Roman Scandals

Roman Scandals
Directed by	Frank Tuttle
Written by	William Anthony McGuire based on the story by George Kaufman
Produced by	Samuel Goldwyn
Starring	Eddie Cantor
Cinematography	Ray June Gregg Toland
Edited by	Stuart Heisler
Music by	Alfred Newman
Production company	Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	December 25, 1933 (1933-12-25)
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	US$1,000,000 (est.)
Box office	$2,443,000

Roman Scandals is a 1933 American black-and-white pre-Code musical film starring Eddie Cantor, Ruth Etting, Gloria Stuart, Edward Arnold and David Manners. It was directed by Frank Tuttle. The film features a number of intricate production numbers choreographed by Busby Berkeley. The song "Keep Young and Beautiful" is from this film. In addition to the starring actors in the picture, the elaborate dance numbers are performed by the "Goldwyn Girls" (who in this film include future stars such as Lucille Ball, Paulette Goddard and Barbara Pepper). The title of the film is a pun on Roman sandals.

Plot

In the middle-America community of West Rome, Oklahoma, Eddie is employed as a delivery boy.

A self-styled authority of Ancient Roman history, Eddie bemoans the fact that the local shanty community is about to be wiped out by scheming politicians, certain that such an outrage could never have happened during Rome's Golden Days. After a blow to the head, Eddie wakes up in Imperial Rome, where he is sold on the slave auction block to good-natured tribune Josephus. Eddie soon discovers that the evil emperor Valerius is every bit a crook and grafter as the politicians in West Rome, and he intends to do something about it.

He gets a job as food taster for Valerius—a none-too-secure position, inasmuch as the emperor's wife, Agrippa, is constantly trying to poison him—and does his best to smooth the path of romance for Josephus and the recently captured Princess Sylvia. Eddie's well-intentioned interference earns him a session in the torture chamber, but he escapes and commandeers a chariot. On the verge of capture, Eddie wakes to find himself in West Rome, OK again, where he quickly foils the modern-day despots and brings about a happy ending for all his friends.

Cast

• Eddie Cantor as Eddie/Oedipus
• The Goldwyn Girls as Slave Girls
• Ruth Etting as Olga
• Gloria Stuart as Princess Sylvia
• Edward Arnold as Emperor Valerius
• David Manners as Josephus
• Verree Teasdale as Empress Agrippa
• Alan Mowbray as Majordomo
• Jack Rutherford as Manius
• Willard Robertson as Warren Finley Cooper
• Lee Kohlmar as Storekeeper
• Harry Cording as Soldier (uncredited)
• Francis Ford as Citizen (uncredited)
• Murdock MacQuarrie as Senator (uncredited)

Soundtrack

Eddie Cantor as Oedipus in Roman Scandals

• "Build a Little Home"

Music by Harry Warren

Lyrics by Al Dubin

Performed by Eddie Cantor and chorus

Reprised by Eddie Cantor and chorus

• "No More Love"

Music by Harry Warren

Lyrics by Al Dubin

Sung by Ruth Etting

Danced by chorus

• "Keep Young and Beautiful"

Music by Harry Warren

Lyrics by Al Dubin

Performed by Eddie Cantor with chorus

Danced by chorus

• "Put a Tax on Love"

Music by Harry Warren

Lyrics by Al Dubin

Sung by Eddie Cantor

• "All of Me"

Music by Gerald Marks

Lyrics by Seymour Simons

Sung by Eddie Cantor

• "Dinah"

Music by Harry Akst

Lyrics by Sam Lewis and Joe Young

Sung by Eddie Cantor

• "Kickin' the Gong Around"

Music by Harold Arlen

Lyrics by Ted Koehler

Sung by Eddie Cantor

• "Turkey in the Straw"

Traditional

Played in the opening scene

Critical response

A written media review is located in Monthly Film Bulletin (UK), Vol. 1, Iss. 8, September 1934, (MG)

Reception

The film was one of United Artists' most popular films of the year.

See also

• List of American films of 1933

External links

• Roman Scandals at IMDb
• Film profile, san.beck.org
• Film profile, scifilm.org