The penultimate of a series of musicomedies that Warner produced with the title Gold Diggers of.....or in...... . Only those produced in the '30s are still available. They may be purchased, along with 5 other films, in the Busby Berkeley 9 Film DVD Collection. It's commonly concluded that these films declined in interest with progression over time. However, to me, the 1935 installment is least interesting. Certainly, the screen plays in the last 2 are at least as interesting. The finale musical production was more interesting to me than in the '35 film or "Gold Diggers of Paris".
During the credits, Dick Powell sings "With Plenty of "Money and You", which would be reprised. Then, during a life insurance salesman conference, he sings "The Life Insurance Song". When the meeting adjourns, a horde of female gold diggers are waiting outside to follow the men when they board the train outside. One remarks "Ï Like fat men. You can always outrun them" Joan Blondell(as Norma) pairs up with Powell, and asks for a job in his insurance company. They get further acquainted in his office, as the wind from a storm blows his desk papers all over the room, and Powell sings "Speaking of the Weather".
J.J. Hobart(Victor Moore),a stage producer, is always in a bad mood, especially complaining about his body. He has innumerable bottles of pills on hi desk. He wants to produce a new show soon but, unknown to him, his 2 assistants lost the money he gave them on a stock market gamble. Powell shows up to sell him life insurance, but he says he doesn't need any because he has no dependent, and enough money. However, his crooked associates convince him to take out a $1 million policy, with his company as the beneficiary. But can he pass the physical?. Four doctors examine him, and, amazingly, pass him. Now, Powell wants JJ to have a long life, as the longer the policy is in force, the more commission he gets. In contrast, JJ's crooked assistants(Hugo and Morty) want him to die soon so they can replace the money they lost. They talk showgirl Genevieve(Glenda Farrell) into trying to stress his heart by vigorous dancing and seduction. But JJ feels much younger with the attention of a young woman. He's playing ping pong and leap frog in his office. This is not working, so his assistants discretely bump him into the swimming pool, hoping he will drown. But Powell is nearby and dives in to save JJ and his future commissions. Genevieve finally tells JJ that his associates lost all his money for the show. He faints and is taken to the hospital. Powell gets a call from the hospital saying that JJ is 'gone', which Powell interprets as meaning he died. But it really means he left the hospital, and shows up at his office.
Meanwhile, Powell and Joan have taken time out occasionally to romance. Powell sings "With Plenty of Money and You", and later "Let's "Put Our Heads together". He organizes a fund raiser for the show. His boss invests significant money in it. The chorus girls try to blackmail their boyfriends into investing in it, and finally, enough is collected to put on the show, which features the song "Äll's Fair in Love and War". Against a pitch black background, a mass of rocking chairs appears, with a couple in each. This transforms into a single huge rocking chair, which is blown up by a chorus girl. A white cannon and stacks of white cannon balls appears in its place. Each ball that is fired turns into a circular close up of one of the chorus girls, until the cannon is blown to bits. A lineup of male dancers in soldier uniforms, with rifles, is in a trench. Parallel to them is a trench filled with female dancers, who charge into the no man's land between, wielding spray bottles: presumably squirting perfume as they advance. This scene turns into a drum corps, then a bugle corps, then a flag corps, all of whom march around, doing various maneuvers.
To me, the funniest character was bald, pudgy, Victor Moore, who played JJ. Powell also provided some laughs. Joan was cute and personable, this being her 3rd leading lady role in the Warner musical series including Busby Berkeley.
During the credits, Dick Powell sings "With Plenty of "Money and You", which would be reprised. Then, during a life insurance salesman conference, he sings "The Life Insurance Song". When the meeting adjourns, a horde of female gold diggers are waiting outside to follow the men when they board the train outside. One remarks "Ï Like fat men. You can always outrun them" Joan Blondell(as Norma) pairs up with Powell, and asks for a job in his insurance company. They get further acquainted in his office, as the wind from a storm blows his desk papers all over the room, and Powell sings "Speaking of the Weather".
J.J. Hobart(Victor Moore),a stage producer, is always in a bad mood, especially complaining about his body. He has innumerable bottles of pills on hi desk. He wants to produce a new show soon but, unknown to him, his 2 assistants lost the money he gave them on a stock market gamble. Powell shows up to sell him life insurance, but he says he doesn't need any because he has no dependent, and enough money. However, his crooked associates convince him to take out a $1 million policy, with his company as the beneficiary. But can he pass the physical?. Four doctors examine him, and, amazingly, pass him. Now, Powell wants JJ to have a long life, as the longer the policy is in force, the more commission he gets. In contrast, JJ's crooked assistants(Hugo and Morty) want him to die soon so they can replace the money they lost. They talk showgirl Genevieve(Glenda Farrell) into trying to stress his heart by vigorous dancing and seduction. But JJ feels much younger with the attention of a young woman. He's playing ping pong and leap frog in his office. This is not working, so his assistants discretely bump him into the swimming pool, hoping he will drown. But Powell is nearby and dives in to save JJ and his future commissions. Genevieve finally tells JJ that his associates lost all his money for the show. He faints and is taken to the hospital. Powell gets a call from the hospital saying that JJ is 'gone', which Powell interprets as meaning he died. But it really means he left the hospital, and shows up at his office.
Meanwhile, Powell and Joan have taken time out occasionally to romance. Powell sings "With Plenty of Money and You", and later "Let's "Put Our Heads together". He organizes a fund raiser for the show. His boss invests significant money in it. The chorus girls try to blackmail their boyfriends into investing in it, and finally, enough is collected to put on the show, which features the song "Äll's Fair in Love and War". Against a pitch black background, a mass of rocking chairs appears, with a couple in each. This transforms into a single huge rocking chair, which is blown up by a chorus girl. A white cannon and stacks of white cannon balls appears in its place. Each ball that is fired turns into a circular close up of one of the chorus girls, until the cannon is blown to bits. A lineup of male dancers in soldier uniforms, with rifles, is in a trench. Parallel to them is a trench filled with female dancers, who charge into the no man's land between, wielding spray bottles: presumably squirting perfume as they advance. This scene turns into a drum corps, then a bugle corps, then a flag corps, all of whom march around, doing various maneuvers.
To me, the funniest character was bald, pudgy, Victor Moore, who played JJ. Powell also provided some laughs. Joan was cute and personable, this being her 3rd leading lady role in the Warner musical series including Busby Berkeley.