Hallelujah I'm a Bum (Happy Go Lucky) (Lazy Bones) (The Heart of New York) (1932)

100% of critics liked it
(7 reviews)
72% of users liked it
(241 ratings)

Joe Smith and Charlie Dale, the Jewish-dialect comedy team famous for their "Dr. Kronkheit" sketch, provide comic relief in Heart of New York, a filmization of Smith and Dale's Broadway hit Mendel Inc. The team costars with another Hebraic comedian, George Sidney, who portrays good-natured plumber… More Joe Smith and Charlie Dale, the Jewish-dialect comedy team famous for their "Dr. Kronkheit" sketch, provide comic relief in Heart of New York, a filmization of Smith and Dale's Broadway hit Mendel Inc. The team costars with another Hebraic comedian, George Sidney, who portrays good-natured plumber Mendel Maranta. Mendel goes into business for himself after inventing a revolutionary washing machine, accruing wealth beyond his wildest dreams. The ex-plumber learns all too soon that money and happiness are not necessarily hand-in-hand commodities, especially in dealing with the romantic misadventures of daughter Marion Byron. Smith and Dale portray Schnapps and Strudel, a pair of bickering professional matchmakers. The team never became full-fledged movie stars, but Heart of New York showcases their talents to excellent advantage. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 14 min.
Directed By: Lewis Milestone
Written By: S. N. Behrman, Ben Hecht
Genres: Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Feb 3, 1933 Wide
On DVD: Feb 5, 2002

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A whimsical, offbeat and somewhat original Depression-era musical comedy.
Steve Crum, Kansas City Kansan
Jolson's best acting; great Rodgers & Hart score; quirky rhymed dialogue
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Yeah, it's all too conscious, but it's brilliantly so.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner
A very strange, pre-code, quasi-musical with a socialist message and a talking performance by silent comic Harry Langdon.

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Stella D

a whimsical and progressive pre-code musical that's likely jolson's best film. instead of blackface, he gets a black sidekick and terrific songs by rodgers and hart. the film flopped perhaps because people couldn't stomach one of the richest men in hollywood singing of… More
a whimsical and progressive pre-code musical that's likely jolson's best film. instead of blackface, he gets a black sidekick and terrific songs by rodgers and hart. the film flopped perhaps because people couldn't stomach one of the richest men in hollywood singing of the joys of vagrancy at the height of the depression, but it's still charming and a great display of jolson's talent. btw, the description here is for a different film (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021829/) by mervyn leroy

Cast
            
            George Sidney (I)
            
            Joe Smith
            
            Charles Dale
            
            Aline MacMahon
            
            Anna Appel
            
            Ann Brody
            
            Marion Byron
            
            Charles Coleman
            
            Donald Cook
            
            Ruth Hall
            
            Al Jolson as Bumper

            George MacFarlane
            
            Frank Morgan as Mayor Hastings

            Harold Waldridge
            
            Oscar Apfel
            
            Madge Evans as June Marcher

            Harry Langdon as Egghead

            Chester Conklin as Sunday

            Tyler Brooke as Mayor's secretary

            Tammany Young as Orlando

            Bert Roach as John

            Edgar Connor as Acorn

            Dorothea Wolbert as Apple Mary

            Louise Carver as Ma Sunday

            Burr McIntosh
            
            Lorenz Hart as Bank Teller

            Richard Rodgers as Photograper's assistant

            Harold Goodwin
            
See full cast