Gift of Gab

Painfully unfunny musical comedy from Universal about an arrogant con man (Edmund Lowe) who becomes an even more arrogant radio star. Movies like this remind you how little Universal had going for it at this time outside of their horror pictures. Lowe is about as charismatic as a second-rate William Powell can be. Gloria Stuart has the unfortunate task of playing his love interest. Victor Moore plays one of his nervous nebbish characters I find so irritating. Jack Benny-looking Hugh O'Connell plays Lowe's sidekick. Ethel Waters, Ruth Etting, and Gene Austin sing forgettable tunes. Slightly noteworthy today only for brief cameo appearances by Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Chester Morris, Paul Lukas, and "Sheridan Whiteside" himself, Alexander Woollcott.

The jokes and sketches are all lame. I didn't laugh once. I'm talking "is your refrigerator running" level of humor here. Directed by famed cinematographer Karl Freund but you would never know it as there's no visual style to this at all. Words I was sick of after watching this: stooge, liver, and all variations of gab.

This is a film with an endless procession of one-reelers put together to make a full-length feature and has great actors like: Gloria Stuart, Ethel Waters. Victor Moore, Andy Devine, Paul Lukas and Chester Morris along with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Philip Gabney (Edmond Lowe), a smooth-talking radio announcer, is hired to revive interest in a failing radio show. Karloff played the "Phantom" and Lugosi is a French apache dancer together with a half-dozen stars who appeared in a burlesque murder-mystery conceived by Gabney at the beginning of the film. It seems with all this great talent shown in this picture in 1934, that this film had to produce such meager entertainment. Well, after all, the film only ran for 71 minutes.

"Gift of Gab" has the distinction of being in a very small group of films. They are those with titles that perfectly describe the subject of the film. Some might question the interpretation or use of "gift" in this case. But, in times past, that's how most in society would describe the character that Edmund Lowe plays. He definitely has a gift of gab. By well into the 20th century, though, other words would be used to describe the likes of Phillip Gabney. Blowhard, windbag, stuffed shirt, are some of the terns that come right to mind. And, of course, no one would be thinking of such a person as having a "gift."

But this movie was made in 1934 - a time when people would have been encountering such types occasionally. The period from the invention of the radio in the 1890s through the Roaring Twenties spawned the fast talkers. But by the time this film came out - in the middle of the Great Depression, most had become wary of such characters. On the street they were most associated with con artists. Indeed, the opening scene here shows Gabney as a street huckster and con-man. Still, the likes of Walter Winchell reporting gossip from New York, and those in Hollywood, kept the loud-mouthed braggadocio technique alive a bit longer. And, that's the focus of the plot of this film. Only, when he's on the air, Gabney is all sweetness and nice with his bombast.

Edmund Lowe was a silent film star who segued successfully into sound pictures. But, where he had risen to leading male roles by the mid-1920s, soon into sound he became relegated to supporting roles. Still, he kept acting until 1960 at age 70. His role here as "Gift of Gab Gabney" is quite good. One takes an almost immediate dislike to the character, and Lowe plays it to the hilt. The plot is a version of poor man becomes rich man, only we never see him really down early. Its only when his fame, wealth and ego go to his head that he becomes a pathetic jerk that just about everyone dislikes. Of course, there has to be redemption and it happens. But the screenplay for all of this is quite choppy and has some big holes.

The best part of this movie, though, is the collection of musical performers on the radio show that Gabney hosts.

This is one of only four feature films in which Ruth Etting appears and sings - and perhaps the best that shows that singer who had a wonderful voice. Etting was associated with a scandal and shooting in the late 1930s, and she retired from the public spotlight with her second husband. A highly fictionalized film of her life was made in 1955, titled after one of her theme songs, "Love Me Or Leave Me." Doris Day played Etting.

This film also has singers Ethel Waters, the Downey Sisters, and Wini Shaw. The next year, 1935, Shaw would introduce the song, "Lullaby of Broadway," in the "Gold Diggers of 1935."

The comedy in this film is all of the Vaudeville type and mostly flatter than a pancake. But, it probably appealed to some folks yet in the 1930s.

The main supporting roles are fair, at best. Hugh O'Connell as Patsy, is Gabney's sidekick. He probably has more "comedy" film clips that aren't at all funny, than anyone I can recall from years of watching movies. But, some more prominent names from the cinema had parts in this film - mostly in the skits or sketches that were part of the radio show. Among the supporting cast of well-known actors are Paul Lukas, Binnie Barnes, Victor Moore, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi and Andy Devine.

This was in the early days of Hollywood when Universal was struggling to be in the second tier of studios. Lowe was among the best it could do for leading men. That further kept it from competing with the Big Five that had the likes of Gary Cooper, Cary Grant, William Powell, Walter Pidgeon, Frederic March, Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Fred Astaire, John and Lionel Barrymore, Bing Crosby, James Stewart, and Humphrey Bogart.

The only reason to watch this film is for the musical segments with Etting, Waters and others singing. And to get somewhat of an idea of what the entertainment culture was like at that time in history.

Here are the best lines in this film.

Phillip Gabney, "Why, your troubles are over. When I handle your liver, I'll bring home the bacon."

Phillip Gabney, "What would you call that?" Telephone Girl, "That's the sound effects man." Gabney, "He doesn't look sound to me." Telephone Girl, "They all get that way."

Phillip Gabney, "I'll make Trivers Livers live. I'll put Trivers Livers on the plate of everybody within earshot."

Phillip Gabney, "You wanna get anywhere in this world, Pat, you gotta play every card in the deck... and I'm playin' 'em all."

Phillip Gabney, "Aw, listen, honey.": Barbara Kelton, "I've listened to you for months. You make my ears ache."

Well, months after knowing this was on my YouTube "Liked Videos" list, I finally watched this there as this was another early film appearance of Ethel Waters, here singing "I Ain't Gonna Sin No More". This also marked the only movie appearance of the Beale Street Boys. The sing with both Ethel and by themselves on this song and they also appear a few more times throughout the narrative. I enjoyed them very much. Also of note is a mystery sketch which featured two of the movie's studio's (Universal) biggest stars at the time-horror icons Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff who was still billed just by his last name during this period in his career. They appear separately just minutes of each other. This one was also very enjoyable. There are some other music acts like Ruth Etting and other sketches which are hit-and-miss. The story itself is a little amusing but also for the birds as the narrative goes on. I also feel like citing three men in the beginning appearing at a receptionist's desk singing a part of "Tiger Rag" which is my LSU Tigers football team's theme song. Also, this was directed by Karl Freund, normally a cinematographer who would eventually wrap up his career doing that on the classic TV show "I Love Lucy". So on that note, Gift of Gab is worth a look and nothing more.

Gift of Gab (1934)

* (out of 4)

A fast talking con man (Edmund Lowe) becomes a huge radio star and soon it all goes to his head. It appears Universal Studios threw everything but the kitchen sink into this film but it easy to see why the studio has never issued this on home video. Legendary cinematographer Karl Freund directed this film, which co-stars Gloria Stuart with guest performances by Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Victor Moore, Hugh O'Connell, Gene Austin, Ruth Etting, Ethel Waters, Paul Lukas and various others. The film is very fast moving but also quite annoying as is the over the top performance by Lowe who we tire of within the opening minutes. The only reason to watch this turkey is due to all the guest appearances but be warned that the stars are only on screen for a few seconds up to a minute. Karloff and Lugosi appear in the same mystery skit but sadly (and dumbly) they don't share any time together.