Whoopee! (1930)

Director:

Thornton Freeland

Writers:

William Anthony McGuire (story)
Owen Davis (play)

Release Date:

5 October 1930 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Western sheriff Bob Wells is preparing to marry Sally Morgan; she loves part-Indian Wanenis, whose race is an obstacle...

Plot Keywords:

Nurse | Hypochondriac | Sheriff | Rancher | Single

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Eddie Cantor	...	Henry Williams
Ethel Shutta	...	Mary Custer
Paul Gregory	...	Wanenis
Eleanor Hunt	...	Sally Morgan
Jack Rutherford	...	Sheriff Bob Wells
Walter Law	...	Jud Morgan
Spencer Charters	...	Jerome Underwood
Albert Hackett	...	Chester Underwood
Chief Caupolican	...	Black Eagle
Lou-Scha-Enya	...	Matafay

Also Known As:

Whoopee (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

93 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (2-strip Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Palm Springs, California, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Trivia:

Eddie Cantor reprises his role from the original 1928 Broadway show. Many film cast members were also in the original show, including Eleanor Hunt, Ethel Shutta, Paul Gregory, Jack Rutherford, Spencer Charters, Albert Hackett and Chief Caupolican. Appearing in the original play, but not the film, was Buddy Ebsen, best known to today's audiences as a cast member of TV's "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1962) and "Barnaby Jones" (1973).

Quotes:

Jerome Underwood: You know who I am?
Henry Williams: Who?
Jerome Underwood: I'm an Underwood.
Henry Williams: Indian no care for typewriter!

Movie Connections:

Version of Up in Arms (1944)

Soundtrack:

Makin' Waffles

Sappy? Yes, But Something Of A Collector''s Item

If for no other reason, this is an amazing film because it was shot in Technicolor - in 1930! It's primitive color, but very interesting at times and intriguing to view. Although the story and humor are very dated, Eddie Cantor is very funny at times playing the super hypochondriac.

There are lots of gags, and like the Marx Brothers films, so many that you can't catch them all. Also like the MB, some of the humor is topical, so audiences of today aren't going to get what people would laugh at in 1930.

Through all the jokes - many stupid and many clever - Cantor is a likable guy and also a good singer. As I wrote with another review (Roman Scandals) I am just sorry this talented man doesn't have his films out on DVD. The songs in here are decent, too, some of them very catchy. They also have the added attraction of having the Busby Berkeley joining in.

Make no mistake: this is a "sappy" film, so dated it's extremely stupid in spots....but definitely something for the film collector.