Künstlerball

"Artists and Models" of 1937 has lots of talent in a revue format of a musical comedy. Jack Benny headlines a cast with several prominent actresses of the day. Benny is still early in his film career when his comedy is very good, fresh and natural. In his later TV days he was funny but not very innovative or original. But this film has some unusual aspects that make it quite good. Some of those will appeal to specific interests.

For instance, there is a fantastic scene of life-side puppets choreographed to music. Russell Patterson was a famous puppeteer of the day, and he designed the lifelike dolls for this film that he called "personettes." I've never seen anything like this before, and it's superbly done.

Then, there are the cameos of several off the top cartoon artists of the day - again, something I don't think has ever been done before or since in a movie. Benny's Mac Brewster is emceeing the Artists and Models benefit show that has six prominent artists all painting a model. He introduces each one separately - getting their names wrong for some humor. They include Rube Goldberg, John LaGatta, Russell Patterson, Peter Arno, McClelland Barclay and Arthur William Brown.

And, this film has a good peek stage life. Lots of movies have been made in which the theater is central to the plot. While most of them give snippets of details behind the scene and stage, very few films have shown the whole operation in setting up a stage for a play. This one does that in the opening. It shows sets going up, lighting and cameras being set, and a good picture of overall behind the scenes production work.

The bevy of prominent female entertainers of the day include Ida Lupino and Paul Sewell, Gail Patrick as Cynthia Wentworth, Jud Canova as Toots, Martha Raye as Specialty, Hedda Hoper as Mrs. Townsend and Cecil Cunningham as Stella. A very young looking Louis Armstrong blows his horn along with music provided by Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra. Other top actors in the cast are Richard Arlen as Alan Townsend, Ben Blue as Jupiter Pluvius, and Donald Meek as Dr. Zimmer.

Judy Canova and Ben Blue have an excellent song, dance and acrobatic skit, titled Public Melody No. 1. This film is quite wacko in places, but that adds to its enjoyment as a very good musical comedy.

An exchange between Benny's Brewster and Rube Goldberg is one of the wackiest scenes ever. The viewers can't see the canvas that Goldberg was painting during this conversation. Mac Brewster, "Oh, do you mind if I look over your shoulder?" Rube Goldberg, "No, I'd love it. It annoys me terribly." Brewster, "Oh, I don't want to appear critical, but haven't you got her left arm just a little out of place?" Goldberg, "That's her foot." Brewster, "Ohhhh, yes. That explains the shoe." Goldberg, "Well, it's all finished now. Whaddaya think of it?" Brewster, pointing to a gorgeous live model, "Uh, you mean to say this is her?" Goldberg, "Yes, I saw her up there and I brought her down here." (The picture shows two old codgers in a balancing act.) Brewster, "Well, the trip certainly didn't do her any good." Goldberg, "A good likeness, really. I'm, I'm proud of it." Brewster, "Mmm. You mean to tell me that that's art?" Goldberg, "No, no. (He points at one and then the other of the two figures.) That's Sam. That's Art with the beard. Brewster, "Ohhh. Ohhhh! And what connections has he with the model?" Goldberg, "That's her grandfather. I knew him well."

Here are some other not so crazy, but good comedy lines.

Mac Brewster, after falling backward in his chair the fourth time, "I'm either going to get a new chair or spurs."

Mac Brewster, "Look, Paula, let's you and I go out and take a nice long walk - maybe it'll rain."

Mac Brewster, "Now, wait a minute. I may not be any Don Juan, but if I haven't got more appeal than a 40-story jump out of a window, I'll....all right, 20 stories."

Mac Brewster, "I love babies." Cynthia Wentworth, "Oh, do you?" Mac Brewster, "Oh, yes. I used to be one myself."

Mac Brewster, "Don't think I'm jealous. I always turn green this time of year."

Cynthia Wentworth, "Oh, Mac, you have so much to learn about love." Mac Brewster, "I guess so. You know, father was always gonna have a talk with me, but he kept putting it off."

Mac Brewster, "You know, you and I must go out together some time and have our heads examined." Rube Goldberg, "Oh, why bring them along?" Brewster, "Oh, that's right. We'll have more fun alone."

During the the 1930s' each of the Studios carved out a niche that they were particularly good at. M.G.M. polished presentations and Musicals, Warner Brothers (WB) Gangsters, Bio-Pics and the Common Man, 20th Century Fox & RKO, Action and/or Sophistication. Even a middle tier studio, like Republic knew what it was best at, Serials & Westerns or Universal, the Monsters.

Paramount during this period seemed to be in a quandary. Only Cecil B. DeMille and Ernst Lubitsch seemed to know what they were doing, because they Produced and Directed their own films. Paramount would skip around, trailing after trends other studios initiated or did better. Even when they did get it right they seldom followed up on it. Their films were a collection of samples, much like the French Navy in the 19th Century.

ARTISTS & MODELS (1937) is a perfect example of this. Is it a comedy, a musical or both? Director Raoul Walsh seemed not to be able to make up his mind or just was not interested. The cast led by Jack Benny, Ida Lupino, Richard Arlen and Gail Patrick just meander around through the thinly contrived plot which is interrupted by some rather pedestrian musical numbers. If you are expecting the quality of 42nd STREET (1933) or ROSE-MARIE (1936) you had better look elsewhere. You know you are in trouble when one (1) of your production numbers is led by Judy Canova. The other, Martha Raye in 'Black-Face'! This trend would continue with it's sequel ARTISTS and MODELS ABROAD (1938) and THE BIG BROADCAST of 1938 (1938). They may have memorable songs and even competent dance numbers, but there is nothing to make them standout as extraordinary examples of their genre.

Jack Benny stars as the owner of a bankrupt as agency. He can save his company by landing the $1 million Townsend Silver account. He convinces the company's owner, playboy Richard Arlen, that the secret to success is finding the Townsend Girl and getting her to be the queen of the annual Artists & Models Ball. Arlen agrees, but the catch is that he does not want the Townsend Girl to be a professional model. He wants a society girl. Young model Ida Lupino overhears and travels to Florida to pose as a society girl and land the Townsend Girl job. This film's split down the middle ... half screwball comedy, half musical. The comedy elements work well, the musical elements are terribly creaky.

Okay, let me address the "Public Melody No. 1" number: As staged by Vincente Minnelli (this being his first film assignment), it's quite an energetic dance sequence with fine trumpet playing and singing by Louis Armstrong and great singing and dancing by Martha Raye. Now if she had real dark burnt cork with white lips, I'd have a real problem with her makeup but since she looks authentic as an African-American woman, I give this one a pass. As for the rest of the movie, well, Jack Benny is fine being mostly deadpan especially when a clip of his radio show with Don Wilson announcing has his character in the movie commenting on it! Judy Canova is an acquired taste but I mostly enjoyed her hillbilly characterization. That Connee Boswell number was wonderful and deserved an Oscar nomination but why was she not lit brightly? Ben Blue was funny whether performing with Ms. Canova or with some stringed puppets playing instruments. Young Ida Lupino was quite a beauty back then, wasn't she? I think I've said enough so on that note, I say give Artists & Models a look.

Jack Benny, Ida Lupino, Gail Patrick, Judy Canova and Ben Blue star in "Artists & Models," a 1937 film directed by Rapul Walsh. Benny plays Mac Brewster, the owner of an advertising agency who lands the Townsend Silver Account. Mac has a ball planned, the Artists and Models Ball, and the "Townsend girl," who is to be their model, will be queen of the ball.

Mac wants his girlfriend Paula (Lupino) to be the model, but Townsend (Richard Arlen) wants a society girl. Paula takes off for Miami, where Townsend is going, and poses as a society girl. Townsend offers her the job. Mac, meanwhile, has met a bona fide society girl, the beautiful Gail Patrick, who has approached him about helping with a charity. He shows up in Miami with her.

This movie is loaded with musical numbers that, in this writer's opinion, aren't great, with the exception of the last one, a number set in Harlem. That one, featuring Louis Armstrong, would have been better if they'd hired a black woman to sing the lead instead of putting Martha Raye in dark makeup. Ben Blue and Judy Canova are a little bit over the top, and those numbers seem very dated today.

Ida Lupino looks beautiful and always turned in a good performance. When one sees her here as an ingénue, it's easy to appreciate her many accomplishments playing tough-gal roles and her work as a director. Benny is funny, but frankly, he doesn't have great material to work with. Gail Patrick, with her beautiful looks and voice, is her usual classy self. Cecil Cunningham, as Mac's secretary, is a standout with her dry wit.

All in all, not fabulous. I usually don't think of Raoul Walsh and musicals in the same thought process for a reason.