https://threestooges.net/filmography/episode/284https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026232/I, the
great PAUL PAIN, the heartthrob of
millions, am reviewing a movie talkie. Yes, this is breaking news, folks.
Why? I can say that I have watched CORN ON THE COP, HIS FIRST FLAME, and a few other shorts that Shemp Howard did between 1933 and 1935, but those videos have been removed from the internet. So why CONVENTION GIRL? Ironically, yesterday this movie was the featured film on the ThreeStooges.net homepage. However, that's not why I chose this. I chose it because CONVENTION GIRL is special in Stooge lore.
This is the only time Shemp Howard, the great comedian once promoted as "The Ugliest Man in Hollywood," plays a straight, dramatic role. Not only is this statement true, but Shemp even is the villain of the film. Yes, you read that right; Shemp is the bad guy in a drama.
The plot is a pretty tired old plot that we've all seen hundreds of times across various productions over the years, but this is one that stretches the rules of the Hays Code because the heroine runs a female escort business and her boyfriend runs a speakeasy. There are some interesting twists, but nothing too special.
The plot moves along all right and has a funny subplot. Yes, to make this stranger, there is a comedic subplot that doesn't involve Shemp. I love the way the convention man's battleaxe wife behaves as she chases him all over Atlantic City.
The song and dance numbers are OK, I guess. They added 10 minutes of unnecessary footage, but they were added to give some spotlight to Isham Jones and his orchestra. The scenes of Atlantic City were pretty cool as this was filmed on location.
Shemp is the main point of discussion here. Shemp plays a gangster, fraudster, robber, and assassin in this, and he does a darned good job of it too! He even gets away with his crimes! There are moments where he slips in character and plays it more like comedic Shemp. I have to give it to him: Shemp is good in this. He doesn't get much screen time really, but he convincingly moves the plot along as his actions drive most of what happens in the second half.
The acting and plot isn't the greatest, but for a film studio that had most of it's success pre-Code and for the performance given by Shemp, I have to give this...
7/10