HI DIDDLE DIDDLE (1943)

A little-known B-movie from United Artists, rescued from obscurity by Quentin Tarantino and shown on Trio. It's a zany screwball comedy (with the usual dealings in love, marriage, and disguise) that occasionally transcends its low budget with some fun moments. Dennis O'Keefe is a hunky sailor who is set to marry his financee, Martha Scott, while on a 2-day leave. The compounding problems begin when he's late for the wedding because his ship is late docking. His father, Adolphe Menjou, is a fairly disreputable con man who has lucked into marriage with an opera singer (Pola Negri, a great star of the silent screen). Menjou goes to the wedding but hasn't told his wife that he has a grown son, which leads to problems later on. Scott's mother (Billie Burke) has just lost her fortune thanks to her "date" (Barton Hepburn) who claims he deliberately lost the money gambling to see if O'Keefe was only interested in Scott for her mother's money. O'Keefe is, of course, really in love, but he and his father plot to get the money back for Burke, with help from a friendly nightclub singer (June Havoc), who can rig the gambling room's roulette wheel. There's also a scam involving stocks, and it turns out that Burke never really lost the money after all, so keeping tracking of who's got how much of what is tricky. There are a number of funny bits: the wedding is postponed so long that the minister holds a christening (of twins) while waiting for O'Keefe, who walks in just as Scott picks up the babies, which gives him a fright. A girl who shows up in several bit parts is recognized by the actors and said to be present because she's a favorite of the director. There's a funny moment with Burke and her friends practicing double-talk, "just like in the movies!" Havoc sings a duet with her own image on a video screen, and the last scene takes place in a room where the art on the wallpaper comes alive (via animation). An Oscar nominee for best score. Not exactly a classic, but interesting and fun. Thanks, Quentin. [Trio]