Frank Morgan Edgar Conner Al Jolson Hallelujah I'm a Bum 1933

''Hallelujah, I'm a Bum'' is a 1933 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, popularly known ...

musical comedy film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...

directed by

Lewis Milestone Lewis Milestone (born Leib Milstein (Russian: Лейб Мильштейн); September 30, 1895 – September 25, 1980) was a Moldovan-American film director. He is known for directing '' Two Arabian Knights'' (1927) and ''All Quiet on the Weste ...

and set in the Great Depression. The film stars

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...

as Bumper, a popular New York

tramp A tramp is a long-term homeless person who travels from place to place as a vagrant, traditionally walking all year round. Etymology Tramp is derived from a Middle English verb meaning to "walk with heavy footsteps" (''cf.'' modern English ''t ...

, and both romanticizes and satirizes the hobo lifestyle into which many people were forced by the economic conditions of the time. It is noted for its heavy leftist overtones and freewheeling style. Among the production's supporting cast are

Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...

, silent comedian

Harry Langdon Harry Philmore Langdon (June 15, 1884 – December 22, 1944) was an American comedian who appeared in vaudeville, silent films (where he had his greatest fame), and talkies.Obituary ''Variety'', December 27, 1944, page 39. Life and career Bor ...

Chester Conklin Chester Cooper Conklin (January 11, 1886 – October 11, 1971) was an early American film comedian who started at Keystone Studios as one of Mack Sennett’s Keystone Cops, often paired with Mack Swain. He appeared in a series of films with Ma ...

of the

Keystone Kops The Keystone Cops (often spelled "Keystone Kops") are fictional, humorously incompetent policemen featured in silent film slapstick comedies produced by Mack Sennett for his Keystone Film Company between 1912 and 1917. History The idea for the ...

, and

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

Edgar Connor. Morgan, who portrays the Wizard in the 1939 version of '' The Wizard of Oz'', foreshadows a line in the later film when he says to Al Jolson, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home". Heart of NY

Cast

as Bumper *

Madge Evans Madge Evans (born Margherita Evans; July 1, 1909 – April 26, 1981) was an American stage and film actress.Obituary ''Variety'', April 29, 1981. She began her career as a child performer and model. Biography Child model and stage actress B ...

as June Marcher *

as Mayor John Hastings *

as Egghead *

as Sunday *

Tyler Brooke Tyler Brooke (born Victor Hugo de Bierre, June 6, 1886 – March 2, 1943) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1915 and 1943. He was born in New York, New York and died in Los Angeles, California by committi ...

as Mayor's Secretary *

Tammany Young Tammany Young (September 9, 1886 – April 26, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. Early life Born in New York City, Young appeared on Broadway in ''The Front Page'' (1928) by Ben Hecht and ''The New Yorkers'' (1930) by Herbert Fields ...

as Orlando *

Bert Roach Egbert "Bert" Roach (August 21, 1891 – February 16, 1971) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 320 films between 1914 and 1951. He was born in Washington, D.C., and died in Los Angeles, California, age 79. Selected filmogr ...

as John * Edgar Connor as Acorn *

Dorothea Wolbert Dorothea Wolbert (April 12, 1874 – September 15, 1958) was an American film actress. She appeared in more than 140 films between 1916 and 1957. She appeared on the television series '' I Love Lucy'' (with her character named Dorothea Wolb ...

as Apple Mary *

Louise Carver Louise Carver (June 9, 1869 - June 19, 1956) was an American actress who performed in grand opera, stage, nickelodeon, and motion pictures. Early years and career Born Mary Louise Steiger in Davenport, Iowa, she was the daughter of Mr. and Mr ...

as Ma Sunday

Music

The music was composed by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Lorenz Hart. The score includes the jazz standard "

You Are Too Beautiful You Are Too Beautiful is a 1932 song written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the 1933 film ''Hallelujah, I'm a Bum (film), Hallelujah, I'm a Bum'', where it was sung by Al Jolson. It became a pop and jazz standard in the 1940s, with a notabl ...

", which is played several times throughout the movie. The complete list of musical numbers in the film is: * "I Gotta Get Back to New York" * "My Pal Bumper" * "Hallelujah, I'm a Bum" * "Laying the Cornerstone" * "Sleeping Beauty" (dropped before the film was released) * "Dear June" * "Bumper Found a Grand" * "What Do You Want With Money?" * "Kangaroo Court" * "I'd Do It Again" * "

Reception

In 1998,

Jonathan Rosenbaum Jonathan Rosenbaum (born February 27, 1943) is an American film critic and author. Rosenbaum was the head film critic for ''The Chicago Reader'' from 1987 to 2008, when he retired. He has published and edited numerous books about cinema and has ...

of the '' Chicago Reader'' included the film in his unranked list of the best American films not included on the AFI Top 100.

References

External links

* * * 1933 films 1933 musical comedy films 1933 romantic comedy films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films American romantic musical films American black-and-white films Films directed by Lewis Milestone Great Depression films United Artists films 1930s romantic musical films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{romantic-musical-film-stub

Cast

Music

Reception

See also

References

External links