... that being - The bigger part Lyle Talbot got in a film over at 1930's Warner Brothers, the more mediocre/low budget the film was. Also, if he had a smaller role in a film he was probably the villain. So, here, Lyle is the leading man.
This musical/comedy/drama starts out weirdly as there is a club on Broadway interviewing singers for its next big show. Lucky (Lyle Talbot) is helping the owner pick out a new act as a favor to his friend, the owner. In comes Winnie (Wini Shaw), and she shows herself a talented torch singer in her audition. Now, suddenly, Lucky starts acting as Winnie's agent and negotiates a very hefty salary considering Winnie is not a name yet. Some friend Lucky is!
From there the film just devolves into a bunch of tired movie tropes to the point I'm surprised that somebody with a handlebar moustache, cape, and top hat doesn't show up and tie Winnie to the railroad tracks with Winnie screaming "Help Tom! Help Dick! Help Harry! " But I digress.
The film contains a bunch of very forgettable musical numbers to pad out the plot. One really odd one, obviously trying to imitate the magic of Busby Berkeley, is entitled "Playboy of Paree" and has dancing girls simulating bubbles in a champagne glass.
The one delight in this film -Allen Jenkins playing one of his trademark not so bright mug characters and his romantic interest, a rather air headed wealthy woman played by Spring Byington. Although she is actually 14 years older than Jenkins, he always looked rather old for his age and this teaming works and entertains.
Winnie Shaw has a great voice, and she was used to much better effect in Berkeley's number "Lullaby of Broadway" in "Gold Diggers of 1935" from the same year. This was the only vehicle she had for a leading film role, and unfortunately Warner Brothers gave her an Edsel for that vehicle.
And this film also proves that sometimes you lose the battle and win the war. Note that Marie Wilson plays a horribly off key singer in the auditions that open the film and then disappears. Marie Wilson was famous in the 1940s and 1950s playing Irma in "My Friend Irma" of film, radio, and TV.
Probably worth it only for the film history buff.
