Outside of Paradise (1938) User Reviews

Lesser studio musical is just so-so

[SimonJack · 5/10 · 6 April 2018]

This 1938 Republic film has an interesting, if familiar plot decades later. An American inherits a castle in Ireland. In this case, he's a small-time band leader, and he only gets half the castle. Another cousin owns the other half.

Republic was a notch above the Tin Pan Alley studios in the thriving years of the Hollywood studio system. But, it also was not in the first two tiers of the Big 5 or Big 8 studios. So, one wouldn't expect to see big names in most of its films. Phil Regan as Daniel O'Toole and a couple of supporting actors who made it through the studio system are recognized here. They are Leonid Kinskey and Peter Lind Hayes. But most of the rest of the cast are not known in the 21st century.

The plot is mostly a device to hold together some song and dance numbers. Although, the comedy romance angle does have more meat to it than most films of this type. The problem is with the level of talent. Regan was fair as a tenor singer, but the rest of the singers in this film are easily forgotten. The best performances are a couple of nicely choreographed dance numbers toward the end.

The film also is billed as a comedy, but what's supposed to be funny most of the time isn't. The production quality suffers in "Outside of Paradise." This isn't a film to rush out and buy or rent. But, those who enjoy musicals may enjoy it on a rainy day if it shows on TV.

Penny Singleton-one busy lady before "Blondie"

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 20 August 2015]

It appears that in 1938 alone, the high-pitched voice of Penny Singleton appeared in 12 films, one of them the very first "Blondie" movie, her last film of the year. Her first film of the year was this rather noisy Republic musical where she plays a bonnie Irish lass fighting the heir to an Irish estate over property she believes is rightfully hers. Of course, romance ensues, some unforgettable musical numbers stop what little plot there is cold, and "Mad Russian" Bert Gordon provides some obnoxious comedy. It's difficult to root for Ms. Singleton in this one, because her hot-tempered redhead isn't as charming as similar characters the gorgeous Maureen O'Hara would later play. O'Hara was always still endearing whenever losing her temper, and you were usually on her side against whatever macho male she was trying to put in their place. In the case of Singleton's character, she is just noisy, while her male rival (Phil Regan) is absolutely charming and obviously not deserving of her wrath. The musical numbers are more Hollywood kitsch rather than traditionally Irish so they seem out of place, although a sudden tap number is quite enjoyable, and one group number Singleton does seems fun, that is had it been included in another movie, not this one. I have to refer to this one as "Blondie's Time of the Month".

Ireland gets a White Castle hamburger stand.

[horn-5 · 24 November 2005]

Daniel Francis O'Toole (Phil Regan), singing maestro in a New York restaurant, finds himself the unexpected heir to an estate in Ireland. He doesn't have money enough for the passage to Ireland, but the band members decide to incorporate him, advancing him the fare for equal shares in the estate. In Ireland, Danny finds that his is only a half-share, and the other half belongs to Mavourneen Kerrigan (Penny Singleton) and she has the exclusive right to sell or keep the property...which, despite his pleas, she refuses to do. She also declares him an undesired guest, objects to his presence and insists that he prepare his own meals.

He does so in a large main hall, but can only make hamburgers. During a rainstorm, Dorothy Stonewall (Ruth Coleman) and her parents (Mary Forbes and Lionel Pape), seek shelter in the castle, meet Danny there, and are invited to dine with him...on hamburgers. They find hamburgers to be a delicious novelty, and the inspired Danny establishes Ireland's first fast-food operation (in a castle, at least), and soon he has a thriving operation . His band members from New York show up, and provide music for the customers while Danny Sings---and there is no doubt that this IS Ireland's first castle-housed fast-food operation providing live music.

Mavouneen has taken a liking to Danny, but gets jealous when she thinks he is paying too much attention to Dorothy and decides to sell the castle, and this is not good news to the band members who are doing a thriving business selling white-castle hamburgers. So they contrive to reunite Danny and Mavourneen.