A marvel to behold.

maeander

Hellzapoppin' is not available in the U.S. But it is now available on Region Code 2 DVD.

Originally a hit late 1930's Broadway Review, there was one major problem in turning it into a movie; Hellzapoppin' had no plot. Hollywood demanded a plot. So Olsen & Johnson tell the audience upfront that they are adding a plot...a love story...even though they really don't want one. They do get their revenge on Hollywood in the end, however, by shooting the writer.

I admit, the "plot" is the least interesting part of the film. The marvel of this 1941 film is the breaking of the fourth wall. The actors talk to both the audience and the projectionist (played by Shemp Howard of "Three Stooges" fame). Enjoyable? The jokes are corny. The music is 1940. Still, the pure subversion of standard cinematic conventions turns a standard 1941 musical comedy into a classic of what can happen in film when you think outside the box. Funny. Ridiculous. Pure lunacy. You owe it to yourself to see Hellzapoppin' at least once.

score 10/10

maeander 24 February 2008

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1825932/