International House (1933) is a pre-Code comedy featuring an ensemble cast that keeps the laughs thick as the plot runs thin. A Chinese inventor has developed an early form of television and has called prominent figures from around the world to a private viewing. A. Edward Sutherland (The Flying Deuces) directs headliners Peggy Hopkins Joyce, W. C. Fields, and Stuart Erwin through 68 minutes of chaos and quick-witted humor. Along for the fun are George Burns, Gracie Allen, and Dracula himself, Bela Lugosi. There’s even a chorus-girl-filled dance number with Sterling Holloway (voice of Winnie the Pooh) and a couple of musical scenes featuring Rudy Vallee and Cab Calloway.
Buy International House from MovieZyngWuhu, China. Dr. Wong (Edmund Breese) has invented the “radioscope” and has invited the biggest millionaires and prominent public figures to attend an exclusive demonstration. Many of the congregants have plans to either steal or purchase Dr. Wong’s revolutionary device. The International House Hotel plays host to this unprecedented event and its hotel manager (Franklin Pangborn) hopes he can survive the chaos, especially after drunken Professor Henry R. Quail (Fields) drops in unexpectedly on his fabulous autogyro. Celebrity gold-digger Peggy Hopkins Joyce (as herself) shows up in hopes of landing a new hubby while her current/most recent husband Russian General Nicholas Petronovich (Lugosi) arrives in hope of securing the radioscope to bolster his own riches.
Among those vying for Wong’s unique creation is American Tommy Nash (Erwin), who desperately wants to win the gadget for his employer, an electric company back in the USA. Tommy’s troubles are heightened when his would-be fiancee, Carol (the subtly sexy Sari Maritza) shows up and suspects he’s been fooling around with Joyce, which sends his nerves all a flutter. Good thing the house doctor and his zany nurse (Burns and Allen) are there to help keep Tommy in good health. Who will gain Dr. Wong’s favor and rights to his magic machine? Will the International House remain standing after the crashing, smashing conclusion?
International House is an ensemble comedy and another racy pre-Code gem a la Night World (1932) and Grand Hotel (1932). Though light on plot, the gags and banter remain funny, sharp, and filled with witty wordplay. It’s also amusing to watch Fields and Lugosi, elbow to elbow, providing laughs alongside the duo of Burns and Allen. The early television gimmick is clever and works as a vehicle to add some random snippets of humor (Radio’s Stoopnagle and Budd) as well as musical numbers. Those charming little ditties include a short Rudy Vallee tune and the risque “Reeferman” by Cab Calloway and his orchestra.
There are some actors and references that are a bit dated, mainly those about Peggy Hopkins Joyce, that required looking up. But that’s okay, because being the bibliophile I am, I found a decently priced biography at Thriftbooks to add to my TBR pile. And though their brief skit was quirky, I’ve no further interest or desire to watch anything more from Colonel Stoopnagle and Budd, that itch being scratched.
Buy International House from AmazonInternational House stands as a fine example of the star-studded ensemble movies of the time. Though this Universal Blu-ray release has no extra features, its picture quality and sound are very good and make for enjoyable viewing.
