Hooray for Love

Would-be Broadway producer Doug Tyler (Gene Raymond) gets the bounce from his radio job after making moo-moo eyes at his favorite singer, Pat Thatcher (Ann Sothern). Making the acquaintance of Pat's con-man pappy, the Commodore (Thurston Hall), on the job rebound Doug finds himself cajoled into being front man for the backers of a new Broadway showing starring Pat. Everything seems to be coming up roses for the tyro impresario when they discover their wealthy backer is as destitute as they are. One desperate money-raising scheme follows another as the show must go on, even if Doug must go to Big House.

Obviously filmed on a tight budget, RKO Radio's HOORAY FOR LOVE nevertheless has as much sheer entertainment value as any high-priced Busby Berkeley spectacular. Gene Raymond plays Doug, a college boy who aspires to become a Broadway producer. With reluctant songstress Pat (Ann Sothern) as his star, Doug stages a big-time revue, financed by Pat's father, a seedy con artist known as the Commodore (Thurston Hall). When it turns out that The Commoder hasn't a cent to his name, Doug is tossed into jail, but salvation is at hand in the form of a wealthy widow (Georgia Caine) who's set her cap for Pat's reprobate father. Lionel Stander has several choice moments as a temperamental Russian orchestra leader, as does Pert Kelton as a talentless soubrette, but the film's strongest selling card is the presence of the matchless Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and Fats Waller. The musical highlight is Robinson's "I'm Living in a Great Big Way," accompanied by Waller and Jeni Le Gon.