Starring Eddie Cantor, Lyda Roberti, Robert Young, and Ruth Hall
Directed by Leo McCarey
Music by Bert Kalmar; Lyrics by Harry Ruby
This week, we're returning to the wild world of comedian Eddie Cantor with two more of his vehicles for producer Samuel Goldwyn. Cantor's wacky movies were the height of escapist entertainment during the worst years of the Great Depression. Between his stage appearances, his annual movie in November or December, and his radio show, Cantor was one of the biggest stars in the world at this point. Does he live up to that legacy here, or should this movie be chased off by a bull? Let's begin very far from Spain in an oversized college room ala Goldwyn and find out...
The Story: Eddie Williams (Cantor) and his friend Ricardo (Young) are expelled from college after Ricardo gets his friend drunk and leaves him in the women's dormitory. As they figure out what to do next, Eddie accidentally finds himself mixed up in a bank robbery and forced to drive the criminals to Mexico. To Eddie's horror, he learns there's a detective (Robert Emmett O'Connor) who's hot on his trail.
He reunites with Ricardo in Mexico and poses as Don Sebastian II, a great bullfighter, to avoid being caught. This has its own problems. Eddie tries to help Ricardo win sweet Anita Gomez (Hall), but she's promised to Pancho (John Miljan). Meanwhile, her sister Rosalie (Roberti) falls for Eddie, but she's already involved with the bandit Pedro (J. Carrol Naish). Eddie's going to have to fight that bull whether he likes it or not in order to avoid the authorities and prove to everyone that he has what it takes to be a real fighter.
The Song and Dance: This wild bit of Hollywood fantasy benefits from Cantor's nutty brand of humor, Goldwyn's typical largess, and delightful directorial touches from both McCarey and Busby Berkeley. Berkeley's signature style is all over this movie, from the sexy (and extraneous) opening number in the pool to the big "What a Perfect Combination" number at the night club. Roberti more than matches Cantor with her odd accent and equally manic energy, while J. Carrol Naish has fun as the menacing bandit who doesn't like Eddie messing around with his girl.
Favorite Number: And we open in that girls' dormitory with their big number, "But We Must Rise (The College Song," as they begin their morning routine. Somehow their morning routine includes doing formations for an overhead camera in a huge pool and descending down a slide to their dorm room. After Eddie gets to Mexico, he sings about all the naughty things that happen "In the Moonlight" as he passes couples.
"Look What You've Done" Eddie fusses to the delighted Rosalie as she tells him she's in love and he admits he's got a lot more on his mind than romance. Dancer Grace Poggi does a brief flamenco to an instrumental song before Eddie turns up in blackface for his big routine. "What a Perfect Combination" he claims as Goldwyn Girls in black and white lace Mexican-style outfits dance and make formations around him.
Trivia: Real-life American matador Sidney Franklin is seen showing off his actual skills in the ring right before Eddie comes out.
What I Don't Like: This is pure Hollywood fantasy, even for Goldwyn. None of the Mexicans are played by anyone who looks or sounds remotely Mexican, including Young and Hall. Hall is so dull she fades into the woodwork. Young's having a little more fun as Eddie's more dashing friend. The songs aren't bad, but they're far from Kalmar and Ruby's best. There's also all the skin shown during that (completely extraneous) opening number, and Cantor turning up in his signature blackface for no reason to sing "What a Perfect Combination."
The Big Finale: If you can get past the goofy stereotypes, this is one of Cantor's better vehicles and his recommended for fans of him or Berkeley's other musicals of the 30's and 40's.
Home Media: Easily found on streaming and DVD, the latter from the Warner Archives.
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