I saw this film when I was 10, and thought it was off-beat funny, but hated Martha Raye and the corny music in the film (except for the black quartet). The count is very funny, but Raye is terribly inconsistent. She is very good at physical comedy, but whenever she opens her mouth (and it is a big one), her jokes are as corny as Kansas. The film is sabotaged by a series of horrendous numbahs; none of which are even vaguely memorable. The film starts quickly with a series of some great one-liners and sight gags, as Olsen and Johnson were very good Vaudeville comedians, but as soon as the musical? Numbers start, the film begins to bog down. Some clever optical effects for the time, but ultimately, an inconsistent comedy.
Review of Hellzapoppin'
