Winnie Lightner was a unique performer who was a terrific find for Warners when she stole "Gold Diggers of Broadway"(1929). Her high spirited performances as well as a genuine love of entertaining had her bursting through the dullness of "The Show of Shows". Not long after when musicals were on their way out Winnie was almost their first casualty, unfortunately just at the time when Warners felt she had earned the right to carry a big musical comedy. This was "The Life of the Party" and it was going to be spectacular - Technicolor production, romantic leads from Broadway (Jack Whiting, Irene Delroy), strong comic support (Charles Butterworth), grand tunes and even a fashion show!! But as studios started to get public feedback, Warners got jittery and ended up slashing all the songs except one. So what was left was an extremely funny gold- digger farce where performers occasionally pause to break into song but nothing happens!! Projecting a 100 watt personality Winnie proved she didn't need songs and it was one of Warners few successes in that dismal year of 1930!!
A super opening as the camera flashes along the great white way giving viewers a glimpse of bright lights and the best and most popular of Warners films of 1930!! And the pace doesn't slacken as the camera pans to the music store with Flo and Dot ("the gold dust twins") strutting their stuff. Behind a bevy of sheet music plugging Warners/First National recent song hits Winnie Lightner (as Flo) sings the only song in the film, the bouncy "Poison Ivy" but it's her constant stream of wisecracks that will keep you in stitches. Dot (Irene Delroy) is the pretty one and it's the discovery that the handsome boy who she has kept faithful to has married an old dowager for her money, that send both her and Flo down the gold digging path. The first millionaire the gals fleece (out of a $5,000 wardrobe) is fashion retailer Mons. Le Maire and Charles Judels is hilarious as the hyper-active Frenchman with his funny dances and temper tantrums, all the while screaming "I Will Not Lose My Temper"!!
Now in Havana and with Dot posing as a wealthy widow, Flo is in charge and boy is there a mix up!! Between Smiths - A.J. Smith, the wealthy inventor of Rush invigorating elixir, Flo mistakes him for con-man (a natty John Davidson) and she spends the rest of the movie trying to separate Dot from the man of her dreams, the real A.J. Smith (Jack Whiting) who is hanging around like a love sick puppy and who..... Charles Butterworth adds his comic revelry as a "not quite there" hotel guest who has a passion for Winnie and horses!!
With no songs to sing Jack Whiting seemed superfluous, at least Delroy got to look fetching in some fashionable clothes but often the scene found them gazing at the moon, then cutting as soon as they opened their mouths to sing!! But according to a Photoplay review, only Winnie, Charles Butterworth and Charles Judell were needed as the laughs poured out of them and they did!!
Highly Recommended.
A super opening as the camera flashes along the great white way giving viewers a glimpse of bright lights and the best and most popular of Warners films of 1930!! And the pace doesn't slacken as the camera pans to the music store with Flo and Dot ("the gold dust twins") strutting their stuff. Behind a bevy of sheet music plugging Warners/First National recent song hits Winnie Lightner (as Flo) sings the only song in the film, the bouncy "Poison Ivy" but it's her constant stream of wisecracks that will keep you in stitches. Dot (Irene Delroy) is the pretty one and it's the discovery that the handsome boy who she has kept faithful to has married an old dowager for her money, that send both her and Flo down the gold digging path. The first millionaire the gals fleece (out of a $5,000 wardrobe) is fashion retailer Mons. Le Maire and Charles Judels is hilarious as the hyper-active Frenchman with his funny dances and temper tantrums, all the while screaming "I Will Not Lose My Temper"!!
Now in Havana and with Dot posing as a wealthy widow, Flo is in charge and boy is there a mix up!! Between Smiths - A.J. Smith, the wealthy inventor of Rush invigorating elixir, Flo mistakes him for con-man (a natty John Davidson) and she spends the rest of the movie trying to separate Dot from the man of her dreams, the real A.J. Smith (Jack Whiting) who is hanging around like a love sick puppy and who..... Charles Butterworth adds his comic revelry as a "not quite there" hotel guest who has a passion for Winnie and horses!!
With no songs to sing Jack Whiting seemed superfluous, at least Delroy got to look fetching in some fashionable clothes but often the scene found them gazing at the moon, then cutting as soon as they opened their mouths to sing!! But according to a Photoplay review, only Winnie, Charles Butterworth and Charles Judell were needed as the laughs poured out of them and they did!!
Highly Recommended.