Series: Feature
Director: Richard Boleslawski, Allan Dwan, Edmund Goulding, Russell Mack, Charles Riesner, Roy Rowland, George Stevens, Sam Wood
Producer: Harry Rapf, Howard Dietz
Screenplay: Howard Dietz, Arthur Kober
Photography: James Wong Howe
Editor: George Boemler
Sound: Douglas Shearer
Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Jimmy Durante, Jack Pearl, Polly Moran, Charles Butterworth, Eddie Quillan, June Clyde, Lupe Vélez, George Givot, Tom Kennedy
Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Released: 24 May 1934
Length: 68 mins
Production No.: #695
Filming dates: March 1933 - March 1934
Rating: 5/10
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Hollywood Party
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Available on DVD:
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Movie producer Mr. Knapp arrives at the theatre just in time to catch the trailer to his latest blockbuster: "Schnarzan The Conquerer" (Jimmy Durante in a Tarzan routine) but he leaves soon after when a patron rubbishes the film. A fellow film producer by the name of Buddy Goldfarb is on hand to assure the theatre manager that his new attraction, "Liondorra", will fill the seats in the theatre. The manager isn't impressed with either man and advises them to use REAL lions in their pictures in order to make money. Knapp learns that Baron Munchausen, a big lion tamer is due in town and vows to hire his animals before his rival can. So Schnarzan decides to throw a big party and welcome the Baron. Word gets around and the guest list grows but one person who isn't invited is the co-star of his last picture, Lupe Vélez (who plays 'Jane'), who telephones Schnarzan to berate him. After 'Hollywood Party' is sung and performed by Frances Williams and twelve dancers with extremely short skirts, we resume the film.... with guests arriving at the Hotel Hollywood and getting into a crowded elevator before making their way to the Schnarzan residence. We then have the song 'Feeling High' just to pad out the film a little more and then Durante the host welcomes his guests. Liondora (George Givot) is posing as some soppy Grand Royal Duke in order to infiltrate the party and makes an impression on the wealthy Harvey and Henrietta Clemp and their niece. When V.I.P. guest Baron Munchausen arrives with his gorilla Ping-Pong to much fanfare Durante tells his butlers to be ready. To make matters worse Durante then takes to the stage and starts singing with a troupe of young dancing ladies and African men. He is then joined by the Baron in a song that goes on forever. |
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Afterwards Durante talks to film producer Knapp outside where he proposes his next film to feature real lions but Jimmy doesn't share the same enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Harvey Clemp is getting a cocktail when Vélez gatecrashes the party by climbing over the fence. The two hit it off immediately whilst Harvey's wife gets the flirtation treatment from the Duke who tries to give her some of the good stuff... just out-and-out sexually assaults her in full view of everyone! Damn! Another song ("I've Had My Moments"), this time with Bob Benson serenading Linda out in the garden, is as cheesy as you can get. The viewer's attention is reinstated abruptly when three man (The Three Stooges, no less) come to the party seeking autographs from the distinguished guests. They are each assaulted by a group of scientists who arrive shortly after who debate about the men being neanderthals and proceed to smack them over their heads with a cane. And yet another song. Durante sings (I use that word loosely) to the scientists and goes back in time to portraying Adam (of Adam & Eve fame) and the horse of Paul Revere with a huge nose. Harvey Clemp and Knapp get themselves into a bidding war with the Baron for his lions which Harvey wins for $175k. The party comes to a halt when a bunch of over-reacting, screaming women discover a mouse in the room. Durante takes charge of the situation and finds it to be Walt Disney's animated Mickey Mouse in attendance. The two strike up a strange conversation where Jimmy stretches Mickey's nose and Mickey punches Durante on his. Durante threatens to kick Mickey out but the mouse has other ideas and sits himself down at an animated piano. |
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At this point (45 minutes into the film) we switch to colour and have a full five-minute Disney cartoon called "Hot Choc-Late Soldiers" where a battle takes place between an army of... er, chocolate soldiers. Long story short, nobody wins in the end because the sun comes out and melts everybody. After the cartoon finishes Knapp complains to Durante that he lost the lions to Harvey and they need to get them back. Mrs. Clemp appears from nowhere and acts as though she has just had the orgasm of her life. Knapp instructs Jimmy to get with her and 'do his stuff'. Fortunately before the viewer has time to contemplate the image of that suggestion the doorbell rings and we are treated to the surprise appearances of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. They claim the Baron bought the lions from them but have come to challenge him because his cheque hasn't cleared (he paid in tiddlywinks, apparently). After several altercations with the burly doorman the duo manage to get into the house and go in search of the Baron. Meanwhile Mrs. Clemp plonks herself down at a piano and adds yet another song to the soundtrack of the film. (Actually to be fair she can sing!) She is joined by Durante who encourages her. Afterwards Laurel and Hardy visit the bar where Lupe Vélez does her Mae Busch-on-steroids routine and goes nuts when she is refused service. Several eggs are destroyed between the three of them. Stan and Ollie are chased outside where they release one of the lions from its cage. The lion runs into the house and everybody runs for their lives. Eventually the lion comes face to face with Durante, they wrestle (it looks pretty impressive even though it's a stunt double) and Durante ends up on the floor. The final song is performed by the dancing girls and we finally have ourselves a finale with Jimmy's face imposed on the screen. He then wakes up and we discover it was all a dream. |
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Favourite bit The scene with Laurel and Hardy with Lupe Vélez at the bar cracking eggs. In particular it's the bit where Vélez cracks an egg down Hardy's pants followed by his slow reaction of discomfort followed by the look of relief on his face. |
| Trivia • Copyrighted May 14, 1934. • Laurel and Hardy scenes: September 21-24, 1933; retakes circa March 11-12, 1934. • In the opening scene there are movie posters showing pictures of Norma Shearer and Wallace Beery. Both these actors appeared in "The Stolen Jools" along with Laurel and Hardy in 1931. • At the beginning of the film we see the final shots from Greta Garbo’s film “Queen Christina” (1933). • During the trailer for Schnarzan The Conquerer, Lupe Vélez comes rushing out of the bushes with her breasts bouncing all over the place. So much so that she even has to put her hands over them as she runs towards the camera. If you watch the scene frame-by-frame I think you can make out her puppies! • There are multiple risque shots shown of women in a state of undress (and one naked woman in silhouette which clearly shows her nipple) during the "Hollywood Party" song at around 10 minutes 40 seconds. • When the film switches to colour, the cartoon is Hot Choc-Late Soldiers. • This is the only film to feature appearances by both Laurel & Hardy AND The Three Stooges, though they never shared the screen together at any time. • Laurel and Hardy first appear in the film at 51 minutes 30 seconds. • At 59 minutes into the film when Jimmy Durante and Polly Moran have their scene after she sings and plays the piano you can see Jimmy mouthing her lines just before she says them. An obvious mistake but it's definitely there. Watch Durante's mouth closely. • In the scene with Laurel and Hardy at the bar with Lupe Vélez, she hits Hardy over the head with her shoe. As she does so she stretches up and you can see the underside of right boob. • Some sources lists Billy Bletcher for the voice of the Big Bad Wolf. This is obviously an error. My opinion • The Laurel & Hardy scenes steal an otherwise average movie. Lots of Hal Roach alumni popping up all over the place in random scenes was of interest. |
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Stan Laurel Stan |
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Oliver Hardy Ollie |
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Jimmy Durante Himself/Schnarzan |
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Jack Pearl Baron Munchausen |
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Polly Moran Henrietta Clemp |
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Charles Butterworth Harvey Clemp |
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Eddie Quillan Bob Benson |
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June Clyde Linda Clemp |
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Lupe Vélez The Jaguar Woman/ Jane in Schnarzan sequence/ Herself |
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George Givot Liondora a.k.a. Grand Royal Duke |
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Richard Carle Knapp |
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Harry Barris Singer of 'Feelin' High' |
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Shirley Ross Singer of 'Feelin' High' |
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The King's Men Quartet (singers, "Feeling High") |
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Sidney Bracey Durante's butler |
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Ben Carter Elevator operator |
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Ray Cooke Movie patron |
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Ray Corrigan Ping Pong, the gorilla |
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Tenen Holtz Bald man in elevator |
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Tom Kennedy Beavers |
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Larry Fine Autograph seeker |
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Moe Howard Autograph seeker |
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Curly Howard Autograph seeker |
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Ted Healy Reporter |
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Leonid Kinskey Jake the cabbie |
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Tom London Paul Revere |
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Edwin Maxwell Buddy Goldfarb |
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Jed Prouty Theatre manager |
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Eddie Tamblyn Bob's friend |
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Arthur Treacher Durante's butler |
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Frances Williams Singer of 'Hollywood Party' |
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Florence Wix Party guest in elevator |
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Robert Young Himself, radio announcer |
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Frank Austin Scientific pedant |
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Nora Cecil Scientific pedant |
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Richard Cramer Scientific pedant |
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Ferdinand Gottschalk Scientific pedant |
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Clarence Wilson Scientific pedant |
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Scotty Mattraw Scientific pedant |
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Phyllis Crane Eve (Adam & Eve segment) |
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Tom Herbert Bartender |
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Jack Hill Party guest |
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Jeanne Olsen Jeanne Durante |
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Baldwin Cooke Doorman (he opens cab door for scientists) |
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Sherry Hall Butler mixing drinks |
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Muriel Evans Show girl in shower/ Party guest |
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Ruth Channing Show girl in shower |
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Hugh Saxon Servant |
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Florine McKinney Show girl Still from deleted scene |
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Irene Hervey Show girl Still from deleted scene |
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Martha Sleeper Show girl Still from deleted scene |
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Dorothy Short Show girl Still from deleted scene |
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Marcia Ralston Show girl Still from deleted scene |
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Mickey Mouse Himself |
Ernie Alexander Servant at party |
Ben Bard Snarley |
Arthur Jarrett Singer of 'Feelin' High' |
George Beranger Durante's barber |
Henry Roquemore Chef |
Edward Thomas Butler |
Pauline Brooks Show girl |
Marta DeVeaux Show girl |
Celeste Edwards Show girl |
Kay Gordon Show girl |
Iris Lancaster Show girl |
Claire Meyers Show girl |
Linda Parker Show girl |
Jack Byron Party guest |
Jay Eaton Party guest |
Bill Elliott Party guest |
Bess Flowers Party guest |
Julia Griffith Party guest |
Larry Steers Party guest |
Hugh Saxon [?] |
Walt Disney Voice of Mickey Mouse |
UNIDENTIFIED CAST |
| CREDITS (click image to enlarge) |
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| POSTERS (click any image to enlarge) 
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| LOBBY CARDS (click any image to enlarge) 
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| STILLS (click any image to enlarge) 
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| RISQUE (click any image to enlarge) 
 
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| Acknowledgements: Laurel And Hardy: The Magic Behind The Movies by Randy Skretvedt (book) https://www.threestooges.net/filmography/episode/213 (information regarding cast) Richard W. Bann (help with Muriel Evans identification) Rick Greene (lobby cards) Bob Duncan (stills) Jesse Brisson (identification of Muriel Evans, Florine McKinney, Phyllis Crane, Eddie Tamblyn, Scotty Mattraw, Frank Austin, Irene Hervey, Martha Sleeper, Dorothy Short, Ruth Channing, Marcia Ralston, Hugh Saxon) This page was last updated on: 07 April 2023 |