyl--and she was supposed to be horrible. But, being a mob boss, Pendleton is determined to make her a star and forces a poor Broadway producer (Edward Everett Horton) to feature her in his next show. You have to feel sorry for Horton's character, as she was just awful. What can Pendleton and the gang do to pull this off when Pitts' singing is dreadful?

While my description of the singing is quite accurate, the film works very well--as it IS a comedy. What makes it all work so well is the nice writing and the wonderful performances. I particularly liked John Qualen in a small but wonderful role as the mousy but endearing husband of Pitts--you just have to see him to know what I mean. The rest are also in top form--with Ned Spark playing his usual dour self, Pendleton as his typical mobster and Pert Kelton playing a great 'broad'.

Speaking of Pert , she plays a rather earthy role as Nat Pendleton's girlfriend. Believe it or not, she was the first 'Alice Kramden' in the Honeymooners skits on "The Jackie Gleason Show".

By the way, some might be disturbed that some of the comedy involved rather vivid domestic violence. Times and sensibilities sure have changed!

Funny caricatures but...

[DLW2-1 · 3/10 · 30 January 2005]

But even caricatures need a plausible plot line. I suppose in 1934 some part of that audience long ago would enjoy this tepid farce. It doesn't age well. It does give Nat Pendelton and Zasu Pitts experienced and expert support players a shot at leading roles. Pendelton, who is featured prominently in the Thin Man series tries his best but is over matched by witless plot. With the backdrop being a stage play with gangsters its not exactly original material. Movie's saving grace is the always excellent Edward Everett Horton in a wasted performance. But don't waste your time watching Everett in this film. I would encourage anyone to watch him in his effort in Holiday, with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. Same era 1936, but much better script and storyline. Better gags and needless to say star power as well.

The power of the critics

[LuvSopr · 5/10 · 2 September 2023]

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.