1930 film by Thornton Freeland
Whoopee! pre-Code comedy musical Western film photographed in two-color Technicolor . It was directed by Thornton Freeland and stars Eddie Cantor , Ethel Shutta and Eleanor Hunt . The film's plot closely follows that of the 1928 stage show produced by Florenz Ziegfeld .
Plot
Sally Morgan loves an Indian named Wanenis, but her father forbids her to marry Wanenis, instead favoring sheriff Bob Wells. Just before marrying Wells, Sally decides that she loves Wanenis too much and tricks farmhand Henry Williams into helping her flee to the ranch of Jerome Underwood. Wells searches for Sally, causing trouble for the oblivious Henry.
Cast
Illustration of a scene from the film
Production
Whoopee! made a film star of Eddie Cantor , already known for his work on the Broadway stage and as a singer.[ 3] My Baby Just Cares for Me " was written especially for Cantor to sing in the film and became one of his signature songs. Bandleader George Olsen , already a well-known Victor recording artist, repeated his work from the stage version.
The film launched the Hollywood career of Busby Berkeley and was Alfred Newman 's first composing job in Hollywood. Richard Day designed the sets and the cinematographer was Gregg Toland , who later found fame through his work in the films of Orson Welles . H. Bruce "Lucky" Humberstone served in an uncredited role as assistant director.[ 4]
Future stars Betty Grable , Paulette Goddard , Ann Sothern , Virginia Bruce and Claire Dodd appear uncredited as "Goldwyn Girls ".
Awards
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Art Direction by Richard Day .[ 5] [ 6]
Reception
The film has been called a "a musical western extravaganza".[ 7] [ 8]
See also
References
^ Balio, Tino (2009). United Artists: The Company Built by the Stars . University of Wisconsin Press . ISBN 978-0-299-23004-3 ^ "WHICH CINEMA FILMS HAVE EARNED THE MOST MONEY SINCE 1914?" . The Argus . Retrieved August 6, 2012 – via National Library of Australia.^ Ciment, James (April 8, 2015). Encyclopedia of the Jazz Age: From the End of World War I to the Great Crash: From the End of World War I to the Great Crash ISBN 978-1-317-47164-6 ^ Whoopee! (1930) - IMDb , retrieved August 29, 2021 ^ "NY Times: Whoopee!" . Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times the original on December 21, 2009. Retrieved December 6, 2008 .^ "The 4th Academy Awards (1931) Nominees and Winners" . Oscars.org (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ). Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2019 .^ Balio, Tino (1995). Grand Design: Hollywood as a Modern Business Enterprise, 1930-1939 ISBN 978-0-520-20334-1 ^ Smith, Cecil A.; Litton, Glenn (October 28, 2013). Musical Comedy in America: From The Black Crook to South Pacific, From The King & I to Sweeney Todd ISBN 978-1-136-55675-3
External links
Broadway plays Films directed
42nd Street She Had to Say Yes Footlight Parade Dames Fashions of 1934 Gold Diggers of 1935 Bright Lights I Live for Love In Caliente Stars Over Broadway Stage Struck Varsity Show The Singing Marine Gold Diggers of 1937 The Go Getter Hollywood Hotel Men Are Such Fools Gold Diggers in Paris Garden of the Moon Comet Over Broadway Broadway Serenade They Made Me a Criminal Fast and Furious Babes in Arms The Wizard of Oz Forty Little Mothers Strike Up The Band Blonde Inspiration Lady Be Good Ziegfeld Girl Babes on Broadway For Me and My Gal Born to Sing Cabin in the Sky The Gang's All Here Girl Crazy Cinderella Jones Take Me Out to the Ball Game Annie Get Your Gun Films
