We're Not Dressing (1934)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Walton Hall Smith (stories) and
Benjamin Glazer (stories) ...

Release Date:

27 April 1934 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Beautiful high society type Doris Worthington is entertaining guests on her yacht in the Pacific when it hits a reef and sinks...

Plot Keywords:

Sailor | Island | Yacht | Uncle | Bicycle

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Stephen Jones
Carole Lombard	...	Doris Worthington
George Burns	...	George Martin
Gracie Allen	...	Gracie Martin
Ethel Merman	...	Edith
Leon Errol	...	Uncle Hubert
Ray Milland	...	Prince Michael Stofani
Jay Henry	...	Prince Alexander Stofani

Runtime:

74 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #1361-R, 31 August 1935 for re-release) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Right before the "Once in a Blue Moon" number, there is a long shot of Stephen holding Doris under the moon. His lips are moving in this brief shot as if he's singing to her, but there is no vocal on the soundtrack.

Quotes:

Hubert: I'll never go on another uninhabited island. I don't care *who* lives there!

Movie Connections:

Version of "Estudio 1: El admirable Crichton" (1972)

Soundtrack:

Sailor's Chanty (It's a Lie)

Ridiculous

This musical "on crack" is basically a Vaudeville retread. Most of the talent is wasted. The whole "pet bear" routine is quite weird, and adds nothing to the plot, as thin as it is.

Granted, this is an early sound film, but when you consider some of the excellent RKO musicals of the period, with Astaire, this Paramount production leaves much to be desired.

I've never been a Burns & Allen fan, so that whole routine is lost on me. Ethel is certainly her usual electric self, and Bing is Bing. Lombard is definitely wasted. It is interesting to see Ray Milland in an early role.

Certainly, the film is worth a look for its historical significance in studio history, but I cannot recommend it as an entertaining movie. Watch it if you have the time, but if it's between this and some other TCM classic, select the other option.