Starring Eddie Cantor, Ethel Shutta, Eleanor Hunt, and Paul Gregory
Directed by Thorton Freeland
Music by Walter Donaldson and others; Lyrics by Gus Kahn and others
Florenz Ziegfeld had been the biggest impresario on Broadway since his famous Follies began in 1907. Women came from across the country to be "glorified" and glamorized in his huge extravaganzas. Cantor worked his way from vaudeville stardom to becoming one of Ziegfeld's most popular players; Whoopee! was his biggest hit for the producer. Desperate for money after the Depression wiped him out, Ziegfeld partnered with another famous producer, Samuel Goldwyn, to bring Whoopee! to the big screen. How does this modern-set western look now? Let's start on the ranch, just as a wedding is being announced, and find out...
The Story: Pretty Sally Morgan (Hunt) is supposed to marry Sheriff Bob Wells (Jack Rutherford), but she really loves half-native, eastern-educated Wanenis (Gregory). Hoping to evade Wells and find Wanenis, she escapes out a window with hypochondriac guest Henry Williams (Cantor). He thinks he's giving her a ride out of town, but she left a note claiming they're going to elope! Bob, his deputies, Sally's father Jud (Walter Law) go after Williams to arrest him; his nurse Mary (Shutta) wants to marry him. Williams does everything from steal a car to dress in blackface to join an Indian tribe in order to avoid the entire lot of them.
The Song and Dance: Busby Berkeley's first Hollywood assignment, the gorgeous color, and a few good bits from Cantor are the selling points here. This is one of the few full two-strip Technicolor films of its era left, and it looks incredible. That rich turquoise sky pops off the screen. Shutta matches Cantor pretty well as the tough lady who likes her men meek and mild. Berkeley's style is obvious even at this early point, with several overhead shots of ladies in cowboy hats and native headdresses and choreography that plays to the camera, rather than just tapping in front of it.
Favorite Number: The big hit that made it into the film was Cantor's knowing "Makin' Whoopee," which he sings (with different lyrics) surrounded by a bevy of pink-clad bridesmaids. An incredibly young and perky Betty Grable opens the movie with the chorus singing about how much they love "Cowboys" as they tap for the camera and Berkeley makes overhead patterns with their hats. Cantor laments to Hunt how he lost "A Girlfriend of a Boyfriend of Mine" when they're on the run from the Sheriff in the car. "The Song of the Setting Sun" brings on the Indian tribe for some big native dances, feather-trimmed overhead shots, while the charter roster of Goldwyn Girls parade their beaded costumes and fancy capes before the camera.
Trivia: The original Broadway show opened in 1928 and ran a year, not bad for the time. A revival on Broadway in 1979 lasted about three months and added a few extra songs not in the original show, including "My Baby Just Cares for Me" from the film.
What I Don't Like: Stereotypes of all varieties run amok in this one, from Cantor's blackface routine to the extraneous "My Baby Just Cares for Me" to the ridiculous Indian-loves-white-woman plot and overdone Indian tribe. That over-the-top finale in particular with what Waneris turns out to be will likely make many viewers cringe today, rather than cheer. There's also times when this being an early talkie comes to the fore, especially during non-musical sequences that have people just standing around talking.
Most of the songs from the original show besides "Makin' Whoopee" were eliminated, and "Whoopee" had its lyrics largely re-written. I wish they'd at least found a way to sneak in the other big hit "Love Me or Leave Me" and its star Ruth Etting, even if neither she nor the song had much to do with the rest of the show.
The Big Finale: The dated plot and heavy stereotypes make this mainly of interest to fans of Cantor, Berkeley, or the films of the early sound era.
Home Media: Easy to find on DVD from the Warner Archives or streaming.
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