Night Life of the Gods (1935)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Lowell Sherman

Writers:

Thorne Smith (novel)
Barry Trivers (writer)

Release Date:

1 March 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Plot:

A scientist named Hunter Hawk invents a device that can turn flesh to stone. While celebrating his discovery...

Plot Keywords:

Medusa | Mythological | Turned To Stone | Based On Novel

Cast

Alan Mowbray	...	Hunter Hawk
Florine McKinney	...	Meg
Peggy Shannon	...	Daphne Lambert
Richard Carle	...	Grandpa Lambert
Theresa Maxwell Conover	...	Alice Lambert
Phillips Smalley	...	Alfred Lambert
Wesley Barry	...	Alfred Lambert, Jr.
Gilbert Emery	...	Betts
Ferdinand Gottschalk	...	Old Man Turner
Douglas Fowley	...	Cyril Sparks
William 'Stage' Boyd	...	Mulligan
Henry Armetta	...	Roigi
Arlene Carroll	...	Stella
Ray Corrigan	...	Apollo (as Raymond Benard)
George Hassell	...	Bacchus

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Universal Pictures

Whimsy turned to stone

A one-of-a-kind comic fantasy from the pen of Thorne Smith, creator of "Topper", this strained whimsy has eccentric playboy Alan Mowbray invent a magic ring that turns people to stone. After rendering his annoying family into marble, he spends the night drinking with leprechauns, and then visits New York's Metropolitan museum, where he throws his ring into reverse and brings to life the statues of ancient Greek gods. Hectic shenanigans ensue when they all check into the Waldorf-Astoria hotel: Bacchus drinks rubbing alcohol, Venus de Milo acquires arms, Neptune starts a slapstick fight in a fish market, and so on. More witty than funny, the movie is afloat with Prohibition-era tipsy jokes, but manages to get an occasional naughty touch past the Hays Code restrictions. Mowbray captures the right energy and manic glint in his eye, and an imperturbable butler wins some laughs, but the others give overly broad performances that are comic, but in the wrong way. At this point in history, the curiosity value and Art Deco sets exceed the entertainment, or maybe they've now become the entertainment.