Moi et le baron

This film is uneven: the first half is very promising, and it looks like "Meet The Baron" could develop into a classic of the absurdist-nonsense school of comedy, in the same vein as "Duck Soup" and "Horse Feathers". But the second half has too much violent, unsophisticated slapstick, and too many lame word puns ("take it with a grain of salt" - "you mean you can eat it?"). The two best sequences are the two musical numbers: the satirical "The Best is None Too Good", and especially the very pre-code "Clean as a Whistle", which must have been considered extremely hot by moviegoers back in 1933, and remains quite provocative and teasing today. Great closing gag, too! **1/2 out of 4.

An outrageous liar, pretending to be Baron Munchausen the famous explorer, arrives in new York City with his lowbrow companion. They proceed to defraud everyone in sight, before finally settling in at Cuddle College - where they plan to give the coeds the opportunity to MEET THE BARON.

In the early 1930's, Jack Pearl was a huge success on radio as Baron ('Vas you dere, Charley?') Munchausen, the champion fibber. MGM decided to groom him for film stardom, playing his famous character. Here, in the first of two films -HOLLYWOOD PARTY (1934) was the second - he is surrounded by first rate talent: the great Jimmy Durante as his sidekick; fluttery Zasu Pitts; the inimitable Edna May Oliver as the college dean; and Ted Healy & the Three Stooges.

The movie, while no classic, is enjoyable. Pearl, Durante and Misses Oliver & Pitts all have good moments. Fans of the Stooges will appreciate their contributions to the lunacy of the plot. Film mavens will want to look fast for Robert Greig & Lionel Belmore as explorers and Mary Gordon as the college washerwoman.

'Clean As A Whistle' has to be the strangest song ever included in an MGM movie - it takes place entirely in the college shower room...

This movie was written by Herman Mankiewicz. We may ask, "Is this as good as his "Citizen Kane?" This movie was produced by David O. Selznik. We may ask, "Is this as good as "Gone with the Wind?" This movie has song lyrics by Dorothy Fields. We may ask, "Is this as good as "Swing Time," "Roberta" and "Sweet Charity?"

Unfortunately, I would have to say, "No" all five times.

While this is a zany hour or so of music and vaudeville style comedy, it is too slight to be considered more than an amusing, quirky farce.

There's a lot of talent both behind and in front of the camera and everybody seems to be having fun, but nothing matches, meshes, or stands out (with the exception of two minutes of naughty precode fun watching some singing beauties taking showers.

Seeing Edna Mae Oliver and Zasu Pitts is always a joy. I didn't find either Jack Pearl or Jimmy Durante more than occasionally amusing.

Some reviewers have attacked Ted Healy for his bad treatment of the Three Stooges. This is the third or fourth film I've seen him in with the Stooges and I think he does interact very well with them. He is just playing a character and his mean treatment is just part of the act, not anything real. Essentially Moe just takes over Healy's harsh boss role after they split. We should give Healy the credit he deserves for creating the successful slapstick formula. If you watch Healy in "Varsity Show," you'll see a totally different side of him. He is both funny and charming in that movie. Sadly, he was killed a few months afterward. I think if he hadn't died, he would have continued to be successful without the Stooges. Perhaps he could have answered some of the charges that the Stooges later brought against him.

I confess. The "Clean as a Whistle" number made me purchase the DVD. I wish that number was a bit longer. The choral blending drives home the art deco musical styles of the 1930's. The Stooge's scene after the water stopped was very good, especially with the head mistress as comic relief. The rest of the film, well, I did manage to watch all of the DVD, sort of. There are a number of musical comedy films from this great period in Hollywood. One that comes to mind is "International House." That one, with W.C. Fields, is worth a view. Bela Lugosi seems a bit out of character in this movie but it was great seeing him in a slightly different roll. The music played over the Chinese Radio station during W.C. Fields bedroom scene is another great example of the 1930's art deco music style.

I confess I found it hilarious. Stooges were a bit stiff, probably because of Ted Healy's (a truly unfunny person) relationship with the Stooges off camera. How can you not love Jimmy Durante? A true ham, hamming it up every second on screen. Zasu Pitts, Edna Mae Oliver, and newborns performing on a twirling fan as the final shot - I can't help but like it. Hey, it's screwball not exploding cars and obscenities mouthed every few seconds while someone passes gas (and that's just a current PG-13.) I'd rather watch a poor movie from this period than any of the trash being spewed out today. The print is of wonderful quality and hopefully more MGM classics of this calibre will surface. If nothing else, perhaps the gorgeous MGM girls routines will bring a new audience to this DVD.