Tropicana (1943)
"The Heat's On" (original title)

Director:

Gregory Ratoff

Writers:

Fitzroy Davis (original screenplay), George S. George (original screenplay),

Stars:

Mae West, Victor Moore, William Gaxton

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mae West	...	Fay Lawrence
Victor Moore	...	Hubert Bainbridge
William Gaxton	...	Tony Ferris
Lester Allen	...	Mouse Beller
Alan Dinehart	...	Forrest Stanton
Mary Roche	...	Janey Adair
Lloyd Bridges	...	Andy Walker
Almira Sessions	...	Hannah Bainbridge
Sam Ash	...	Frank
David Lichine	...	Specialty Dancer
Leonard Sues	...	Trumpet Player
Jack Owens	...	Jack
Joan Thorsen	...	Singer
Hazel Scott	...	Hazel Scott - Organ Player
Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra	...	Cugat Orchestra

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

african american | dancer | theatrical producer | show business | uncle | 

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Taglines:

Turn on the Fun! A Heat Wave of Beautiful GIRLS! GAGS! RHYTHM! and ROMANCE!

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Genres:

Musical | Comedy

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

2 December 1943 (USA)

Also Known As:

Empresário em Apuros

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gregory Ratoff Productions, Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Roy Engel.

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Goofs

On wall of producer's office is a presumably old publicity shot of Fay wearing an elaborate headdress that she doesn't actually wear until she performs a musical number later in film for an entirely new production staged by rival producer.

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Soundtracks

"They Looked So Pretty on the Envelope"
(1943)
Music by Jay Gorney
Lyrics by Henry Myers and Edward Eliscu
Copyright 1944 by Mills Music Inc.
Performed by Victor Moore (uncredited)

User Reviews

The Prudes Do Mae Wrong

Watching this is painful. Mae West has little to do. What she has, she does decently. Mae was never a true beauty, at least not in movies. Here she looks her age and the Gay Nineties costume seems more out of place than it does in other, earlier, better movies.

She isn't even billed over the title.

It's a hapless review, with Xavier Cugat and some corn-pone comedy.

Hazel Scott's appearances are good but nothing I'd have sought out and irrelevant to Mae.

Sextette seemed like a vanity production, a mistake of her own making. This is a hodgepodge that gives her little to do and is as prim as the bluenose character in its plot (amusingly played by Almira Sessions