Roman Scandals

Lucille Desiree Ball's beginnings in Hollywood was inauspicious to say the least. Her first appearance in movies, in December 1933's "Roman Scandals" with Eddie Cantor, was brief that came with a major incident, yet it was a start. Fatherless at the age of four, Lucille caught the acting bug in her late teens when she was part of a Shriner's chorus line, receiving praise for her performance she never had growing up. Attending the John Murray Anderson School for Dramatic Arts in New York City with Bette Davis in 1926, she left early because her instructor told her she was too shy. But Ball persisted, and landed a number of small showgirl roles before she hopped on a train to Hollywood.

Lucille Ball made it known she would do anything, including having mud thrown in her face, during the production of "Roman Scandals." She's seen in the film's opening and the closing as an uncredited 'Shantytown resident,' saying her first line on film. During one provocative dancing sequence, she's a chained slave with very long blonde hair with no clothes on. Ball later said of her appearance, "I was classified with the scenery." In the Busby Berkeley number "No More Love," she and the other 'slave girls' are shackled high on a circular platform. To insure there was privacy for the women because of their nakedness, the production was scheduled at night in a closed set with a skeleton film crew. Several takes and retakes under the hot lights while the chorus girls had to stand between each shoot became an ordeal for Lucy, who became faint on the pedestal. Her fake chains broke loose and she fell. An extra playing a slave driver had the strength to catch her before she severely injured herself.

Singer/actor Eddie Cantor was consistently Hollywood's top box office draw since the introduction of talkies. "Roman Scandals" became the number one film for ticket receipts in 1933. One of Winston Churchill's most beloved songs was introduced in this movie, "Keep Young and Beautiful." Film reviewer Derik Winnert's assessment on Cantor's acting was "The star appears at his most engaging, exuberant and typical in a dynamic, winning performance."

Cantor plays Eddie, a delivery boy who stumbles upon members of a city graft operation, discovering residents of an entire neighborhood being kicked out to build a needless jail. Passionate with the history of ancient Rome, Eddie finds himself in that time period after a blow to his head. He soon discovers the emperor of Rome, Valerius (Edward Arnold), is just as crooked as the politicians back home. He spots a captured princess, Sylvia (Gloria Stuart), and sets out to free her. Stuart, who played Old Rose in 1997's "Titanic," received the role of the princess without taking a screen test because producer Samuel Goldwyn personally saw she got the part. Stuart met her future husband, Arthur Sheekman, a dialogue writer for "Roman Scandals," on the set and soon married him. They named their daughter Sylvia for the character Gloria played.

Even though for the next few years Lucille Ball was unable to capitalize on her innate talents, "Roman Scandals" did begin a lifelong friendship between her and Eddie Cantor. The two crossed paths a number of times, including on the radio, in fundraisers and appearing in television skits together. "Roman Scandals" was nominated as one of 500 motion pictures to be considered for the American Film Institute's Top 100 Funniest Movies.

One of the underlying themes is slavery —- mostly as satire, but a disturbingly poignant scene at the climax of the slave bazaar number has a girl throwing herself to her death to escape from bondage. This was at a time when Busby Berkeley, the choreographer, was sometimes inserting serious byplay into his numbers (a la "42nd Street"). Boy, is this example a beaut! The Ruth Etting blues solo "No More Love" directly plays on the same theme. Both songs have undercurrents I've never seen suggested in a comedy before or since. These, along with the nutty, racially integrated "Keep Young & Beautiful" routine, add a curiously (yet fascinating) unsavory aspect to the proceedings that is not really easy to characterize.

Oh yeah, what about that lively beer garden drinking song near the beginning and Cantor in black-face! Offensive, absolutely —- but somehow, with Cantor, what's not to love? Politically incorrect? You betcha —- but this is not cruel or demeaning stuff. It's mostly just out-and-out dream-like crazy.

Others have noted the fine production values, and of course the great comic chariot race at the end. Add it all up and what you've got is a nice, unique, big 'ol pastry of a movie musical. If you wanted something to take your mind of things for 93 minutes in 1933, this was just the ticket. If you want something to take your mind off things for 93 minutes in 2007,this is still just the ticket

This 1933 Samuel Goldwyn production is generally regarded as being Cantor's most successful thirties film. A fascinating depression-flavoured movie, it is a bit reminiscent of THE WIZARD OF OZ in that there are "reality book-ends" the majority of the film being a dreamer's fantasy. Rather than having a Technicolored centre, however, this film benefits from Gregg Toland's famous silvery hued cinematography. The rarely seen in films Ruth Etting had her only movie role of any merit as Olga: fortunately her character's dialogue is kept to a minimum for it's rather poorly delivered. As Emperor Valerius, Edward Arnold does fine in a surprisingly modern-styled comedy performance, and the usually wooden and boring David Manners delivers an refreshingly against-type performance as the sprighty Josephus. As Princess Sylvia, a luminously youthful Gloria Stuart is lovely. The film premiere at Graumann's Chinese Theatre and was broadcasted via radio & the film made a million dollar profit. Contrary to popular belief, this wasn't Lucille Ball's film debut: she had appeared in both BROADWAY THRU A KEYHOLE & BLOOD MONEY in bits priorly. However, the lovely young blonde girl in the film's beginning who enthusiastically informs the locals "Here comes Eddie!" is indeed a 22 year-old native of Jamestown, New York named Lucille Ball.

If you aren't a fan of the Wide-Eyed Wonder already, you should be. He takes the audience of romp after romp from Rome, New York to ancient Rome itself. Cantor was the emperor's food taster in the time of the Roman Empire; what a task! Who else could do it so whimsically? We to go to the movies for fun, right? You will definitely have fun skipping through a loosely written script with the man with the mesmerizing eyes. Considering the time(1930's) and the sad state the entire country was in (the Depression), this had to be the most enjoyable time of a person's week. Absolutely remarkable. And to prove it, this movie made a ton of money! Lucille Ball makes her screen debut in this film and rejoins Eddie a year later in 1934's Kid Millions. Eddie Cantor is said to have commended Lucy for putting "comedy before glamour" in her work on this film.

I recently read an account of the creation of Roman Scandals and the miracle is the film got made at all. A whole lot of creative minds butted creative heads.

Sam Goldwyn had it in mind to make a film version of Androcles and the Lion starring Eddie Cantor and I think Cantor would have been perfect in the title role. Unfortunately George Bernard Shaw thought there would be more Cantor than Shaw in the finished product and he nixed that idea with Goldwyn quick.

The idea of a story in ancient Rome had really taken hold with Goldwyn so he then hired George S. Kaufman and Robert Sherwood to write a screenplay. They did come up with the story outline you see on films, but got into problems with Cantor who insisted he wanted the lead role more personalized along with the gags that went with it. Kaufman and Sherwood quit on Goldwyn.

Sam got a few more writers and gave Cantor more creative input into the film and the result is Roman Scandals. Admittedly Roman Scandals is one of the best showcases for the talents of Eddie Cantor.

Eddie plays one of his usual meek little schnooks who turns the tables on those oppressing him. He's the curator of a small museum in West Rome, Oklahoma and uncovers evidence of corruption by the local bigwigs who give him the bum's rush out of town. He soon finds himself walking on a road leading out of ancient Rome and gets involved in the political situation there.

Co-starring with Cantor are Gloria Stuart, David Manners, and as the Emperor Edward Arnold who is playing one of his early villains. Cantor uses both Arnold and his chief henchmen Alan Mowbray to great effect in several gags. My two favorite scenes are his avoiding the Emperor's poisoned food by feeding it to the royal crocodile and Cantor being sold at the slave market with the bidding done by people who want him for all kinds of purposes.

Ruth Etting who co-starred on Broadway with Cantor in Whoopee has a part and a real good torch song number No More Love. Busby Berkeley gave it and other songs sung by Cantor a big production number. Etting of course was the subject of bio film Love Me or Leave Me with Doris Day playing her. Roman Scandals is your opportunity to see the real deal and what a talent she was.

Gloria Stuart who was on loan from Universal could not believe the lavishness of a Sam Goldwyn film, she was used to more cost conscious operations at her home studio. But if you hire Busby Berkeley lavish comes with the territory. Two of Cantor's numbers Build a Little Home and Keep Young and Beautiful got the lavish treatment and they were good.

Eddie Cantor an entertainer of amazing talent should be seen and studied today. I can't think of anything better to start with than Roman Scandals.