Shoot the Works (1934) DVD-R

Starring Jack Oakie, Ben Bernie, Dorothy Dell, Alison Skipworth, Roscoe
Karns, Arline Judge, William Frawley
Directed by Wesley Ruggles

Print: black/white
Runtime: 64 min.
Genre: musical
Print Quality: B

The Ben Hecht-Gene Fowler Broadway flop The Great Magoo formed the
basis of the 1934 Paramount comedy Shoot the Works. Jack Oakie stars as
seedy sideshow barker Nicky, who uses everyone he meets to get ahead.
Nicky isn't even above exploiting his singing sweetheart Lily (Dorothy
Dell) to suit his purposes, but this time it is he who ends up the loser -- at
least until he gets wise to himself. Bandleader-comedian Ben Bernie and
perennial second lead Arline Judge contribute a few laughs, but the hit of
the show is gorgeous Dorothy Dell, who tragically died in a car crash just
before this film was released. Shoot the Works was remade by Bob Hope
as Some Like It Hot (1939).