Honolulu (1939 film)
Encyclopedia
Honolulu is an American musical film
that was released by MGM in 1939. The film stars dancer Eleanor Powell
and Robert Young
, and was directed by Edward Buzzell
.
Inspired by stories about doppelgänger
s and identical twins such as The Prince and the Pauper
, Honolulu features Young in a dual role as Brooks Mason—a top movie star—and as Hawaii
-based businessman George Smith. Mason is tired of being in the public eye, so when he discovers that Smith is close enough to be his twin, he arranges to switch places with Smith temporarily. When Mason steps into Smith's life, he finds himself in a tug-of-war between Smith's fiancée, and a dancer named Dorothy March (Powell), with whom he has fallen in love. Meanwhile, Smith discovers that being a famous movie star is not all that it is made out to be.
Also appearing in the film are George Burns
, Gracie Allen
, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
, and Rita Johnson
.
Eleanor Powell's dance routines, here given a mostly Hawaiian flavor, are the highlights of this film. One of her routines is performed in black face
in tribute to Powell's idol, Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson
. The comedy of Burns & Allen is also featured, although the two actors work separately for much of the movie. The film is also notable for offering a somewhat rare cinematic look at pre-World War II Honolulu.
Footage of one of Powell's dance routines (done in a hula skirt to a tiki drum orchestra) would be reused in the later comedy, I Dood It
, while another dance performance that was cut from the film appeared seven years later in the "hodge-podge" production The Great Morgan
.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
that was released by MGM in 1939. The film stars dancer Eleanor Powell
Eleanor Powell
Eleanor Torrey Powell was an American film actress and dancer of the 1930s and 1940s, known for her exuberant solo tap dancing.-Early life:...
and Robert Young
Robert Young (actor)
Robert George Young was an American television, film, and radio actor, best known for his leading roles as Jim Anderson, the father of Father Knows Best and as physician Marcus Welby in Marcus Welby, M.D. .-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Young was the son of an Irish immigrant father...
, and was directed by Edward Buzzell
Edward Buzzell
Edward Buzzell was an American film director whose credits for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer included Honolulu , the Marx Brothers films At the Circus and Go West , the musicals Best Foot Forward with Lucille Ball and Neptune's Daughter with Esther Williams, and Easy to Wed, starring Van Johnson,...
.
Inspired by stories about doppelgänger
Doppelgänger
In fiction and folklore, a doppelgänger is a paranormal double of a living person, typically representing evil or misfortune...
s and identical twins such as The Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper is an English-language novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada before its 1882 publication in the United States. The book represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction...
, Honolulu features Young in a dual role as Brooks Mason—a top movie star—and as Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
-based businessman George Smith. Mason is tired of being in the public eye, so when he discovers that Smith is close enough to be his twin, he arranges to switch places with Smith temporarily. When Mason steps into Smith's life, he finds himself in a tug-of-war between Smith's fiancée, and a dancer named Dorothy March (Powell), with whom he has fallen in love. Meanwhile, Smith discovers that being a famous movie star is not all that it is made out to be.
Also appearing in the film are George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
, Gracie Allen
Gracie Allen
Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen , known as Gracie Allen, was an American comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns...
, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
Eddie Anderson (comedian)
Edmund Lincoln Anderson , also known as Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, was an American comedian and actor. His most famous role was that of Rochester van Jones, valet of Jack Benny, on his radio and television shows.-Early life:Anderson was born in Oakland, California...
, and Rita Johnson
Rita Johnson
Rita Johnson was an American actress.-Career:She was born Rita McSean in Worcester, Massachusetts and attended the New England Conservatory of Music. Johnson began acting on Broadway in 1935 and started her film career two years later. She played a murderess in Here Comes Mr...
.
Eleanor Powell's dance routines, here given a mostly Hawaiian flavor, are the highlights of this film. One of her routines is performed in black face
Black Face
Black Face is the south wall of an east-west ridge in Arena Valley, south of East Beacon, in the Quartermain Mountains, Victoria Land. The feature is a prominent landmark and is formed by a dolerite dike which rises over above the floor of the valley...
in tribute to Powell's idol, Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson
Bill Robinson
Bill “Bojangles” Robinson was an American tap dancer and actor of stage and film. Audiences enjoyed his understated style, which eschewed the frenetic manner of the jitterbug in favor of cool and reserve; rarely did he use his upper body, relying instead on busy, inventive feet, and an expressive...
. The comedy of Burns & Allen is also featured, although the two actors work separately for much of the movie. The film is also notable for offering a somewhat rare cinematic look at pre-World War II Honolulu.
Footage of one of Powell's dance routines (done in a hula skirt to a tiki drum orchestra) would be reused in the later comedy, I Dood It
I Dood It
I Dood It is a 1943 MGM musical-comedy film starring Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell, and directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay is by Fred Saidy and Sig Herzig and the film features Richard Ainley, Patricia Dane, Lena Horne and Hazel Scott...
, while another dance performance that was cut from the film appeared seven years later in the "hodge-podge" production The Great Morgan
The Great Morgan
The Great Morgan is an American musical-comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film is considered one of the more unusual in the MGM canon in that it is a compilation film built around a slight plot line, with a running time of less than 60 minutes.The film was produced for overseas The...
.
Cast
- Eleanor PowellEleanor PowellEleanor Torrey Powell was an American film actress and dancer of the 1930s and 1940s, known for her exuberant solo tap dancing.-Early life:...
as Miss Dorothy 'Dot' March - Robert YoungRobert Young (actor)Robert George Young was an American television, film, and radio actor, best known for his leading roles as Jim Anderson, the father of Father Knows Best and as physician Marcus Welby in Marcus Welby, M.D. .-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Young was the son of an Irish immigrant father...
as Brooks Mason / George Smith / David in the movie - George BurnsGeorge BurnsGeorge Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
as Joe Duffy - Gracie AllenGracie AllenGrace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen , known as Gracie Allen, was an American comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns...
as Millicent 'Millie' De Grasse - Rita JohnsonRita JohnsonRita Johnson was an American actress.-Career:She was born Rita McSean in Worcester, Massachusetts and attended the New England Conservatory of Music. Johnson began acting on Broadway in 1935 and started her film career two years later. She played a murderess in Here Comes Mr...
as Cecelia Grayson - Clarence KolbClarence KolbClarence William Kolb was an American vaudeville performer and actor.He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of second generation Austrian parents who owned a local meat company....
as Mr. Horace Grayson - Jo Ann SayersJo Ann SayersJo Ann Sayers is an American actress who was active in Broadway and in Hollywood films. Her film career spanned the 1930s through the 1950s.-Biography:...
as Nurse - Ann Morriss as Gale Brewster
- Willie Fung as Wong, Mason's Hawaiian servant
- Cliff Clark as First Detective
- Edward GarganEdward GarganEdward Gargan born July 17, 1902 in Brooklyn, New York, USA and died February 19, 1964, aged 61 in New York City, New York, USA. He born of Irish parents, he was one of the most prolific bit players in the history of the movies ; the Internet Movie Database lists 293 feature films to his credit...
as Second Detective - Eddie 'Rochester' AndersonEddie Anderson (comedian)Edmund Lincoln Anderson , also known as Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, was an American comedian and actor. His most famous role was that of Rochester van Jones, valet of Jack Benny, on his radio and television shows.-Early life:Anderson was born in Oakland, California...
as Washington, Mason's Hollywood servant (billed as Eddie Anderson) - Sig RumanSig RumanSig Ruman was a German-American actor known for his comic portrayals of pompous villains.-Life and career:...
as Professor Timmer, psychiatrist (billed as Sig Rumann) - Ruth HusseyRuth HusseyRuth Carol Hussey was an American actress best known for her Academy Award-nominated role as photographer Elizabeth Imbrie in The Philadelphia Story.-Early life:...
as Eve, David's wife in the movie - Kealohu Holt as Native Dancing Girl (billed as Kealoha Holt)