alexanderdavies-99382 "Hollywood Party" is one of those films that has no plot and a few famous faces thrown in. The film is a right shambles and pretty boring. That is except for the cameo made by Laurel and Hardy. They make "Hollywood Party" worth it, thanks to a few marvellous sketches. They play a couple of lion sellers who turn up at the party in question to collect their money from the owner of the house. Once Laurel and Hardy leave the film, it is time to stop watching.

John T. Ryan WE CAN WELL remember thinking of what a great movie that it would be to have something with a title like THE 3 STOOGES MEET THE MARX BROTHERS (or visa-versa with the billing). This writer was about 11 or 12 years old at the time; not realizing the impossibility of such a teaming. The movie would call for having the heart of the Stooges Act (Curly Howard)being brought back to life and even though all of the Marx Brothers were still with us, they were all busy with their own projects and had surely been slowed down by both Mother Nature and Father Time.HAVING ALL OF the principals aforementioned could well have appeared in this HOLLWOOD PARTY (MGM. 1934)had it been made in the following Anno Domini 1935. This was the first year of the the MGM-Marx Alliance; the Boys having been given pink-slips from Paramount following a poor Box Office showing from their feature, DUCK SOUP (Paramount, 1933). The absurd notion of teaming them would not have materialized; but at least, they would be in the same cast, without sharing any scenes.THE PROJECT THAT did materialize was not much less absurd than my childhood brainstorm; although it did have the the advantage of having the use of the vast and impressive MGM stable of contract players. This was an array of talent once referred to as having: "More Stars Than There Are In Heaven!" THIS MOST DISJOINTED and disorganized cinematic romp was not what one could call a total misfire; but it did prove that it takes more than just a lot of on screen "Stars" to make for a hit, let alone a critically approved (if not acclaimed) movie. As the story (such as it is) unfolds, we are plagued by just one question. WHY? WHY,INDEED DID such an undertaking escape out of MGM's entertainment factory and get into the Real (not Reel) World? ON THE RATHER slim, positive side of things, like just about any movie (except maybe DONDI), there are some likable and positive elements here. For one, the unbilled presence of Ted Healy and the Three Stooges (a very youthful Howar-Fine-Howard combo). They make the most of their thin, nearly thread-bare scene as movie fans seeking autographs. Their then mentor/punishment dispenser, Ted Healy, portrays an also unbilled newspaper reporter.THE APPEARANCE OF veteran stage comedian, Jack Pearl, portraying his perennially very Germanic Baron Munchausen, proves to be very amusing and a true bright spot in the dismal proceedings. This is conditionally endorsed as a positive, considering that the Baron is minus long time straight man, Cliff Hall*, and seems completely out of synch with even this bizarre storyline.IN A SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT with Walt Disney, there is an odd inclusion of MICKEY MOUSE and a special Technicolor short cartoon, HOT CHOCOLATE SOLDIERS.** This is very enjoyable, but even with Mickey's popularity, it only adds to the peculiarity of the film.IT DOOES APPEAR that the movie may well have been primarily a vehicle to both promote and exploit Mr. Durante. Jimmy had been touted as the embodiment of the "New Breed" of Comedians for the Sound Era; but did experience some setback following an unsuccessful teaming with the Silent Screen's "Great Stone Face", Buster Keaton.FOR OUR MONEY, the very best element of the movie is the sequence featuring Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy locked in an egg smashing mêlée with the Mexican Spitfire herself, Lupe Velez. It is basic,inspired and perfectly timed and played. The whole bit is pure "Reciprocal Destruction" and classic Laurel & Hardy at its best.THIS "RECIPROCAL DESTRUCTION" shtick was developed by Leo McCarrey and his boss, Producer & Studio Head, Hal Roach. The principal is in evidence in so many of the various classic L & H comedies; as well as in those of Charley Chase, Thelma Todd/Zasu Pitts/Patsy Kelly and others, even OUR GANG. The "Reciprocal Destruction" mode basically turns many an older idea of break-neck speed application of a multitude of gaffs and slow things down; allowing the 'milking' of one single gag into a multitude of laughs.ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, this movie, MGM's Hollywood PARTY, is one that we all should see, at least once-if only for the first hand experience.NOTE: * Mr. Cliff Hall did some early TV work, later in his career. He portrayed Horatio Frisby on the JOHNNY JUPITER kids series; but is best remembered as the Head Racoon to Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton's Racoon Lodge on THE HONEYMOONERS Series. NOTE: ** The appearance of Mickey Mouse, as well as the HOT CHOCOLATE SOLDIERS sequence do not appear in some of the older TV prints of the movie and in some early VHS copies. This was due to their copyright owner, Disney, wouldn't allow them to be used beyond the original, theatrical showings. We presume that some $$$$ rectified the situation.

ctomvelu1 What a bizarre little MGM movie, more of a filler than anything else. Jimmy Durante, Laurel and Hardy and The Three Stoogers (!) all make appearances in this oddball musical romp. Most of this hour-length flick is unmemorable, but it is worth noting that this was the only time L&H and the Stooges appeared in the same film. Mickey Mouse (!) and Durante have a bit of business together, which segues into a Disney animation sequence involving a battle between edible soldiers. This sequence was restored to the film in the 1990s, after settlement of a legal issue. All in all, not worth the trouble to hunt down. But it pops up on cable channels now and then.

drednm What a hoot. Hilariously bad musical comedy that was butchered by MGM and dumped as a B film stars Jimmy Durante as a failing actor whose Schnarzan character needs a boost. So they decide to buy new lions (with teeth) to beef up his screen image. But his rival, Liondora, also wants the lions. So Durante throws a Hollywood party to lobby the lions' owner, Baron Munchausen, for a sale.A great cast and some terrifically snappy production numbers and funny bits make this a total trip. Along with Durante we get Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy who got cheated out of the lions, Lupe Velez as Durante's spitfire Jane, Polly Moran and Charles Butterworth as Oklahoma oil millionaires, Arthur Treacher as a butler, Jack Pearl as the Baron, Ted Healy and the Three Stooges as autograph fiends, Eddie Quillan and June Clyde as the lovers, Frances Williams in the great "Hollywood Party" number, Shirley Ross, Harry Baris, and Robert Young as themselves, and a ton of small-part actors like Ferdinand Gottschalk, Nora Cecil, Clarence Wilson, Leonid Kinskey, Tom Kennedy, Gilbert Emery, Jed Prouty, Richard Carle, Edwin Maxwell, Ray Cooke, George Givot and Walt Disney as the voice of Mickey Mouse! "Hollywood Party" and "My One Big Moment" are great songs. Jimmy Durante is fun, Laurel and Hardy get a funny sketch with Lupe Velez and eggs, Polly Moran gets to sing, and then there's leggy and glittery Frances Williams and her great jazzy voice!