Generally, I enjoyed this Fox-sponsored L&H film, even though it's plot is overly convoluted. Those who want pure traditional style L&H will be disappointed, because of the emphasis on music and situational drama and comedy..........We begin with the boys stuck on a lonely desert sideroad, out of gas. They are fortunate that Chester happens along. He says he can solve their problem with his Little Wonder Gasoline Pills, with which he hopes to make a fortune, because of the war rationing of gasoline. He drops a pill in some water, pours it into their gas tank, and they are ready to go. He suggests they collaborate at a nearby carnival. They will play their big band music , then pitch his wonder pill. It works, as many buy. But, then, one customer says it caused a bad reaction in his vehicle, and they have to run for their lives. Before they left, Chester jitterbugged with a girl: Susan(Vivian Blaine) he fancied. Strangely, he was familiar with the jilting of her Aunt Emily, of $10,000. by a ring of gangsters. Thus, the 4 made a team to try to recover this money, as he happened to know that the ringleaders were in the vicinity.(Mighty strange coincidence!). Hence, they go to a nearby hotel where they meet several of the gang. Ollie impersonates a Texas tycoon(not typhoon, Stan), to help ferret out the crooks. One of them is Henry Corcoran. He has a wife, played by Lee Patric. She mistakes Stan for the Col., and entices him into her room, interested in the money the Col. put in the hotel safe. Later, Ollie comes calling, as the real Col. Bixby. She dumps Stan and romances Ollie. Eventually, Corcoran arrives, and the boys capture the 2, locking them in their closet. There follows a complicated series of switching of envelopes containing either the money or paper clippings, and complicated negotiations, including Vivian participating in shows, and her aunt putting up some money for the show. Stan masquerades as Vivian's aunt. Chester switches envelopes again, and disappears with the one containing the money. Thus, both the gangsters and Vivian plus the boys appear to have been hoodwinked by Chester. But, at the end of the film, there is a nice surprise, which I won't reveal. ........The 'gasoline pills' have some unexpected effects on the 2 men who imbibe water with them, in a sight gag.........Vivian, of course, was in the process of becoming a star or costar in a series of musical comedies. This outing gave her more exposure, although it would have been nice to see her in color. Essentially, she was taking over the role of the retiring Alice Faye. Here, she sings several new compositions on stage, on 2 occasions. ......Near the end, Stan(Emily) and Ollie join a group of jitterbuggers, to try to hide from several members of the gang. They are spotted, but Ollie sends them sprawling when he pushes Stan at them. Nonetheless, even though things work out for Vivian and Chester, the boys have to jump in the river to escape the wrath of the gangsters, to end the film. See this at YouTube.
Review of Jitterbugs
