Whoopee!
About Whoopee!
Sally Morgan loves Wanenis, but her father, Jud Morgan, wants her to marry Sheriff Bob Wells. Just before the wedding she tricks the hypochondriac farmhand Henry Williams into driving her to Jerome Underwood's ranch. Wells comes after them, and Henry, who does not know he has been cast as the runaway groom, takes the blame. Ethel Shutta plays Henry's nurse, Mary Custer.
Cast & crew
More about Whoopee!
Thornton Freeland directed. Samuel Goldwyn and Florenz Ziegfeld produced. United Artists released it on September 30, 1930. William Conselman wrote the script from the 1928 Ziegfeld stage show. The picture was photographed in two-color Technicolor by Lee Garmes, Ray Rennahan, and Gregg Toland. Stuart Heisler edited. H. Bruce Humberstone was the uncredited assistant director. Busby Berkeley staged the dances. Alfred Newman did his first Hollywood composing job on the film. George Olsen's band repeated its stage role.
Background
A 1930 pre-Code musical, shot in two-color Technicolor and released by United Artists at the start of the Depression.
In film history
The film that made Eddie Cantor a movie star and the first Hollywood job for Busby Berkeley and for composer Alfred Newman.
Making
Goldwyn and Ziegfeld brought the 1928 stage Whoopee! to film, with Cantor repeating his Broadway role and Berkeley making his Hollywood start on the numbers.
Look
Lee Garmes, Ray Rennahan, and Gregg Toland shot it in two-color Technicolor. Richard Day designed the sets.
Technique
Photographed in two-color Technicolor.
Music
Walter Donaldson wrote "My Baby Just Cares for Me" for Cantor. Alfred Newman composed for the picture, his first Hollywood job. George Olsen's band plays.
Preservation
A copy is on Wikimedia Commons.
Notes
- Eddie Cantor plays Henry Williams, Eleanor Hunt plays Sally, Paul Gregory plays Wanenis, and Jack Rutherford plays Sheriff Bob Wells.
- Walter Donaldson's song "My Baby Just Cares for Me" was written for Cantor in this film and became one of his signature numbers.
- Richard Day designed the sets and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Art Direction.
- Betty Grable, Paulette Goddard, Ann Sothern, Virginia Bruce, and Claire Dodd appear uncredited as Goldwyn Girls.
- Nacio Herb Brown is also credited with music. The stage score was by Walter Donaldson.
Scenes
- Sally talks Henry into driving her away from the wedding and leaves a note that they have eloped.
- Cantor sings "My Baby Just Cares for Me.
Influenced by
- Whoopee! (1928 stage musical)
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Whoopee! (1930).webm)