Review of Honolulu

Honolulu (1939)
6/10
See It For Eleanor Powell
9 April 2014
Robert Young plays a movie star who meets his lookalike, a rich Hawaiian plantation owner. So the two decide to swap places for awhile Parent Trap-style. The rich guy finds out to his chagrin what life is like for a big celebrity. The movie star meanwhile meets and falls in love with a pretty dancer (Eleanor Powell). All of the expected chaos ensues. It seems to me this plot would have been more interesting had both guys not been rich, successful types. The non-celebrity guy should have been a regular Joe, not some rich plantation owner. As it is, this part of the film is not that fun.

Robert Young does fine but Eleanor Powell, with her million-dollar smile and awesome dance routines, is the best part of the film. Her jump rope number will make an instant fan out of anybody. The sexy hula dance is justifiably a classic. Those hips! Those legs! George Burns and Gracie Allen are the comic relief but, as was often the case, Gracie is an acquired taste. She's funny but is a little bit much at times.

Cameo at the start of the film from Ruth Hussey. One of Gracie's musical numbers bizarrely features Marx Bros. imitators and ends with Powell in blackface! If you're a big fan of Young's, I'm sure you will appreciate his performance. Everybody else should check it out for Eleanor Powell's dancing.
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