San Antonio Rose (1941)

Director:

Charles Lamont

Writers:

Jack Lait Jr. (story), Paul Girard Smith,

Stars:

Jane Frazee, Robert Paige, Eve Arden

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Frazee	...	Hope Holloway
Robert Paige	...	Con Conway
Eve Arden	...	Gabby Trent
Lon Chaney Jr.	...	Jigsaw Kennedy
Shemp Howard	...	Benny the Bounce
The Merry Macs	...	Singing Group
Mary Lou Cook	...	Mona Mitchell (as Mary Lou Cook - The Merry Macs)
Joe McMichael	...	Harry (as Joe McMichael - The Merry Macs)
Ted McMichael	...	Ted (as Ted McMichael - The Merry Macs)
Judd McMichael	...	Phil (as Judd McMichael - The Merry Macs)
Richard Lane	...	Charles J. Willoughby
Elaine Condos	...	Elaine - Dancer
Louis Da Pron	...	Alex - Dancer
Charles Lang	...	Ralph
Riley Hill	...	Jimmy (as Roy Harris)

Storyline

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Genres:

Musical

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 June 1941 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During his solo in "You've Got What It Takes", Robert Paige inadvertently allows a whistling sound to accompany the "s" at the end of the word "takes" a couple of times.

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Soundtracks

"Mexican Jumping Bean"
Music by Gene de Paul
Lyrics by Don Raye
Sung by The Merry Macs

User Reviews

Poor slapstick ruins things

Hope (Jane Frazee) and Gabby (Eve Arden) hitch their way to the "Plantation", a venue owned by Nick Ferris (Luis Alberni) where they are hoping for an audition. However, the owner of a rival venue sends a couple of thugs - Jigsaw (Lon Chaney Jr) and Benny (Shemp Howard) - to the "Plantation" and Ferris ends up closing down his nightclub within half an hour as a result. Hope and Gabby end up locked inside the club and spend the night there. The next day, the Merry Macs arrive as they have been booked to perform. With no-one around, Hope, Gabby and the Merry Macs take management of the club into their own hands. They spread the word and people start to flock to their venue. An attempt is made to sabotage their plan as Jigsaw and Benny turn up again, posing as a couple of waiters with a mission to drive everyone away.

The story is largely irrelevant as this film is basically an excuse to churn out several music numbers that are nice but forgettable. There are some amusing segments that come from Eve Arden and her wisecracks and Lon Chaney Jr when he is being rude to everyone who arrives at the restaurant section of the club - "what do you want?". He is pure class as he throws the menus onto the table for the guests. That's it, I'm afraid, on the comedy front. Lon Chaney Jr is also involved in the more tedious sections of the film which involve a sort of mock Abbott and Costello routine between him and Shemp Howard, whereby he keeps slapping Howard and it's just not ever funny. Just like Abbott and Costello are never funny. Shemp Howard is really irritating in this film - he's sort of an American Norman Wisdom - really unfunny. Based on his performance here, I have no intention of ever watching anything by 'The Three Stooges'. Ever.

Despite some good songs - all of them are quite catchy and performed in that group swing-style a la Andrews Sisters - it's just not enough to warrant keeping onto the film to watch again. There is also a half-hearted attempt at romance chucked in that is very unconvincing and pointless. A final mention must go to the ruling by the Hayes Code that did not allow married couples to share a bed. Well, in this film, Jigsaw and Benny share a bed together so it seems that poofery is OK by the powers that be but not straight relationships. It's a crazy world we live in.