**** (out of ****)
It's the season for love, romance and mischief in "Whoopee!" (1930).
Throughout the year, which I have proclaimed "the year of me" on this blog, I have been reviewing movies either starring my favorite artists or films directed by my favorite filmmakers. "Whoopee!" doesn't necessarily fall into either category - although I do consider myself a fan of Eddie Cantor. "Whoopee!" however was one of the first movies I remember ever watching.
I was around 4 or 5 years old when I watched this movie with my grandmother. It aired on American Movie Classics (AMC) - back in the early days of cable, when the channel actually lived up to its name. In those days some movies played twice during the day (I haven't watched AMC for about 20 years so I don't know if this is still the case) which means I saw "Whoopee!" two times in a single day. I also vividly remember AMC host Bob Dorian would introduce a movie and make a few comments afterwards.
Why has "Whoopee!" stayed with me some 35 years later? One reason is because I watched it with my grandmother. She was the movie buff in the family who shared her love of movies with me. She was my own personal Bob Dorian. As we would watch a movie, she would tell me all of the Hollywood gossip and bio information of the stars. A majority of the personal tidbits I know about all of the Hollywood stars from this era I learned from her. Secondly, it was the first time I actually saw Eddie Cantor. I knew Cantor at this time primarily as a singer. I had heard him sing his hits like "Ma! He's Making Eyes at Me" and "Making Whoopee", which he sings here. Having lived with my grandparents you must keep in mind they were born in the 1920s and like practically every person on he planet, they continued to enjoy the pop culture of their youth throughout their life. So, in terms of music, I grew up listening to songs sung by Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee. The third reason why "Whoopee!" has stayed with me all of these years is because it's funny.
"Whoopee!" was based on a very successful 1928 Broadway musical - of the same title - produced by the legendary Florenz Ziegfeld - who also produced it on Broadway. Eddie Cantor - who was already a major theatrical star - reprised his stage role. Despite his popularity on the stage, this film version of "Whoopee!" is often credited as having cemented Cantor as a movie star. He had appeared on film prior to this however, most notably in "Kid Boots" (1926), a silent comedy also based on a Broadway show Cantor had starred in.
The movie follows much of the plot of the Broadway show, although several songs were cut. Today is the wedding day of Sally Morgan (Eleanor Hunt) and Sheriff Bob Wells (John Rutherford). We slowly come to discover Sally doesn't love Bob and is only marrying him to please her father. Sally is really in love with a childhood friend, Wanenis (Paul Gregory). Sally's father has forbidden them from ever getting married since Wanesis is half Native American. Seemingly accepting his defeat, Wanenis leaves the town and his Reservation in order to school himself in the ways of the white man. Perhaps hoping to one day be deemed "acceptable" to marry Sally. As luck would have it, he unknowingly returns to town on the day of the wedding.
With its "Romeo & Juliet" - ish story line "Whoopee!" tip-toes around the then controversial issue of interracial romance. The movie doesn't firmly take a position on the issue but unlike other Hollywood movies prior, the non-white character isn't treated as a villain. Wanenis isn't a dastardly "foreigner" going after a white woman. Compare the attitudes presented here to the silent movie "The Sheik" (1921) with Rudolph Valentino or Cecil B. DeMille's melo-drama "The Cheat" (1915). Audiences will want Sally and Wanenis to get married and it is the father and Bob Wells that are the antagonists in the story. Modern younger audiences - whom I do not advise to see this movie - will look upon "Whoopee!" unfavorably - to put it nicely - but its presentation of this issue is handled in a rather liberal manner.
The appearance of Wanenis stirs up old feelings for Sally, who simply cannot bring herself to marry Bob. She seeks the help of Henry Williams (Cantor) by tricking him. Sally tells Henry that Bob doesn't want a big wedding ceremony and would like Henry to drive her to the next town so she and Bob can elope. Meanwhile, she left a note informing everyone she and Henry have eloped! This causes the whole town to search for the two with Bob vowing to hang Henry.
None of this is good for Henry's health. In fact very little seems to be good for Henry's health. He's the town's hypochondriac. Henry seeks a nice stress-free life, where he can die peacefully in bed surrounded by a team of doctors. Death by hanging wasn't in his plans. And imagine what it would do to his neck! Henry is assisted by his nurse, Mary Custer - get it? A reference to General Custer, who fought in the American Indian Wars - (Ethel Shutta), who despite Henry's wimpish ways loves him. I simply love the banter of their dialogue.
Nurse: Do you know why I studied nursing?
Henry: No. Why?
Nurse: Because I'm romantic. Most girls like big, strong, healthy men.
Henry: Husky! Husky!
Nurse: Not me. I like weak men. I have a positive passion for a weak man.
Henry: I suppose if I was paralyzed, you'd be absolutely cuckoo over me!
Henry however has no time for romance and routinely tries to gently let Mary down. Henry instead prefers the company of his calf. Which leads to another theme slightly at play in the movie - masculinity. "Whoopee!" takes place in the old west. A time of rugged male machoism. Henry is a complete contrast to this. He even declares he hates guns! It is the contrast of a "modern" sensibility against old western clichés that provides much of the movie's humor.
Watching the movie again I was also struck by the overt "Jewishness" of Cantor's humor. Cantor was born Isidore Itzkowitz to Russian Jewish parents. While many of the great comedians and comedy teams of the era - the Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Fanny Brice, George Burns, Phil Silvers and the Ritz Brothers - were Jewish, none of them directly identified themselves as such in their movies. When Wanenis pours his heart out to Henry, telling him he has studied among "his people", Henry jokes, oh, you went to Hebrew school. It is a funny joke that I laughed at but it makes an interesting point. Wanenis looks at Henry and sees a "white man" but Henry identifies himself as "Jewish". This topic of self-identity is one still being had today. Some individuals don't separate Jewish from "white people". Famously, one celebrity, declared the Holocaust wasn't about race, implying Jews weren't part of their own separate race. In our current society it seems we prefer not to differentiate between skin color and ethnic identity. And identity is an issue in the movie with the conflict between Native Americans and whites.
It is because of the racial attitudes presented in the movie I do not recommend younger college age and / or politically motived individuals see this movie. They will not place the movie in its proper historical context and simply feel the movie doesn't "reflect the values of today". While I normally don't divide my recommendations on the basis of age or an individual's political motivation, I do want to be cognizant of the delicate nature of these viewers and warn them. As I explained in my post on the 15th anniversary of this blog, I feel I am a "gatekeeper" of pop culture from the era. There are individuals that have went their entire lives without knowing who Eddie Cantor was or seeing "Whoopee!". I see no reason for them to engage with the movie now. My fear is it will lead to Eddie Cantor being "cancelled". Despite the fact that God ultimately "cancelled" Cantor in 1964. Because of the natural progression of time, Cantor is primarily forgotten. Only I remember who he was. Once I die, these individuals will have nothing to worry about.
If the movie's depiction of Native Americans isn't enough to offend young viewers, the fact that Eddie Cantor appears in blackface will. Cantor, like other performers whom I will not name, were known for appearing and singing in blackface. In "Whoopee!" they actually come up with a clever way to get Cantor to go into a blackface routine. Afraid Bob has tracked him down, Henry hides in a stove. When someone drops a match in the stove it causes an explosion. Henry jumps out of the smoke filled stove with his face covered in soot. While in blackface Henry performs a rousing rendition of the great tune, "My Baby Just Cares For Me".
This does however lead to one of the real flaws of the movie. "Whoopee!" was released one year after all studios essentially scrapped silent movie projects for "talkies". It was also a year after the movie musical genre was created. All of this presented new technical challenges in relation to sound equipment and camera movement. Silent film is really a creative, artistic artform. Cinema had developed and matured greatly since the days of pioneers like D.W. Griffith and Edwin S. Porter. But sound, unfortunately, caused cinema to almost regress. It went back to essentially being "theater on film".
Pay attention to the staging of two of Cantor's signature pieces - "My Baby Just Cares" and "Makin' Whoopee". Notice how the background is comprised of an immobile chorus and only Cantor is moving. It was believed too much movement in the background would be a distraction for the audience. Cantor should be front and center. With only him moving around, your eyes will be focused on him. Believe it or not the choreography was done by Busby Berkeley. We don't quite see that famous Berkeley touch but we do get some characteristic aerial shots. In terms of highlighting Berkeley's talent, the musical number "Stetson" is probably the best showcase.
There is also a very theatrical, almost vaudeville nature to the movie's acting. This is most prominent in Cantor's performance. It is his energy and "ham" performance however that I think makes "Whoopee!" so enjoyable to watch. Cantor was at the height of his creative powers here. But I can see others merely being off put by the performances giving the movie unintended laughs.
What also may not be fully appreciated by young viewers is the "pre-code" nature of the movie. Many musical sequences for example feature scantily clad female chorus members. And Cantor's double-entendres give the movie a kind of "naughty" feel. Especially his eye rolling after delivering a suggestive line.
By the movie's end, whatever liberal messaging seemed to be suggested in the movie's attitude towards interracial romance, it is quickly reverted much like the already mentioned "The Sheik". Audiences weren't quite able to seemingly handle such a topic and it appears to explain the presentation of the Wanenis character.
After "Whoopee!", which received an Academy Award nomination for its art decoration (!), Cantor would go on to star in a sting of wonderful comedies including "The Kid From Spain" (1932), "Roman Scandals" (1933) and "Kid Millions" (1934). It is unfortunate he is forgotten. Today's audiences probably wouldn't be able to understand what made him such a star.
"Whoopee!" will always have a special place in my heart. I wouldn't go so far as to say the movie is a great piece of cinematic art but it is a terrific example of old-fashion Hollywood escapism. If you are the cinematic adventurous type, I would recommend "Whoopee!" for Cantor's performance and the very good songs.
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