Hellzapoppin' (1941)

Ole and Chick are making a movie, but the director is not satisfied. So he brings them to a young writer, who outlines them an absurd story. They have to support Jeff and Kitty in setting ... See full summary »

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

Nat Perrin (screenplay), Warren Wilson (screenplay),

Stars:

Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Martha Raye

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ole Olsen	...	Ole Olsen
Chic Johnson	...	Chic Johnson
Martha Raye	...	Betty Johnson
Hugh Herbert	...	Quimby
Jane Frazee	...	Kitty Rand
Robert Paige	...	Jeff Hunter
Mischa Auer	...	Pepi
Richard Lane	...	Director
Lewis Howard	...	Woody Taylor
Clarence Kolb	...	Andrew Rand
Nella Walker	...	Mrs. Rand
Shemp Howard	...	Louie
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Harry Selby
Frank Darien	...	Man calling for Mrs. Jones
Catherine Johnson	...	Lena, Lady looking for Oscar

Storyline

Ole and Chick are making a movie, but the director is not satisfied. So he brings them to a young writer, who outlines them an absurd story. They have to support Jeff and Kitty in setting up a musical revue in their garden and want to bring it up on Broadway. If Jeff is successful he can marry Kitty. But there is his rich friend Woody, who also loves Kitty, Chick's sister Betty, who's in love with a false Russian count, and detective Quimby. They all make the thing very complicated for Ole and Chick. After some mistakes they think that Kitty isn't the right girl for Jeff and they start sabotaging the show, but the Broadway producer is impressed and signs the contract. That's the story the writer tells them. For this he's sued by the director.

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Plot Keywords:

nonsense | film in film | love triangle | musical stage production | private detective | 

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Taglines:

Best dance scenes and wildest cinematic tricks for its time!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 December 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

De studio draait zot

Filming Locations:

Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mayfair Productions Inc., Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mischa Auer plays "a real Russian nobleman who is pretending to be a fake Russian nobleman." This is a satire on Michael Romanoff, owner of the popular Hollywood restaurant, Romanoff's. He claimed to be a Russian prince and nephew of Tsar Nicholas II, but it was widely known in Hollywood that his royalty claims were false. (In fact, his real name was Harry F. Gerguson, and prior to opening his restaurant, he had been a pants presser in Brooklyn.) This is why Mischa Auer tells his fellow Russian expatriate, "Better I should be known as a fake Russian prince. If everyone knew I was a real Russian prince, the novelty would wear off, and nobody would want me."

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Goofs

Betty picks up a rifle with a bayonet attached, but in the next shot it's a double-barreled shotgun.

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Quotes

Chic Johnson: How much do you charge for haunting houses?
Harry Selby: How many rooms?

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Crazy Credits

"......any similarity between HELLZAPOPPIN' and a motion picture is purely coincidental."

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Connections

Referenced in Martin and Lewis (2002)

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Soundtracks

"Conga Beso"
Lyrics by Don Raye
Music by Gene de Paul

User Reviews

It's a HUMDINGER!

I've wanted to see this movie for a long time, after reading about it in a book on "movie comedy teams."

I finally got the chance after purchasing it on eBay in vhs format. All I can say is...It was worth the wait!

Jokes, mayhem and madness run rampant throughout this movie! It's like an old version of AIRPLANE! It almost seems like an abridged version of a Marx Brothers movie. Even when the "love story" slows things down...jokes "pop up" when you least expect them.

I'm really surprised that nobody has mentioned the scene where Olsen, Johnson and the Director of the film are sitting down (with the backs of their heads to us) watching a film on a small screen and commenting on it. This scene screamed, "MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000!"

If you get the chance to see this, do! And then watch it again to catch all of the jokes you missed the first time.