Artistes et modèles

Though there is a storyline, of sorts, running through this feature, it's really a sort of loosely compèred (by Jack Benny) collection of theatrical presentations based around the woes of an advertising executive. "Mac" (that's Benny) needs to secure a lucrative contract from the faintly libertine millionaire "Townsend" (Richard Arlen) if he is to stop his business going kerplunk. That success will all depend on his finding the right "face" to front the campaign. He favours a professional, his client doesn't. Plan? Well the solution appears to be in the hands of Ida Lupino. She is professional model "Paula Sewell" who is going to orchestrate things so she bumps into "Townsend" as the exciting new amateur prospect "Paula Monterey". Now given the man hasn't met her before, he only has to be convinced that she is the woman for him, then he tells "Mac" who gives the job to a woman called "Paula" - who just happens to be his fiancée, anyway, and so gets the million dollar contract and all in everyone's garden is rosey! What chance? Well the story all treads fairly predictable lines from here on out, and if that were all then maybe it would have worked a bit more coherently. The problem is that the propensity of musical numbers appear to have little, if anything, to do with the story and for the most part aren't really very good. That said. I did quite enjoy Judy Canova's bubble bath serenade and, indeed, she does rather amiably chivvy things alongs when things get a bit slow with a few other numbers, one of which has the most obvious example of hosepipe rain I've ever seen. Louis Armstrong brings up the rear with the Howard Arlen and Ted Koehler song he shares with Martha Raye, and that saves the best til last. It's odd to consider that people would have gone to the cinema to see this rather than the theatre, because aside from that thinnest of plots - a theatre production is what this really is.

Pleasant enough musical from Paramount featuring JACK BENNY as a man who must find a socialite model for the ARTISTS AND MODELS ball being sponsored by one of his wealthy clients (RICHARD ARLEN). A very young IDA LUPINO co-stars as a model who sees her big chance if she snags the queen of the ball title by making Arlen believe she's a socialite.

GAIL PATRICK, HEDDA HOPPER, JUDY CANOVA and GIL LAMB have featured supporting roles, while MARTHA RAYE and LOUIS ARMSTRONG have a Harlem themed specialty number (with Raye in blackface) that's better left unmentioned.

The songs are sprightly but the musical taste is strictly from the late '30s. Some of the jokes are amusing but many of them fall flat. DONALD MEEK gets some laughs as a doctor who mistakenly takes his own heartbeat for Benny's and predicts he shouldn't even be walking around.

It passes the time pleasantly enough for those who like these rather creaky musicals from the past before MGM took over with their splashy Technicolored musicals. One of the hit songs, "Whispers in the Dark," (nominated for an Oscar) is sung by Connee Boswell who sings the entire number in dim lighting so that her features are barely even visible.

Some good moments, but a very uneven hodge podge of comedy and music.

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.

Fun collection of stars! Jack Benny stars (without "Rochesterrrrr") in a love quadrangle, and right up to the end, we're not sure just who will end up with whom. Benny is Brewster, who handles the advertising for Alan Townsend (Richard Arlen). The lovely and talented women involved are Paula (Ida Lupino) and Cynthia (Gail Patrick). They sure got their money's worth out of Louis Armstrong and Martha Raye... they do a medley of songs and dance that just goes on and on....Martha Raye in blackface, which so many movies thought they had to do to be hip at the time. Look for Donald Meek as the doctor (worked with WC Fields and all the others) and Hedda Hopper as the rich society dame. Probably the best part of all this is Judy Canova, who sings a fun, lively, saucy number WHILE taking bubble bath. Too bad they didn't put her in more films. Look for a bit with Rube Goldberg. There's a cute bit with violins and orchestra instruments that play themselves. In several scenes, the audio is a little off from the video. Also, the ending is a little abrupt, but all the loose ends are neatly tied up. Lots of fun subtle jokes where Benny lets the costar tell the joke. Ongoing gag with the telephone, but you'll have to watch to hear it. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song "Whispers in the Dark".

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.