... in other words, they nailed it!
This is a Warner Bros production which deserves to be much better known. A political satire, rather than having a Democrat and Republican party, this film has a Progressive and Conservative party subbing for them, respectively. The scene opens on the 'Progressive Party' being deadlocked in its election of a candidate for governor. To break the deadlock, one of the officials proposes nominating an unknown - a 'dark horse' - in order to bust the vote open. Enter Zachary Hicks (Guy Kibbee) of whom it is said "...every time he opens his mouth he reduces the sum total of human knowledge!"
Helping this prize chump is secretary Bette Davis, the girlfriend of ace campaign manager Hal Blake (Warren William), who offers up Blake's services in putting Hicks over with the voters. Blake has no scruples in promoting Hicks by fair means or foul. Since Hicks could never come up with an original thought of his own, Blake has him memorize one of Abraham Lincoln's speeches for a debate appearance. This almost ends in disaster when Conservative candidate Berton Churchill gets to make his opening remarks first and begins to recite the same speech Blake gave Hicks to memorize. But, of course, Blake gets his candidate out of this scrape and makes the Conservative candidate look ridiculous in the process.
Another monkey-wrench is thrown in when Vivienne Osborne shows up as Blake's scheming money-hungry ex-wife, demanding her alimony and threatening Blake with jail. She also comes in handy when the Conservative party uses her to try and throw Hicks into a love nest scandal that would end his chances at election, for considerable financial renumeration, of course.
This came out about six months before the presidential election of 1932 when the American public was feeling especially uncharitable towards politicians and this film tapped into that sentiment. With a crackling script by Daryl F. Zanuck under a pseudonym, this is a very funny and fast moving little movie.
This is a Warner Bros production which deserves to be much better known. A political satire, rather than having a Democrat and Republican party, this film has a Progressive and Conservative party subbing for them, respectively. The scene opens on the 'Progressive Party' being deadlocked in its election of a candidate for governor. To break the deadlock, one of the officials proposes nominating an unknown - a 'dark horse' - in order to bust the vote open. Enter Zachary Hicks (Guy Kibbee) of whom it is said "...every time he opens his mouth he reduces the sum total of human knowledge!"
Helping this prize chump is secretary Bette Davis, the girlfriend of ace campaign manager Hal Blake (Warren William), who offers up Blake's services in putting Hicks over with the voters. Blake has no scruples in promoting Hicks by fair means or foul. Since Hicks could never come up with an original thought of his own, Blake has him memorize one of Abraham Lincoln's speeches for a debate appearance. This almost ends in disaster when Conservative candidate Berton Churchill gets to make his opening remarks first and begins to recite the same speech Blake gave Hicks to memorize. But, of course, Blake gets his candidate out of this scrape and makes the Conservative candidate look ridiculous in the process.
Another monkey-wrench is thrown in when Vivienne Osborne shows up as Blake's scheming money-hungry ex-wife, demanding her alimony and threatening Blake with jail. She also comes in handy when the Conservative party uses her to try and throw Hicks into a love nest scandal that would end his chances at election, for considerable financial renumeration, of course.
This came out about six months before the presidential election of 1932 when the American public was feeling especially uncharitable towards politicians and this film tapped into that sentiment. With a crackling script by Daryl F. Zanuck under a pseudonym, this is a very funny and fast moving little movie.