source: Strictly Dynamite

Moviecut—Strictly Dynamite

Strictly Dynamite

1934 marked the only year that the "schnozola" (Jimmy Durante) and "the Mexican Spitfire" (Lupe Velez) worked together, but they did so in three films for three different studios. Here, they play a married couple whose radio act needs some spice, and hopefully their new intellectual writer (Norman Foster) can provide it. Marian Nixon is his pretty wife, neglected by him, and sure he is playing around with the predatory Velez. Some mediocre songs and moments of comedy pass through, but its the supporting cast (Eugene Palette, Franklin Pangborn, Sterling Holloway) that provide amusement. Historically speaking, this film offers some interest as what was going on radio when our grandparents were young. One amusing moment has the frustrated Velez being forced to turn around over and over again in an evening gown that will obviously trip her up. The Mills Brothers get to do their thing in perhaps the film's only worthwhile musical sequence.

Jimmy Durante is relatively subdued here. Maybe because his leading lady is Lupe Velez, who was not exactly a quiet or subtle performer herself. (I love her anyway.) This has a great supporting cast -- Tom Kennedy, Eugene Palette, many, many more. The plot involves unsuccessful poet Norman Foster's being drawn into to the world of show biz. He begins to write gags for comic Durante, who terms them, and anything he likes, as dynamite. Foster is smitten with Durante's flirtatious partner Velez. His wife Marian Nixon is patient -- sort of. Things get resolved and there's plenty of fun along the way.