Hellzapoppin' (1941)

Olsen and Johnson, a pair of stage comedians, try to turn their play into a movie and bring together a young couple in love, while breaking the fourth wall every step of the way.

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:

cult film | lindy hop | screwball comedy | psychotronic film | song | 

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Taglines:

At last it's on the Screen! BIGGER, BETTER, FUNNIER, CRAZIER with those two howling madcaps Olsen and Johnson who will have you roaring with glee from start to finish! (Print Ad- Philadelphia Inquirer, ((Philadelphia, Penna.)) 3 February 1942)

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Certificate:

Approved

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 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

Lena, Lady looking for Oscar: Oscar!

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Crazy Credits

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

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Connections

Featured in This Joint Is Jumpin' (2000)

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Soundtracks

What Kind of Love Is This?
Lyrics by Don Raye
Music by Gene de Paul

User Reviews

THE slapstick movie - and that's for sure...

Hellzapoppin' is brilliant - fast, funny, visual, one-liners, dance numbers, romance - just pure and simple escapist entertainment - It is a feast of corny, surprising, surreal, slapstick, pratfall humor that will work until the end of time.

Moreover it uses tricks and ideas, like talking to the audience, that were way ahead of its time.

The show about a show plot works wonderfully, but it is the little surprises, the oddities, and the fun that make this one of the best laugh-out comedies of all time and should be seen by every comedy writer and actor - pure joy from beginning to end - and above all pure entertainment.

Huge fun and very much recommended.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 December 1941 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hellzapoppin'

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,982

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