As part of TCM's Star of the Month: Bela Lugosi, the last film they aired was the rare FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN from 1931, which includes an uncredited appearance by Bela as a fast-talking magician.
The film is a slapstick comedy, decidedly unfunny and starring the frenetic Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson. It was based on a hit Broadway musical by Cole Porter and others. But because film musicals were supposedly doing poor box office (??), Warners decided to strip all the songs from the movie. What is left is a lot of running around a hotel chasing flappers. Or something like that.
It was released in early Technicolor, but no color version has survived, so TCM showed it in black and white.
Bela plays a Middle Eastern magician, and doesn't show up until the 50-minute mark (after another magician), but it is worth the wait. In fact, he is a revelation.
All the talk for years that Bela pronounced his dialogue phonetically as late as the 1930s can be forgotten as he breezes through his magician bit with the fast-talking patter of a Sgt. Bilko or Abbott & Costello's Mr. Bacciagalupe!
Seriously, he commands the screen like an experienced vaudevillian or carnival barker, speedily grabbing jewelry and an expensive watch, pounding them with a hammer, drops them into a hat, and then makes a fast retreat when the trick doesn't work. He's completely marvelous and in charge of what he is saying. Wow.
Worth searching out. (The film does end with a manic keystone kops-type chase that is actually fun).
david
The film is a slapstick comedy, decidedly unfunny and starring the frenetic Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson. It was based on a hit Broadway musical by Cole Porter and others. But because film musicals were supposedly doing poor box office (??), Warners decided to strip all the songs from the movie. What is left is a lot of running around a hotel chasing flappers. Or something like that.
It was released in early Technicolor, but no color version has survived, so TCM showed it in black and white.
Bela plays a Middle Eastern magician, and doesn't show up until the 50-minute mark (after another magician), but it is worth the wait. In fact, he is a revelation.
All the talk for years that Bela pronounced his dialogue phonetically as late as the 1930s can be forgotten as he breezes through his magician bit with the fast-talking patter of a Sgt. Bilko or Abbott & Costello's Mr. Bacciagalupe!
Seriously, he commands the screen like an experienced vaudevillian or carnival barker, speedily grabbing jewelry and an expensive watch, pounding them with a hammer, drops them into a hat, and then makes a fast retreat when the trick doesn't work. He's completely marvelous and in charge of what he is saying. Wow.
Worth searching out. (The film does end with a manic keystone kops-type chase that is actually fun).
david
statistics: Posted by taraco — 4:29 PM - 1 day ago — Replies 1 — Views 277