Having been checking on the Matinée at the Bijou blog, I've been discovering quite a few curiosities from the Golden Age of Movies. Like this Jimmy Durante musical short produced by M-G-M that touts the National Recovery Administration as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal. One of the people in the audience that The Great Snozzola warbles to is Moe Howard-with his hair slicked back-who, as an exterminator, wonders aloud "who's going to get rid of all the rats" if Durante says to give his employees vacations. Durante says to hire several more who need the jobs. He goes on like this for the whole two minutes until the short ends with a close-up of Roosevelt on frame. Pretty entertaining and worth a look for anyone who's a fan of Durante and lead Stooge Howard.
2 Reviews
Jimmy Does His Part
boblipton15 March 2023
Jimmy Durante sings "Give a Man a Job" in this short subject produced to extol the National Recovery Act.
The NRA didn't last long, being struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional for its price-fixing, but while it lasted it was very popular, its Blue Eagle Emblem and 'We Do Our Part' slogan adorning many places of business and for almost a year, every feature film produced by the major studios.
Moe Howard does some straight acting here as an exterminator, and I didn't even notice it was him. But them, when Durante is singing up a storm, it's almost impossible to notice anything else.
The NRA didn't last long, being struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional for its price-fixing, but while it lasted it was very popular, its Blue Eagle Emblem and 'We Do Our Part' slogan adorning many places of business and for almost a year, every feature film produced by the major studios.
Moe Howard does some straight acting here as an exterminator, and I didn't even notice it was him. But them, when Durante is singing up a storm, it's almost impossible to notice anything else.
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