Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove (1934) User Reviews

Technicolor!

[boblipton · 5/10 · 15 September 2020]

Louis Lewyn produced and directed this "look at the stars" short for MGMN. He had been doing this sort of work since 1920, starting out with Columbia's SCREEN SNAPSHOTS. Now he was doing this for MGM, so money was spent, including springing for Technicolor. THe print that runs on Turner Classic Movies is not among their best; the elements show imperfect matches, a problem with early three-strip, caused by the three separate elements, each carrying a different color, shrinking at microscopically different rates.

However, while the color isn't the best, people looked at these movies to see the stars out of their usual movie roles. Listeneing to Leo Carillo speak as the elegant, educated man he actually was is a particular treat.

When you hear that voice, you realize you've probably never heard Leo Carillo talking normally in any of his films.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 21 April 2017]

Back in the mid-1930s, MGM made several Technicolor shorts just like this one. All highlighted a variety of MGM stars and were set at a strange sort of nightclub where a wide variety of acts performed. The acts were only okay and the biggest reason to watch was to catch a glimpse of stars supposedly in their off hours. Of course, however, it was all very staged and clearly these are promotional films. Are they any good? Not really...but they are interesting for fans.

Like the other films, this one also features a star as an emcee. However, despite it being Leo Carillo, it sounded NOTHING like the movie star. I knew that his harsh Mexican was a put on...but apparently in real life he hadn't a trace of such an accent!

The film is supposedly part fashion show, part floor show. The only interesting thing about all this is that one of the models is Ann Sheridan before she was a star. And, at this odd show are LOTS of MINOR MGM stars. Oddly, the three big stars, Mary Pickford, Bing Crosby and Gary Cooper all had contracts with other studios (United Artists, Paramount and Paramount respectively).

The bottom line is that the entertainment is only passable and the stars of importance to crazed film buffs like me. Otherwise, not a lot about this stands out apart from the lovely Technicolor.

Publicity is the law of the lot.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 13 October 2015]

This is one of those publicity shorts where big and minor stars get together for no apparent reason. There are some definitely bizarre pairings. First of all who would think that Mary Pickford and Bing Crosby would ever appear together in a film? When they do, it's playing themselves. Crosby, a contract player at Paramount had only made one film at MGM, "Going Hollywood" the previous year. Pickford herself had moved into producing, having made her last film the previous year as well. Sir Guy Standing is shown sitting at a table with Warner Brothers chorus girl Toby Wing ("42nd Street's" Young and Healthy babe), while Gary Cooper and Richard Cromwell sit at a table together, giving a different picture as to why they are together as opposed to with some lovely starlet. Crosby begins to sing, and all of a sudden chorus girls come out of nowhere. It is a bizarre little short that really has no relevance other than to show off stars that play. The color however, is gorgeous and there are some interesting specialty acts as well. However the presence of character performers that I particularly loathed during the golden age of Hollywood, especially El Brendel, destroyed my interest in it almost from the start.

Mildly entertaining ensemble show

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 22 November 2016]

"Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove" is a 20-minute documentary from 1934, so this one is already over 80 years old and the most astonishing thing perhaps is that it is still a color film. The title describes the contents perfectly I guess. It was filmed at Cocoanut grove in Los Angeles and featured some of the biggest stars back then appearing briefly in front of the camera or maybe even a bit longer. Most of the people you see in here are long forgotten, but there are actually also a couple names included that are still considered icons today like Mary Pickford, Bing Crosby, Gary Cooper and 2 or 3 more perhaps. So this is a decent watch for everybody who had a great interest in the days of cinema almost a century ago as these audience members will be rewarded by seeing many faces they will consider familiar. But everybody else really does not have to see it. The hosting, comedy and music may have been solid for the 1930s, but it really does not bode too well with today's standards and lets be honest: when it comes to this decade, nothing beats animation probably and certainly not this live action short film that runs for a third of an hour. It's not a failure, but very unimpressive nonetheless and I give it a thumbs-down.

See The Stars At The Cocoanut Grove

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 5 November 2008]

Star Night At The Cocoanut Grove is a sumptuous look at the most posh nightclub in Los Angeles, the Cocoanut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. You could see more stars on a given day at the Grove than on a studio tour if you could afford the cover charge.

Even after swing came in the Cocoanut Grove was a hallowed place for sweet music. I'm sure Ted Fio Rito appeared there many times as he does here with a variety of specialty acts as you see here. Fio Rito was a leader of one of the best of the bands with the sweet sound.

Doing the honors as master of ceremonies is that suave Californio, Leo Carrillo and he points out several movie names in attendance, among them Gary Cooper, Richard Cromwell, Arleen Judge, El Brendel. Any and all of them and more could be found at the Grove on any given night.

But what got me and I'm sure it must have been some kind of deal that Adolph Zukor had with Louis B. Mayer had Paramount's number one star not only appearing in the audience, but taking the microphone and doing a song from his latest film from Paramount. Bing Crosby engaged in a little banter with guests Mary Pickford and Johnny Mack Brown with Pickford and Brown talking about doing a radio version of their film Coquette and then Bing doing With Every Breath I Take from his Here Is My Heart. This was a real treat because as it happens Bing's Decca recording of it is one of my favorite movie songs of his.

This was like a homecoming for Bing Crosby. In 1930-31 first with the Rhythm Boys and later as a solo act, he headlined and broadcast from the Grove and it was a broadcast from there that prompted William Paley to sign him with CBS for his own radio show.

Other studios just did not give publicity to rival studio's product so there must have been a deal somewhere there. But we the audience are definitely the better for it.

The Ambassador Hotel where the Cocoanut Grove was located was the premier spot in Los Angeles for travelers. Sadly it's most noted now for being the sight of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. During the late seventies it finally closed its doors and the Cocoanut Grove closed along with it.

This short is a wonderful opportunity to see old Hollywood decked out in her finest. And in early color as well.

One of the differences between 1930s Hollywood Kiddie Revues and "Star Nights" . . .

[oscaralbert · 5/10 · 4 January 2017]

. . . is that some of the featured kiddies still might be alive Today in the Far Future of Our 21st Century. As for the forgotten adults featured here during STAR NIGHT AT THE COCOANUT GROVE, it's a simple case of star dust-to-dust, as it says in Proverbs or something (which may not be the right book, but it's sure a lot easier to spell than Ecclesiastes). The grown-up's musical acts pockmarking this MGM "Colortone Musical" are totally lacking in Promise (at least with Kiddie Acts, no matter how bad they are, listeners can say, "Maybe they'll be better when they mature, and have had more lessons"). A young Bing Crosby shows little more germ of talent than the rest of this Riff Raff, as the ditty he croons is entirely forgettable. About the only entertaining aspect of STAR NIGHT is its opening and closing balloon drops. The gray-haired matron in the foreground attempts to pop these orbs with an enthusiastic gusto. It's just too bad that her vigorous pricking was not contagious.

See some of the big stars of the '30s in Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove

[tavm · 7/10 · 17 January 2013]

Just watched this Technicolor musical short from M-G-M on The Gay Divorcée DVD. With Leo Carrillo as master of ceremonies and Ted Fio Rito leading his orchestra, many of Hollywood's most popular stars of the time are seen in the audience like Gary Cooper or a now forgotten comedian named El Brendel. Also on stage was Mary Pickford-a silent star who made her last talkie just the year before. She then introduces Bing Crosby who, of course, then sings his latest hit. Also on stage was a strange guy who sang both in high and low pitch, dancer Raquel Torres, a dance couple, and...that's all I seem to remember. In summary, Star Night at the Cocoanut Grove was a fascinating find to me.

Mary Pickford Speaks - and Filmed in Technicolor!!!

[HarlowMGM · 10/10 · 16 December 2006]

This modest, charming little short supposedly about a typical night in a Hollywood nightclub in the 1930's is an invaluable historic piece mainly for photographing a number of film legends quite young in perfected Technicolor. Most of them, alas, are seen only sitting at nightclub tables like Gary Cooper but they do get nice shots. The specialty acts dominate the film but legendary silent star Mary Pickford steps to the microphone to speak to the audience and introduce Bing Crosby, who sings. It is an incredible treat to see "our Mary" in Technicolor as well as to hear her in one of her few talking appearances on film and seeing the dashing young Gary Cooper in color if only in a fleeting appearance is wonderful. And I'm sure Bing Crosby fans will be thrilled to see him this young in color as well. One regrets there weren't many more Technicolor shorts like this featuring a bevy of movie stars we know mainly in black-and-white.

in 3 strip Technicolor.

[ptb-8 · 8/10 · 18 July 2007]

This glorious short, similar to STARLIT DAYS AT THE LIDO, also from 1934 are Technicolor tests to see how the three-color YCM processing of sets and clothes with patterns overlaps and registrations has succeeded. It is a night in the Cocoanut grove with stars at tables, the orchestras and guests... but wow, how visually gorgeous is it...! To see any modern Hollywood life times of 1934 in full color is a treat... this one has Leo Carillo introducing various stars (see other comment) in this glamor palace.... but for me the sight and presence of hilarious handsome comedy- voice artist Johnny Candido (only 21 here) in a tux singing 'She's Up thar' with an octave range more than any piano I know is utterly charming and delicious... as is Mary Pickford in a gold dress and afterwards,a jawdropping fashion parade of absolutely spectacular Cleopatra palace gowns. Orchestra leader Ted Fio Rio plays as well. He went to Monogram in the 40s for their biggest musicals SILVER SKATES and LADY LETS DANCE. Johnny Candido was also seen in ROBERTA and SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT. He is just charming. You can find this treasure on the Warner DVD for The Gay Divorcée. This disc also contains a delightful kiddie vaudeville short also in fantastic Technicolor... as Vitaphone treat called SHOWKIDS. Get this disc. It is a completely perfect art deco musical thrill.

Gary Cooper and Richard Cromwell

[jeffhanna3 · 8/10 · 19 January 2008]

One of the most interesting things about this Technicolor short is that Gary Cooper and Richard Cromwell, co-stars in "Lives of a Bengal Lancer," and both looking ravishingly handsome, appear to be on a date with one another. There have long been rumors that Cromwell, well-known to be gay, had a fling with Cooper at exactly the time this short was made. The two "bachelors" certainly look extremely happy while sharing a table together.

Cooper's relationship (in the late twenties) with another boyish-looking, openly-gay actor named Anderson Lawler (they shared a house and were termed "best friends" by movie columnists), is well-documented in the fascinating book "Behind the Screen - How Gays and Lesbians shaped Hollywood 1910 - 1969" by William J. Mann.