What would you do if you were a movie producer dealing with a string of box office flops? Well, if you're Oliver Merlin (Adolphe Menjou) you'd hire an innocent country girl (Andrea Leeds) to put you back in touch with the real people. Then you'd produce a musical extravaganza, The Goldwyn Follies (1938). Unfortunately for us - the intended audience - and despite the talents of Ben Hecht (writer), George Marshall (director) and George and Ira Gershwin (music and lyrics), the mishmash film doesn't quite work. The film also starred The Ritz Brothers, Vera Zorina, Kenny Baker, Edgar Bergen, Helen Jepson and Phil Baker and is available on DVD.

Vera Zorina

Interspersed within the weak story line are comedy scenes featuring The Ritz Brothers (Al, Jimmy, Harry), which aren't very funny. Maybe the humor has been lost through the window of time. Perhaps that explains why Edgar Bergen and his wooden sidekick Charlie McCarthy aren't too funny either.

But The Goldwyn Follies is a real Hollywood musical with all the trimmings: lavish and visually appealing production numbers with dazzling costumes and eye-catching sets. Production numbers feature ballet and tap dancing, scenes from operas, and comedy shtick.

In the story, Merlin falls in love with Hazel (Andrea Leeds), the woman he's dubbed "Miss Humanity." Unbeknownst to him, Hazel has fallen in love with singer Danny (Kenny Baker) who, through some finagling on Hazel's part, has landed a lead in Merlin's film. It all works out okay in the end, of course. But the audience has to put up with a lot of corny stuff in order to be rewarded by some good singing and dancing.

Baker has a wonderful tenor voice, but after he sang "Love Walked In" for what seemed like the millionth time, the audience is probably like me - ready to walk right out. The Goldwyn Follies received Oscars for Best Art Direction, Richard Day; and Best Music Scoring, Alfred Newman. Vera Zorina not only was beautiful but has amazing dance numbers in the film.

Not rated in the United States, the film received a G rating in Canada, despite being a tad risqué in some places (most of the innuendoes will go right over children's heads) and the smoking that was ubiquitous in that era of filmmaking.

Special Features

None

Director: George Marshall

Screenplay: Ben Hecht - screenplay; special sequences by Sid Kuller and Ray Golden; additional sequences Sam Perrin and Arthur Philips.

Cast: Adolphe Menjou, The Ritz Brothers, Vera Zorina, Kenny Baker, Andrea Leeds, Edgar Bergen, Helen Jepson, Phil Baker

Rating: Not Rated. Suitable for the whole family

Classic Movie Guide Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

DVD Release Date: 4/07/2009

Run Time: 116 minutes

Studio: MGM Home Entertainment

Format: Technicolor, full frame

Photo credits: MGM Pictures