Hellzapoppin (1941)

A producer and composer (Robert Paige) is in love with a wealthy heiress (Jane Frazee) but keeps it to himself as she's engaged to his best friend (Lewis Howard). An adaptation of the Broadway musical comedy revue and directed by H.C. Potter (MR. LUCKY). It's an adaptation of the Broadway hit in the loosest way because the play was constantly changing during its (over) three year run on Broadway (1,404 performances) with constant improvisation and script changes to remain topical. The stage show's stars Olsen and Johnson, a vaudeville comedy team, also star in the film. It's one bizarre movie as you can tell right from the beginning when a stage of chorus girls literally go to Hell where they are tortured by demons! The actors continually break the fourth wall and address the audience and we're constantly reminded we're watching a movie as it (intentionally) goes out of frame or the film breaks. Its frantic comedy is all over the place with sight gags and jokes coming from everywhere. With the constant barrage, some of the gags hit the mark, some don't. It's the kind of comedy where someone says, "It's got everything but the kitchen sink!" and the next moment someone walks in, "Here's your kitchen sink!". Yes, it's that kind of comedy. It also presages THE PRODUCERS by 25 years in having an intentionally bad musical so that it will flop turn into a hit show. The film's highlight is a sensational jitterbug number by black dancers known as Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. With Martha Raye, Mischa Auer, Hugh Herbert, Shemp Howard, Jody Gilbert and Elisha Cook Jr.