The aim was obviously to cram in as many stars as possible, using Eddie Kane (our favorite head waiter, though he sometimes played detectives as here) as link man. The plot is paper thin, the continuity (doubtless the result of often forcedly haphazard shooting) somewhat jerky (there seems to be at least one small bit of footage missing from all the present DVD prints in the Maurice Chevalier cameo which ends abruptly almost as soon as it starts).
McGann's flat (and no doubt hasty) direction also ensures that much of the comedy misfires. One often has the impression that all these famous stars are lending their names and talents to an amateur production or home movie. Still, this only adds to the fun. No-one is on-screen long enough to become boring, whilst many of the stars still shine so brightly one wishes they could stay longer. And there are some surprises too. The usually obnoxious William Haines comes across quite agreeably, a clean-shaven and well-spoken George Hayes will be unrecognizable to most of his fans, the personable Frank Fay seems rather unnecessarily nasty to a frumpish Barbara Stanwyck (no wonder their marriage ended in divorce), and Victor McLaglen's name is correctly pronounced the Irish way: "McLocklen."
P.S. I was right. Chevalier originally sang a few bars of "It's a Great Life If You Don't Weaken". I also notice that this was one of the few shorts reviewed by The New York Times. Multiple prints were made so that the short could be exhibited simultaneously at most of Broadway's cinemas in early April 1931. At the end of the sketch, Bert Lytell made an on-screen pitch for audience donations. This plea was evidently removed from prints when the present end titles were added in the 1940s.
McGann's flat (and no doubt hasty) direction also ensures that much of the comedy misfires. One often has the impression that all these famous stars are lending their names and talents to an amateur production or home movie. Still, this only adds to the fun. No-one is on-screen long enough to become boring, whilst many of the stars still shine so brightly one wishes they could stay longer. And there are some surprises too. The usually obnoxious William Haines comes across quite agreeably, a clean-shaven and well-spoken George Hayes will be unrecognizable to most of his fans, the personable Frank Fay seems rather unnecessarily nasty to a frumpish Barbara Stanwyck (no wonder their marriage ended in divorce), and Victor McLaglen's name is correctly pronounced the Irish way: "McLocklen."
P.S. I was right. Chevalier originally sang a few bars of "It's a Great Life If You Don't Weaken". I also notice that this was one of the few shorts reviewed by The New York Times. Multiple prints were made so that the short could be exhibited simultaneously at most of Broadway's cinemas in early April 1931. At the end of the sketch, Bert Lytell made an on-screen pitch for audience donations. This plea was evidently removed from prints when the present end titles were added in the 1940s.