Roman Scandals

Roman Scandals is a 1933 American black-and-white pre-Code musical film starring Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Gloria Stuart, Edward Arnold and David Manners. It was directed by Frank Tuttle. The film features a number of intricate production numbers choreographed by Busby Berkeley. The song "Keep Young and Beautiful" is from this film. In addition to the starring actors in the picture, the elaborate dance numbers are performed by the "Goldwyn Girls" (who in this film include future stars such as Lucille Ball, Paulette Goddard and Barbara Pepper). The title of the film is a pun on Roman sandals.

Roman Scandals
Directed byFrank Tuttle
Produced bySamuel Goldwyn
Written byWilliam Anthony McGuire
based on the story by George Kaufman
StarringEddie Cantor
Music byAlfred Newman
CinematographyRay June
Gregg Toland
Edited byStuart Heisler
Production
company
Distributed byUnited Artists
Release date
  • December 25, 1933 (1933-12-25)
Running time
93 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
BudgetUS$1,000,000 (est.)
Box office$2,443,000[1]

Plot summary

When kind-hearted delivery boy and self-acclaimed authority on ancient Rome Eddie (Eddie Cantor) is thrown out of his home-town of West Rome, Oklahoma by scheming and corrupt politicians, he protests that nothing of the sort would have been allowed to happen in ancient Rome. On his way out of town, he imagines that he is back in Imperial Rome, where he is sold in a slave market to good-natured tribune Josephus (David Manners). Eddie soon discovers that Roman society was just as corrupt as in his own town and when he decides to do something about it, he becomes involved in court intrigue and a murder plot against the evil Emperor Valerius (Edward Arnold) himself.[2]

Cast list

Soundtrack
Eddie Cantor as Oedipus in Roman Scandals
  • "Build a Little Home"
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Performed by Eddie Cantor and chorus
Reprised by Eddie Cantor and chorus
  • "No More Love"
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Sung by Ruth Etting
Danced by chorus
  • "Keep Young and Beautiful"
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Performed by Eddie Cantor with chorus
Danced by chorus
  • "Put a Tax on Love"
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Al Dubin
Sung by Eddie Cantor
  • "All of Me"
Music by Gerald Marks
Lyrics by Seymour Simons
Sung by Eddie Cantor
  • "Dinah"
Music by Harry Akst
Lyrics by Sam Lewis and Joe Young
Sung by Eddie Cantor
  • "Kickin' the Gong Around"
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ted Koehler
Sung by Eddie Cantor
  • "Turkey in the Straw"
Traditional
Played in the opening scene

Critical response
  • A written media review is located in Monthly Film Bulletin (UK), Vol. 1, Iss. 8, September 1934, (MG)

Reception

The film was one of United Artists' most popular films of the year.[3]

gollark: One idea someone had was to just disallow employers from asking if you have a college degree.
gollark: Yeeees, there's apparently a !!FUN!! cost disease issue with education and healthcare in the US.
gollark: It used to, eight years ago, be 3 times lower, apparently.
gollark: In the UK, tuition is capped at £9250/year, so every university charges exactly £9250/year.
gollark: Greetings, "MrEgg".

See also

References
  1. "WHICH CINEMA FILMS HAVE EARNED THE MOST MONEY SINCE 1914?". The Argus. Melbourne. 4 March 1944. p. 3 Supplement: The Argus Weekend magazine. Retrieved 6 August 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Green, Stanley (1999) Hollywood Musicals Year by Year (2nd ed.), pub. Hal Leonard Corporation ISBN 0-634-00765-3 page 27
  3. By D. W. (1934, Nov 25). "TAKING A LOOK AT THE RECORD". New York Times Retrieved from ProQuest
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