Tonight's Movie: Artists and Models (1937) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Earlier this month I very much enjoyed Jack Benny in the comedy MAN ABOUT TOWN (1939), which is part of a new two-film set of Paramount Pictures films from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

Alas, I cannot say I felt the same about the other movie in the set, ARTISTS AND MODELS (1937).

ARTISTS AND MODELS is a confusing, nearly plotless mishmash in which Benny plays Mac Brewster. Mac's struggling ad agency will be rescued by a new account in which he finds the "Townsend Girl" to advertise silver for a company owned by wealthy Alan Townsend (Richard Arlen).

The new "Townsend Girl" will also be featured as queen at an Artists and Models Ball.

Paula Sewell (Ida Lupino) and Cynthia Wentworth (Gail Patrick) are both competing to be the Townsend Girl, and somehow they also each end up engaged to Mac...while Alan loves Paula.

That's pretty much the plot, such as it is. What makes the movie hard to follow is an endless stream of disconnected musical numbers performed by the likes of Judy Canova, Ben Blue, and Connee Boswell (billed Connie).

The songs are simply dropped into the middle of the story in rather bizarre ways. They don't advance the action or, in some cases, appear as part of a show performance. An opening number is particularly annoying as it provides no understanding of the plot and essentially delays the start of the movie. It makes one wonder who at the studio was watching the footage and thought they were turning out a good film.

The one really good number, "Public Melody Number One," features Martha Raye and Louis Armstrong. Raye performs in blackface, as was common in the era, but otherwise the number stands out as quite stylishly presented. I gasped "No wonder!" upon learning that this lone number was staged by the great Vincente Minnelli.

Otherwise the beautiful Patrick is quite cute in her pursuit of Benny, and they're charming together, but despite a great cast that's about all there is to the movie. It's a rather long 97 minutes.

ARTISTS AND MODELS was directed by Raoul Walsh, which I found rather fascinating. It was filmed in black and white by Victor Milner. There were too many screenplay contributors to name.

The Kino Lorber Blu-ray print is from a new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35mm fine grain. It looks excellent, with good sound quality.

Extras consist of a commentary track by Eddy Von Mueller; the trailer, newly mastered in 2K; and the nine-film trailer gallery previously mentioned in my review of MAN ABOUT TOWN.

As always, I'm glad to have the chance to see even an iffy movie in the best condition possible and appreciate Kino Lorber making it possible.

I recommend getting this collection for MAN ABOUT TOWN, which I thought was quite fun, and perhaps simply considering that ARTISTS AND MODELS is an extra. If nothing else, it's worth seeing for Louis Armstrong and the early work of one of the great musical directors, Vincente Minnelli.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a copy of this Blu-ray collection.

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