The Life of the Party (1937) User Reviews

Joe Penner joins the regulars in caper

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 22 August 2007]

Another of the zany mix up films by familiar cast Gene Raymond, Helen Broderick, Frank Pangborn. This one co-stars Ann Miller and Harriet Hilliard. There is a funny bit at the beginning, when they all check into the hotel, which sounds just like a Marx Brothers routine, which is even more funny, Because......Margaret Dumont the high society dame from A Day at the Races (and many of the Marx Brothers films) joins the cast as Mrs. Penner. Joe Penner is determined to join the band, against his mother's wishes. This 1937 version doesn't seem to be at all related to any of the earlier films by the same name (the 1920 one was Fatty Arbuckle, also 1930,1934,1935 versions). This fun caper was written by Joseph Santley, who also wrote Smartest Girl in Town, & Walking on Air. (And of course, those films also starred Gene Raymond and Helen Broderick!) Keep an eye out for Billy Gilbert (His Girl Friday, The Bride Walks Out, the Great Dictator, and 200 other films, half of them uncredited parts.) the music director Dr. Molnac, who sneezed and stuttered his way thru films. This movie seems to be a platform for Joe Penner to do his comedy, with some songs and dance numbers thrown in. Fun, but not Gene Raymond's best. See him in Smartest Girl in Town, Walking on Air, or The Bride Walks Out if you can catch em... they don't show them very often.

Ann Miller was the life of this party!!!

[kidboots · 5/10 · 24 November 2008]

Harriet Hilliard was great as Ginger Roger's mousey friend who gets a "make over" and a man in the Astaire Rogers' film "Follow the Fleet", but to me she didn't have enough "verve" to be a star. She was a beautiful singer but her marriage to Ozzie Nelson in 1935 may have given her more to think about than being the next Betty Grable, who was also in "Follow the Fleet".

The film starts with Susan (Betty Jane Rhodes, who brightens up any film she appears in) singing a catchy song "Swing a Little Ditty" on the train - Ann Miller then does a nifty tap dance. Pauline (Helen Broderick) tells the band she knows a great singer, Mitzi (Harriet Hilliard) who is also on the train and has just had an altercation with Barry Saunders (handsome Gene Raymond). In true Cinderella style he collects her broken shoe and searches for her in Santa Barbara (that's were the train is going).

Parkyakarkus is one of the "stars" so there are plenty of unfunny sketches involving plays on words. Joe Penner is also in it (he is first billed!!) - he is a lot funnier than Parkyakarkus, a lot of Penner's sayings and mannerisms found their way to Warner Bros. cartoons - specifically "Egghead".

Mitzi's very snooty mother (Ann Shoemaker) is against her singing career. She has a rich husband lined up for her which just happens to be Joe Penner!! (Margaret Dumont plays his mother!!!). Before Mitzi and Barry realize they have met before they duet (he on piano, she across the way, singing) "Roses in December". They then do a love song parody, "So You Won't Sing" which is really sweet - Gene Raymond has a nice tenor. When her mother finds her and introduces Mitzi to her "intended", Mitzi says she is already married to Barry - who just happens to be in her room. Unfortunately the joke is on Mitzi as Barry happens to be a wealthy heir so her mother is overjoyed!!! Again they come together over a song "Let's Have Another Cigarette" - the rest of the movie they spend trying to convince Mitzi's mother that they are married.

Joe sabotages Susan's big number so Mitzi goes on in her place to sing "Yankee Doodle Band". The highlight of the movie (for me) is Ann Miller, who is throughly wasted, but gets a chance to show off her amazing tapping talent ala Eleanor Powell. She had tons more pizazz than Eleanor Powell!!!

Very minor comedy starring lots of "B" talent

[ChungMo · 6/10 · 11 April 2003]

A parade of comedians that you'll probably recognize from being parodied in old Warner Bros. cartoons. The whole film is real fluff. It's not unbearable but sort of fun. The pace keeps it moving, so if you want a place to see "forgotten" talent from the thirties, you couldn't go too wrong here.

This film is mostly notable for the performance of Joe Penner. It's very clear from whom Jerry Lewis got his inspiration. Penner utilizes a lot of the little boy mannerisms that Lewis later made famous. The difference here is that Penner is on his own. He doesn't have a sidekick to bounce off of, although Lewis eventually didn't either. Lewis has a more spastic visual comedy comedy style but much of his act is here in Penner. Just for the historical info this is a good movie for the classical film buff.

A very young Ann Miller does a tap dance towards the end.

Film history fun, not great but enjoyable.

Worth a look

[jaykay-10 · 13 April 2003]

This curiosity from RKO manages to build a decent musical comedy out of a featherweight plot and an assortment of performers typically found in supporting roles or doing specialty turns in higher-budgeted films. With no "stars," only one singer and just one dancer, the picture understandably emphasizes comedy. Whether or not the intended comedy is funny depends, as always, on one's personal taste. But here you at least get choices from among players who built careers out of doing one thing well - i.e., well enough to create a following: Joe Penner, Parkyakarkas, Billy Gilbert, Victor Moore, Helen Broderick, Franklin Pangborn, Margaret Dumont. Yes, they're all here. And Ann Miller, in two sizzling tap routines, compensates for the bland leading man and lady (Gene Raymond and Harriet Hilliard), and the second-rate songs. There is so much going on here that you are bound to find something you like.

An RKO Radio Grand Hotel

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 22 August 2007]

Harriet Hilliard stars as a prospective band singer. On her way to an important audition, she meets Gene Raymond. When she gets her high heel caught between two train cars, Mr. Raymond is smitten; he tries to pry her high heel loose. They find themselves playing out their cat and mouse romance at the same hotel. Joe Penner and a host of comedians become involved with the couple.

Of particular interest; Ms. Hilliard (Harriet Nelson, of course) in a musical comedy performance more reminiscent of later "Lucy" than later "Harriet"; her "Let's Have Another Cigarette" is an ironic highlight. Ann Miller brackets the film with a couple of tap dances, but has no film role; her finale is another highlight. And, Mr. Penner's infantile funnyman antics are a precursor to Jerry Lewis. The film's story is somewhat difficult to follow, weakening several situation comedy possibilities.

**** The Life of the Party (9/3/37) William A. Seiter ~ Harriet Hilliard, Gene Raymond, Joe Penner, Ann Miller

Let's Swing

[stoneyburke · 6/10 · 20 October 2006]

Here's a piece of fluff that is slim on plot but FILLED with talent. This small movie is all of 70 minutes. Boring? not on your life so be prepared to SWING. Check the talent..heck they were the top of the heap. The last scene has Harriet Hilliard in a stunning gown that was eons away from the Ozzie and Harriet Show..That's not a slam so check out her vocal talent.

I have not much to contribute except PLEASE be a fan of the simple 1930's and 1940's films that were evidently produced to make one smile and leave their troubles behind. Here is a goody. The fabulous TCM has a habit of showing let alone introducing people to what being memorized through cinema is all about.. The topping about this movie is the music SWINGS...

OH...I only gave it a rating because I had to...

Watch it for Ann Miller, swing music, and the gowns.

[lornagwater · 4/10 · 16 June 2022]

Well, I got through it with help from the fast-forward button. An excellent swing band, gorgeous costumes, and an extraordinary 14-year-old Ann Miller were the highlights. As for the rest, Harriet Hilliard (Nelson) is pretty with a passable voice; the same with Gene Raymond. The rest of the film was hobbled by a silly plot, forgettable dialogue, and two very annoying slapstick "comedians" who popped in too often and too noisily for my taste.

A Feast for Lovers of Classic Character Actors

[dwknuj · 7/10 · 18 June 2022]

Are you looking for a thoughtful film that will have you thinking for days? If you are, look elsewhere. If you'd like something silly that is a great display case for some of the biggest characters in the 1930's then this is your film. What follows is a thumbnail sketch of why I loved this film.

Joe Penner: Penner was the guy who popularized the question, "Wanna buy a duck?" He started on vaudeville and burlesque circuits and eventually made it big in radio. Unfortunately few of Penner's radio shows survive today. Listen to his goofy laugh. It was often imitated for 1930's cartoon characters.

Gene Raymond: The blonde handsome leading man, He made this movie the same year that he married the love of his life, Jeanette MacDonald. He became the brother-in-law to her sister, an actress named Marie Blake. Blake eventually changed her name to Blossom Rock. She's best remembered as "Grandmama" on television's The Addams Family.

Parkyakarkus: He's best remembered as a vaudeville and radio star. His double-talk routine and misunderstanding words was a very popular routine. He is the father of comic actors Albert Brooks and Bob Einstein.

Harriet Hilliard: She's best remembered today as a TV mom of the 1950's and 60's. It's fun to see her play the ingenue. This is about 15 years before she started working exclusively with her husband, Ozzie Nelson.

Victor Moore: Is known as a light comic actor. The same year as this film he made the very dramatic "Make Way for Tomorrow." It was the film that Orson Welles was quoted as saying that "would make a stone cry."

Helen Broderick: This was her first re-teaming with Victor Moore since they'd first been paired in "Swingtime" with Fred and Ginger. They would play supporting characters in several more films together over the years. By the way, Helen had a 26-year-old son who made his film debut in that year, 1937. He was the Oscar-winning actor (and eventual TV star) Broderick Crawford.

Billy Gilbert: Played the excitable band leader with a faux-German accent. He was actually born in Louisville, Kentucky and grew up in a succession of theaters thanks to his parents in the Metropolitan Opera. He was a frequent (and always excitable) foil for Laurel and Hardy. In the year of release, 1937, Gilbert got to play the voice and sneeze of "Sneezy" in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

Ann Miller: She has too small a role in "The Life of the Party." She had a secret that she did not reveal for years. The year of this film, 1937, she signed a contract with RKO. They'd only sign her if she could prove she was 18 - which she did, bringing in a birth certificate. She'd go on to play wives and lovers in several films. That birth certificate was a forgery. Ms. Miller was 14 when she made this movie.

Franklin Pangborn: There was no acceptable way to say "gay" or "homosexual" on the 1937 screen. So, instead, Franklin Pangborn played a succession of fussy and fastidious managers, assistants, clerks, etc. Whatever part they insisted he take, including this one, he always managed to shine.

Margaret Dumont: By 1937 Margaret Dumont should have earned 5 medals for bravery. She'd survived 5 encounters with the Marx Brothers. She'd been in The Cocoanuts (1929), Animal Crackers (1930), Duck Soup (1933), A Night at the Opera (1935) and A Day at the Races (1937). As in this film she always played refined society women oblivious to the comedy around her. Groucho Marx called her "practically the fifth Marx Brother."

Ben Alexander: Alexander had a small, uncredited role as the orchestra leader. In 15 years he'd become famous as Jack Webb's partner on TV and radio in Dragnet.

Ozzie's Wife Makes This Film

[gamay9 · 3/10 · 14 November 2013]

Harriet Hilliard was Ozzie Nelson's singer for his band. Later, he became Rick Nelson's agent. Ozzie was a lawyer but never practiced. He kept Rick busy with prostitutes instead of getting involved with dangerous groupies. I knew Rick well, because of our travels to common cities, starting with Roger Miller's King Of The Road hotel in Nashville to Joe Namath's Bachelor's Two in Fort Lauderdale and on and on and on. Nice guy; I still miss him.

But, back to Harriet. She was really cute in this film. As my summary states: 'Ozzie's Wife Makes This Film.' Had she not married Ozzie, I think she would have become a major star. She was even believable as the wife, mother, housekeeper in 'The Adventures of Ozzie And Harriet.' Notice, Harriet didn't have a maid and Ozzie was always home wearing a cardigan sweater. He must have been an insurance salesperson. I didn't meet Rick until the Stone Canyon days, but 'Garden Party' is in my top ten of all pop songs - and I'm 72, still a music lover.

Harriet was devastated by Rick's plane crash and she died before David did, thank God. Harriet Hilliard Nelson was a beautiful woman of high moral values and so were Ozzie, David and Rick. They are icons of the best of American life.

Comedy nonsense with romance and music

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 22 December 2023]

Most films from the late 30s struck a chord with audiences if they presented some laughs, usually from radio comics; tossed in a romantic storyline with attractive leads; and included obligatory music scenes to keep things humming along. In this instance, RKO has put a likable package together in the form of radio star Joe Penner, matinee idol Gene Raymond and musical actress Harriet Hilliard (later, Nelson).

It's a winning combination. And if that were not enough, some additional comic support comes from veteran scene stealers Victor Moore and Helen Broderick who had done a few other films together during this period at RKO. The studio does not scrimp on talent...they also add comedian Harry Parke (father of Albert Brooks), Margaret Dumont (longtime foil for the Marx brothers), and Billy Gilbert as well as teenaged dancing sensation Ann Miller who does a couple of memorable tap dance numbers.

In addition to the well-known roster of performers, the studio spares no expense on elaborately designed sets some of them in the art deco style. The main showpiece is a hotel staircase and lobby, as this is where most of the action takes place. It really is a breathtaking production with these spectacular sets as well as some lavish costumes that include beautiful gowns for Miss Hilliard and a smart tuxedo or two for Mr. Raymond. In short, the whole film is a visual feast, so that if the plot lags a bit, there is still plenty to enjoy.

One thing I savored was a lot of the sharp comedic banter that occurred between the main characters. Joe Penner, who plays a hapless hanger-on, has an excellent deadpan delivery that is at once endearing and annoying (how's that for a contradiction!). Meanwhile Harry Parke goes through the movie as a wacky detective named Parkyakarkus, and he has a lot of amusing dialogue with his costars that consists of clever puns as well as a few funny malapropisms. Overall, the script is very witty and I appreciated the writers' efforts to give each of the idiosyncratic performers something unique to do.

As for the two leads and the romantic plot, Gene Raymond is once again featured in the role of a charming ladies man. He is so persistent in trying to get a gal (Hilliard) to take him seriously, he almost comes off as a stalker, until she finally gives in and reciprocates his feelings. For many of the film's early scenes, Hilliard's line deliveries are appropriately hard, as she is initially meant to spurn Raymond's advances, even during several scenes that evoke Cinderella and Prince Charming. But I think she may be a little too edgy in the recitation of some lines. And I couldn't help but think how Raymond's usual romcom partner at RKO, Ann Sothern, would have done a better job conveying the flustered yet tender aspects of the character.