Some Like It Hot (1939)

Nicky Nelson is a fast-talking sideshow barker with a wax-and-alive concession on Atlantic City's boardwalk. Even with the band of his friend, struggling musician Gene Krupa, playing on the... See full summary »

Director:

George Archainbaud

Writers:

Ben Hecht (play), Gene Fowler (play),

Stars:

Bob Hope, Shirley Ross, Una Merkel

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bob Hope	...	Nicky Nelson
Shirley Ross	...	Lily Racquel
Una Merkel	...	Flo Saunders
Gene Krupa	...	Himself
Rufe Davis	...	Stoney
Bernard Nedell	...	Stephen Hanratty
Frank Sully	...	Sailor Burke / The Living Corpse
Bernadene Hayes	...	Miss Marble
Richard Denning	...	Mr. Weems
Clarence Wilson	...	Mr. Ives
Dudley Dickerson	...	Sam
Harry Barris	...	Harry, Piano Player
Wayne 'Tiny' Whitt	...	Bass Fiddler
J. Scott Smart	...	Joe - Hamburger Man (as Jack Smart)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bobby Dease	...	Man

Storyline

Nicky Nelson is a fast-talking sideshow barker with a wax-and-alive concession on Atlantic City's boardwalk. Even with the band of his friend, struggling musician Gene Krupa, playing on the sidewalk to attract the customers, "The Living Corpse" and other low-rent acts aren't enough to lure the seen-it-all boardwalk strollers, and the landlord closes the show in lieu of never-paid rent. Nicky, always promoting, goes to Stephen Hanratty, head of the pier's Dance Pavilion, to plug Krupa's band as an attraction, but Hanratty won't even listen to them. But, while there, he meets singer Lily Racquel, who knows he is a phoney but might have the ability to to talk a radio-station manager into giving her an audition. She gives him a ring to help finance the project; he promptly loses it in a crap-game.

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Plot Keywords:

boardwalk | rent | pier | barker | atlantic city | 

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Taglines:

Let this show put you in swing with spring! (original poster)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rhythm Romance

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When this movie was sold to MCA for TV consumption in 1958, the title was changed to 'Rhythm Romance" to distinguish it from the Billy Wilder classic with Marilyn Monroe.

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Connections

Version of Shoot the Works (1934)

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Soundtracks

"Heart and Soul"
Music by Hoagy Carmichael
Played when Gene and Nicky are discussing the Living Corpse
Also played before Hanratty offers Lily the ring

User Reviews

Slick Bob Hope performance

Not Hope's best, but he makes a good flim-flam artist going straight. The highlight of the film is Gene Krupa and his band playing "Blue Rhythm Fantasy", a number with Krupa soloing while the band beats out tempo on small drums at their music stands. This is Krupa's first film with his first band after leaving the Benny Goodman Orchestra.