The Life of the Party

This curiosity from RKO manages to build a decent musical comedy out of a featherweight plot and an assortment of performers typically found in supporting roles or doing specialty turns in higher-budgeted films. With no "stars," only one singer and just one dancer, the picture understandably emphasizes comedy. Whether or not the intended comedy is funny depends, as always, on one's personal taste. But here you at least get choices from among players who built careers out of doing one thing well - i.e., well enough to create a following: Joe Penner, Parkyakarkas, Billy Gilbert, Victor Moore, Helen Broderick, Franklin Pangborn, Margaret Dumont. Yes, they're all here. And Ann Miller, in two sizzling tap routines, compensates for the bland leading man and lady (Gene Raymond and Harriet Hilliard), and the second-rate songs. There is so much going on here that you are bound to find something you like.