Customer Reviews

Waikiki Wedding [VHS]

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Hundreds of grass skirts swung on swivel-hipped maidens, pineapple was the flavour of the week, and palm trees swayed to the swooning glissandos of SWEET LEILANI....Hawaii, or a glorified fascimile thereof, was back on the screen; that song was being crooned to best-sellerdom by Der Bingle. This little 1937 film was quite a hit in its day. Bing plays the pineapple growers' publicity whiz kid who falls in love with the winner of his Pineapple Princess contest, Shirley Ross. Meanwhile, his side-kick (Bob Burns), had his hands full in more ways than one with Martha Raye, which gave Bing a great comedy back-up. The Frank Butler-Don Hartman story was scripted by them with Walter DeLeon and Francis Martin, and was shrewdly fashioned for the box-office by Arthur Hornblow Jr. and director Frank Tuttle. The supporting cast includes Leif Erickson, Grady Sutton and Anthony Quinn (!).

"If men could count on women like that star, there'd be much smoother sailing. And a lot less wrecks." -- Bing to Shirley Ross


This pleasant escapism from the 1930's may be the quintessential Crosby film. Filled with nice songs like "Blue Hawaii" and Harry Owens' Academy Award winner, "Sweet Leilani," and an enjoyable story you don't have to think about too much, it entertains and leaves a smile on every film buff's face.

Bing is publicity idea man Tony Marvin. His latest brainstorm is about to backfire because Georgia Smith (Shirley Ross), the Pineapple Girl, wants to go home rather than write a weekly column about how great Hawaii is. Substituting his own flowery discriptions of the islands, he romances her to keep his boss, and his job, but the plan backfires when he actually falls for her.

A very young Anthony Quinn is a native who helps pal Tony dupe Georgia from heading back home with an only in the movies ruse involving a sacred black pearl and a volcano. Bob burns lends support as Bing's sidekick whose pig Wolford gets more affection than Georgia's pal Myrtle (Martha Raye). As he explains to Myrtle: "I hope you don't think I'm braggin', but there's just somethin about me a pig can't resist."

A nice mingling of actual Hawaiin locations and obvious studio sets provide a fun and romantic trip just short of boarding the old China Clipper herself. Classic movie buffs, especially 1930's fans, will want to get their tickets before this ship sails!