HOLLYWOOD PARTY (1934)

HOLLYWOOD PARTY (1934). Director: Roy Rowland.

The Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy in the same movie! Along with Jimmy Durante, Lupe Velez (the Mexican Spitfire), Polly Moran, Arthur Treacher, and Mickey Mouse. Including an animated bit called the "Hot Chocolate Soldier." Durante plays the great "Scharzan," whose jungle movies have taken a dip at the box office. His rival, "Liondora" (George Givot), isn't doing so great either, and both of them hope to get a prize pride of lions to appear in their films with them. Somehow this all leads to a great big Hollywood party with chorus girls singing the snappy title tune (the darn thing sticks in your memory whether you want it to or not!). Best bits are scenes between Lupe Velez and Laurel and Hardy, and the interplay between Durante and Polly Moran as a wealthy patroness of the arts. Some of the gags are real groaners. The Three Stooges are autograph hunters and Laurel and Hardy think they own the aforementioned lions.

Verdict: Fun, but if only the material were as good as the cast! **1/2.

REDUCING (1931)

REDUCING (1931). Director: Charles Reisner.

A very funny and engaging comedy starring the great Marie Dressler, teamed once again with the delightful Polly Moran. In this the two are sisters who haven't seen each other for many years. Divorced, Polly is now the wealthy proprietress of a health/reducing club for women, while Marie, married to unsuccessful Elmer (Lucien Littlefield) is down on her luck and has brought her whole family to Polly's townhouse at the latter's invitation. While basically good-hearted, Polly is also a bit of a snob (she pronounces her last name Ro-shay instead of roach, as Marie puts it) and tensions between the two women really come to a boil when Marie's daughter (a gorgeous Anita Page) begins dating the same man (William/Buster Collier Jr.) who's been going out with Polly's daughter (Sally Eilers). This brings out Polly's most condescending instincts and Marie's most terrible wrath. While the approach is humorous Reducing explores sibling rivalry and class distinctions in an intelligent manner. William Bakewell plays the nice boy from back home who has a yen for Anita Page.

Marie Dressler was a brilliant actress. In Reducing she doesn't seem to act -- she just is the character; she's not saying lines she's spontaneously saying whatever comes into her character's head. Her comic timing is faultless; there is never a self-conscious, awkward or untrue moment.

She's a genius.

Verdict: Wonderful! ***.