Hollywood Party (1934)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Absolutely Fantastic

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

I love it when Hollywood parodies itself. That's one reason I decided to watch this film, which depicts the unprecedented frenzy surrounding Hollywood of its time, with everyone wanting to become a movie star or at least be close to one, rich people investing money in movies for both profits and fame, film producers and cast willing to do anything for a profit and movie stars considered to be, both by the public and themselves, the most important persons in the country.The film shows all that by depicting a wild party in Hollywood thrown by movie star Schnarzan (as Tarzan), who wants to be some new, wild lions for his pictures because the public is bored of his old ones. There's not a sequenced plot, but rather a number of musical and humorous sketches, each directed by a different, always uncredited, director and with a different combination of actors appearing. There's even a short Technicolor cartoon presented by Mickey Mouse!Both the musical numbers and the jokes presented would probably be entertaining in 1934, but in this day and age seem rather outdated. The clever portrayal of Hollywood paranoia and great performance by Jimmy Durante as Schnarzan save the day, however, and movie fans who have a thing for classic and pre-Code films might enjoy it.The main reason I watched this movie is because I'm a Laurel and Hardy fan and I thought the boys were the stars. No such thing, however, as they appear only in two not-so-funny sketches, including one with Mexican bombshell Lupe Velez, and their screen time is about a mere ten minutes.The film is hard to find nowadays and you should just skip it unless you are a fan of similar pictures and, in general, films of this particular era. In that case it's probably worth a shot.

What a bizarre little MGM movie, more of a filler than anything else. Jimmy Durante, Laurel and Hardy and The Three Stoogers (!) all make appearances in this oddball musical romp. Most of this hour-length flick is unmemorable, but it is worth noting that this was the only time L&H and the Stooges appeared in the same film. Mickey Mouse (!) and Durante have a bit of business together, which segues into a Disney animation sequence involving a battle between edible soldiers. This sequence was restored to the film in the 1990s, after settlement of a legal issue. All in all, not worth the trouble to hunt down. But it pops up on cable channels now and then.

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.

I love this film! The storyline is cheesy & campy but just so much fun to watch! It's a parody on Busby Berkely's choreography, and there are so many inconsistencies it's a real kick to laugh at & just enjoy, after all, isn't that why it was Done in the first place? The early 30s was the heyday of the "Musical Novelty" genre, and this one puts it all together in one piece! Making fun of its own "stars" Jimmy Durante's "Schnarzan", Charles Butterworth's dry deadpan humor, (so bad that it's good!) Jack Pearl's doing his own character of Baron Munchhausen, and omigod!!! Polly Moran as a sex object, and her trying to sing!!! They're all making fun of themselves and each other, and all seemed to be having a whooping fun time doing the picture! But its saving-grace scene, which makes the whole thing worthwhile, Is Lupe Velez with Laurel & Hardy, the eggs-in-the-pants unspoken piece of shtick, with only the body English performing, is just hilariously beautiful! And when She starts laughing, and socks them both, they all start breaking up, the camera cuts away to the next shot, I'm convinced they ad-libbed the whole thing just for the hell of it, and broke down when they couldn't't hold back any longer, it's that funny! This is a true comedy classic, a welcome relief from the heavy dramas of the day, a real keeper in my book!