Stand Up and Cheer! (1934)

President Franklin Roosevelt appoints a theatrical producer as the new Secretary of Amusement in order to cheer up an American public still suffering through the Depression. The new ... See full summary »

Director:

Hamilton MacFadden

Writers:

Lew Brown (story and dialogue: collaborator), Will Rogers (story idea suggested)

Stars:

Warner Baxter, Madge Evans, James Dunn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Warner Baxter	...	Lawrence Cromwell
Madge Evans	...	Mary Adams
James Dunn	...	Jimmy Dugan
Sylvia Froos	...	Sylvia Froos
John Boles	...	John Boles
Arthur Byron	...	John Harly
Shirley Temple	...	Shirley Dugan
Ralph Morgan	...	Secretary to President
Jimmy Dallas	...	Boy Scout
Tess Gardella	...	Aunt Jemima (as 'Aunt Jemima')
Frank Mitchell	...	Senator Danforth (as Mitchell)
Jack Durant	...	Senator Short (as Durant)
Dick Foran	...	Nick Foran (as Nick Foran)
Nigel Bruce	...	Dinwiddle
John 'Skins' Miller	...	Hill-Billy (as 'Skins' Miller)

Storyline

President Franklin Roosevelt appoints a theatrical producer as the new Secretary of Amusement in order to cheer up an American public still suffering through the Depression. The new secretary soon runs afoul of political lobbyists out to destroy his department.

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Plot Keywords:

lobbyist | imperative in title | washington d.c. | u.s. president | government | 

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Taglines:

The entertainment talent of the nation parades in the breath-taking wonder show......."STAND UP and CHEER!" (Print Ad- Bend Bulletin, ((Bend, Ore.)) 29 May 1934)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The German censors banned the film because "It showed the typical American movie standpoint of artificially plumped-up optimism" and "did not deal seriously enough with today's problems." (New York Sun, 30 August 1934)

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Quotes

Lawrence Cromwell: Now, Miss Monroe...
Mary Adams: Er, Adams.
Lawrence Cromwell: Oh, yes, step here a minute, will you, please... something I want to show you. There's one phase in this amusement campaign which I think you ought to understand. The zones in...
[overcome by her good looks, he stops]
Lawrence Cromwell: You're beautiful.
Mary Adams: Ah, of course I'm not.
Lawrence Cromwell: What's that?
Mary Adams: I said I'm not beautiful.
Lawrence Cromwell: Young woman, you're talking to Lawrence Cromwell... Lawrence Cromwell, the world's recognized authority on feminine beauty and charm. Do you mean to stand there and question my ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Biography: Shirley Temple: The Biggest Little Star (1996)

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Soundtracks

Baby, Take a Bow
(1934) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Lew Brown
Music by Lew Brown and Jay Gorney
Performed by Shirley Temple, James Dunn
c. 1934 Movietone Music Corportation

User Reviews

You might want to watch Shirley's number and then turn off the film.

To say that this is a bad film is like saying the Bubonic Plague of the 14th century was a minor inconvenience! Aside from some adorable acting by a very young Shirley Temple, there really isn't much to like about this film. They even manage to make good actors like Warner Baxter look pretty bad since the film is terribly written and the variety acts are a bunch of no talents.

The film begins on am embarrassing note. Warner Baxter's character is supposed made 'Secretary of Entertainment' by the President. The problem is that the guy sounded nothing like FDR--nothing! And the idea of a Secretary of Education!! Uggh! This is just a thinly disguised plot in order to fill the movie with one god-awful variety act after another. Among the terrible acts is a 'Hillbilly music' number, John Boles singing a terrible love song that could only have helped to INCREASE the divorce rate and an embarrassingly bad number where they imitate Jimmy Durante (you gotta see this--its awfulness is impossible to adequately describe). There also are some extremely racist numbers with 'Aunt Jemima' (actually Tess Gardella in black-face) and Stepin Fetchit behaving like a sub-human--just to guarantee that any black person watching the film would become disgusted and angry.

This film was ostensibly designed to lift folks spirits during the Depression. Is it any surprise then that the Depression would continue for another eight years!!! I think it's no coincidence!! Overall, a godawful mess of a film only of interest to Shirley Temple-philes. Otherwise avoid like the plague! Don't say I didn't tell you!! "Stand Up and Cheer" only manages to earn a 2 because of Temple's charm and talent. But, considering she's barely in the film, there just isn't ANYTHING else to recommend this turkey.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 May 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fox Movietone Follies of 1934

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min 81 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1