Zis Boom Bah

Having some idle time before going to work, I looked at my "50 Movie Pack Comedy Classics" DVD collection and picked the most obscure title in the pack: Zis Boom Bah starring a forgotten Grace Hayes. "Classics" is obviously the operative word here since most of the titles I've never heard of and I suspect they're all in the public domain. Anyway, this movie also stars her son Peter Lind and his wife Mary Healy (who I just found out is a New Orleans native from the state I live in, Louisiana) with Benny Rubin as a malt shop proprietor and Huntz Hall, taking a break from the East Side Kids, as Peter's buddy. The plot, about a vaudeville mother trying to turn her rich carefree son into a responsible one with him unaware of who she is, is for the birds and doesn't have many funny scenes though I did like Peter's celebrity impersonations and his dance with Hall in drag. And the songs and dances are entertaining in themselves. Rubin, however, is all over the place with his confusion of the American vernacular of the time and almost everything concerning him makes no sense whatsoever (though I did like his funny dance). Since this was only 61 minutes that I'm sure played on the lower-half of the double feature bill, I'll be charitable and give this one a 3 for the few entertaining bits that I mentioned enjoying.

A typical 1941 movie. Plenty of uniforms showing what is coming. Some good talent that you never heard of. More enjoyable than a Rooney/Garland let's put on a show movie. Just showed on UK Talking Pictures channel.

This feels very stilted and patronizing to a great extent. The whole plot is extremely forced - especially the "gallant" effort to save the college from ruin, and the moralistic overtone (especially by the leading lady) grates a bit.

But there are one or two comic moments that do help relieve the boredom, and the dancing is quite fun (especially for alleged amateurs - ha, ha!)

The shop proprietor and the young guy doing spectacular tap dancing were particular highlights. And I liked Peter Hayes impressions of Charles Laughton and Ronald Coleman as well.

Grace Hayes is giving up performing. She and protege Mary Healy will hunt new talent, maybe produce.... but first she needs to see her son (played by real-life son Peter Lind Hayes). He thinks she's dead like her father, and his grandfather, president of a small college, has had the raising of him. When she discovers how snobbish and profligate he is, she decides to stick around and reform everyone. Of course that means all the young people will put on a show.

The show within the show is a pretty good one, with some nice tunes -- even Huntz Hall sings, and sings well! -- good tap and chorus line dancing and some nice trumpet playing. If this movie were a revue, it would be a good, if not outstanding musical. It is not, however, a revue, but a book musical, and the story idea is fine, the acting is good, the comedy is a bit corny but well performed. However, either the writers that producer Sam Katzman didn't bother to polish the script so that it made much sense, or editor Robert Golden didn't know how to cut a movie. Maybe both. His credits as an editor are utterly undistinguished, except for one picture: NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. Well, maybe Charles Laughton did the actual editing on that one and Golden just handling the physical side of the job.

Despite the poor result, it must have been a happy set. Miss Healy would marry Mr. Hayes and they would live and perform together until his death.

Often dressed for a funeral, matronly musical stage star Grace Hayes (as Grace Hayes) goes to college. There, she wants to put secret son Peter Lind Hayes (as Peter Kendricks) on the right track. He's been swallowing gold-fish, and acting bratty. Also appearing is pretty secretary Mary Healy (as Mary Healy), who makes romance with Mr. Hayes. The couple were married in real life, and Ms. Hayes really is his mother. Taking a break from his "East Side Kids" duties, Huntz Hall (as Skeets Skillhorn) performs as Hayes' musically schooled pal. Most of the time, "Zis Boom Bah" progressively lives up to the words of its title, with tap-dancer Roland Dupree (as Pee Wee) and the minor players bringing more punch to the revue.

**** Zis Boom Bah (11/7/41) William Nigh ~ Grace Hayes, Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healy, Huntz Hall