Waikiki Wedding
Tony Marvin is a laid back but incredibly successful promoter and fair-haired boy for J. P. Todhunter's pineapple company located in beautiful Hawaii. He gets the company to sponsor a contest in which the winner gets a Hawaiian vacation and is obligated to write articles on the islands which, when published, will constitute a publicity coup for the company. Unfortunately, Georgia Smith, the winner, feels lonely and isolated in the Islands and wants to return to the States. With help from buddy Shad Buggle Tony tries to romantically divert Georgia without letting her know his true motivation.
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- Cast:
- Bing Crosby , Bob Burns , Martha Raye , Shirley Ross , George Barbier , Leif Erickson , Grady Sutton
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Reviews
Brilliant and touching
When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
The film credits omitted one of the main players: Wolford: Arkansas bumpkin Bob Burn's pet mini pig, who accompanies him everywhere and is frequently seen throughout. Zany Martha Raye even claimed he won first prize in a dog show, to pay for Bob's jail bail. This was the second and last film pairing of Martha and Bob, again cast as an impromptu pair of slow-witted clowns. Unlike their first pairing, Bob doesn't get to play his unique 'bazooka' musical instrument, thus Wolford serves as his unusual 'prop'. When the stolen sacred necklace the gang is trying to return to the natives is dropped by butterfingers Georgia Smith(Shirley Ross), it lands around Wolford's neck, below. Startled, he runs off into the forest. Bob gives a sampling of his 'championship' hog calling talent, resulting in the appearance of a mob of pigs, along with Wolford. When Martha tries to imitate Bob, it sounds like Johnny Weismuller's Tarzan call, and the pigs all scatter.As in her first Paramount film, Martha gets to do one of her zany vaudeville-styled songs, entitled "Okolehau", which is the name of the native alcoholic drink, usually made from tubers of the Ti shrub, which was also very important in providing leaves for their roofs and skirts. Martha had a good swing of this liquor before her performance, as part of the celebration surrounding the return of the stolen black pearl necklace. It was hoped this would placate the angry spirit causing Pelee volcano to rumble. but Pelee blew her top anyway, causing the native priest to declare the necklace a fake. Incidentally, the infamous Pelee , which 'blew its top' in 1902, killing many thousands, is in the eastern Caribbean, not Hawaii, where the volcanoes spew non-explosive magma, having little dissolved gases, which are the cause of explosive eruptions.Judging by their names,probably few of the 'natives' were genuine, or at least were not full-blooded. This includes a young Anthony Quinn. Nonetheless, most do come across as genuine, and we are treated to a number of festivals, with much singing and dancing. The actors never got to Hawaii, the film being shot mostly in the LA Arboretum or studio. However, periodically, clearly we do have shots of the real Hawaii in the background.The screen play often makes little sense. Why did Bing, as publicity manager of a Pineapple firm, have to reach to Birch Falls,Iowa, to find a 'Pineapple Princess', flown in for a 3 week publicity campaign, promised a romantic time, as well??. It's never explained why Martha apparently accompanied her, as her roommate? Soon after arriving, Georgia inexplicably complains she is bored and is thinking of soon leaving, bad publicity for Hawaii's tourism image! So, Bing is hauled off his fishing yacht, and told to do something to prevent Georgia from leaving. He organizes an evening serenade with some native men, and himself as the chief singer of "Blue Hawaii". Yes, long before Elvis claimed it as his own, this classic was composed for this film and was sung twice, as well as during the opening credits. Eventually ,Martha, not Georgia, emerges from the bungalow, enthralled that she has been serenaded, and jumps into Bob's arms. Bing is not impressed, and leaves to work on his yacht, near the ticket booth for the ocean liner China Clipper. I'm not aware of any actual ocean liner by that name, but Glenn Martin famously inaugurated trans-Pacific air service just the year before this film was made, with its three China Clippers! In fact, when Georgia's suspicious boyfriend, back in Iowa, rushes to find out what Georgia is up to, he presumably arrives via a China Clipper, seen overhead in one shot! Anyway, Bing meets Georgia while working on his boat, and they have a humorous, if inauspicious, introduction, in which he discovers that she is the real Pineapple Princess. By inadvertently getting mixed up in the stolen black pearl necklace affair, Georgia misses the ship home. Bing proceeds to make her stay memorable, beginning with a repeat of his "Blue Hawaii". Of course, when it's time to go home, she has to choose between Bing and her old stuffy boyfriend : a close call, with Bing requiring an accomplice.Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin did a commendable job with the scores, which included all but the academy award-winning "Sweet Leilani", composed a few years earlier by Hawaii-based Harry Owens, in honor of his new daughter. Bing insisted that it be included, over the vehement objections of producer Hornblow. Although memorable, I'm surprised "Blue Hawaii" didn't win the award instead! Shirely Ross(as Georgia) was also a good singer, if lacking much charisma. Besides accompanying Bing with "Blue Hawaii", she does ""In a Little Hula Heaven" on her own, and reprises "Sweet is the Word for You", after Bing initiates it, as their romance heats up. Bing also sings one song, presumably Nani Ona Pua, in the native language.I can see why some people might be put off by Martha Raye's or Bob Burn's brands of humor, as dated. It's difficult to imagine Shirley as a woman Bing would get too excited about. Plenty of the native women were better looking and more pleasant, and Martha was way more charismatic. I would have preferred Betty Grable, who was with Paramount then, grossly under-appreciated, and would be paired with Martha as sisters the following year. Despite the often nonsensical screenplay, it's mostly a fast-moving fun time.
This is a good film to watch late at night, when you're too tired to concentrate on a heavy plot and are ready for some pretty music and comic diversion. The two songs you'll immediately recognize are "Blue Hawaii" and "Sweet Lelani" (which won the Oscar that year).Bing Crosby is his usual agreeable self, in great voice, inhabiting the screen but not his character, really. His seemingly effortless singing is,as always,mellow and fine. Shirley Ross (she of "Thanks for the Memory" with Bob Hope) has a very appealing, intelligent and charming way with a line and a song. Bob Burns is there for comic relief, as is a young Martha Raye, who is, well, Martha Raye. You either like her or you don't...but she does manage a few laughs with her very physical antics and double-take expressions. A very lithe and boyish Anthony Quinn, playing one of his early "native" roles (here as a Polynesian), pops up in several scenes...years before his own ascendancy to super-stardom.It's the music and the lavish Hollywood-Hawaiian sets and luau scenes that make this a very pleasant movie to watch.
Bing Crosby was one of the biggest stars in the world for much of his career and this movie released in 1937 was the third biggest hit of the year. Supporting him are the hilarious duo of Bob burns and Martha Raye, especially who seems to spark every scene she's in with a splash of wine and vinegar. The plot as it is as PR man Bing who works for the Pineapple company located in Hawaii who has a Pr mishap on his hands when the girl brought in as the Pineapple girl goes sour on the island and intends to let everyone know how lousy and unexciting the island is. This for sure will hurt tourism so Bing has to save the day. So what else does a nagging Yenta need but a man who will keep her from leaving the island. The plot is on. Songs are interspersed BTW the action including one which supposedly became a million seller. Anthony Quinn who was years removed from his movie star days plays an Indian with his typical zest and good craftsmanship. The female lead who never amounted to much stardom of her own is pretty and really can sing. I do like the way the movie ends. It is slightly unconventionally but slightly forced in performance. But it works. It could be a good movie for some enterprising producer to remake.
WAIKIKI WEDDING (Paramount, 1937), directed by Frank Tuttle, is an enjoyable but sadly neglected musical set in Hawaii starring Paramount's box office attraction, Bing Crosby, crooning to the up-and-grooming Shirley Ross, a fine vocalist in her own right whose popularity faded as quickly as it started, with her peak years at Paramount being from 1936 to 1938. By 1939, she left the studio after appearing in some secondary roles, including another Crosby musical, Paris HONEYMOON (1938), in which the object to his affection there was a newcomer named Franciska Gaal, but to re-discover Shirley Ross, WAIKIKI WEDDING is a good introduction. And now for a brief synopsis and inside look of the movie.Set in Hawaii, the story begins with Tony Marvin (Bing Crosby) and his pal, Shad Buggle (Bob Burns), accompanied by his pet pig, attending a native wedding feast, in which Tony participated with a Hawaiian song. Tony, a smooth talking publicity man for J.B. Todhunter (George Barbier), president of a pineapple company, is hired to escort Georgia Smith (Shirley Ross), from Birch Falls, a "Miss Pineapple Queen" contest winner, on her Hawaiian tour, accompanied by her companion, Myrtle Finch (Martha Raye), who in turn becomes escorted by Shad. Because Georgia is not satisfied with her trip, threatening to return home to the states and refusing to participate in any publicity campaigns, Tony goes through extremes in keeping her in Hawaii, ranging from having her accused of smuggling a black pearl, abducted by a native group headed by Kimo (Anthony Quinn); vocalizing to her, and having her attend ceremonial dances. After discovering this whole affair to be nothing but tricks to keep her in Hawaii, the angry Georgia decides to book passage on the next boat to return home and marry her dull fiancé, Victor P. Quimby (Leif Erickson), causing Tony, who now loves her, to continue using provide more tricks instead of sincerity to keep her.Along with the lightweight plot and Hawaiian surroundings, the bright score by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin include: "Blue Hawaii" and "In a Little Hula Heaven" (sung by chorus during opening credits); "Nani Ona Pua" (sung by Bing Crosby); "Blue Hawaii" (sung by Crosby); "Blue Hawaii" (sung by Crosby and Shirley Ross); "Sweet Leilani" by Harry Owens, (sung by Crosby); "In a Little Hula Heaven" (sung by Crosby and Ross); "Okolehao" (sung by Martha Raye. Take notice how Raye's hair style changes midway through this number); "Sweet Is the Word for You" (sung by Crosby) and "Sweet Is the Word for You" (reprise, sung by Ross). While "Blue Hawaii" and "In a Little Hula Heaven" are the best sounding tunes for this production, it's the slower tempo lullaby of "Sweet Leilani" that became the Academy Award winning song of 1937.The supporting cast features Grady Sutton as Everett Todhunter; Granville Bates as Uncle Herman; George Regas, Emma Dunn, and Mitchell Lewis, among others.While "Waikiki Wedding," which runs at about 89 minutes, hasn't aired on any television station for quite some time now, it was distributed on video cassette in 1995 as part of the Bing Crosby collection, along with other titles as RHYTHM ON THE RANGE (1936) with Frances Farmer, and its WAIKIKI WEDDING co-stars, Bob Burns and Martha Raye, and a decade later onto DVD double featured with DOUBLE OR NOTHING (1937) also featuring Martha Raye. Oh, boy!!!! All films mentioned make recommended viewing for Crosby fans. (***)