Tale of two Presidents or THE WHICH BLAIR PROJECT (I can’t take credit for that one, I read it on IMDB and it’s brilliant). Norman Taurog’s direction plays like a 78-minute vaudeville sketch, as the musical patter is embedded within the narrative with George M. Cohan’s dancing and Jimmy Durante’s verbal gymnastics keeping things lively. This is no pointed political parody or satire involving real issues concerning the 1932 presidential election, it’s a lightweight comedy about a lively doppelganger versus his parallel Presidential prospect (both to his paramour and public) who wins their affections. Its superficial contempt of politics goes no further than its Medicine Show theatrics, and the hopeful conclusion seems more critical of the voters than of its duplicitous candidates!
George Cohan plays twin parts, Presidential hopeful Theodore Blair and the 13-herb medicine salesman, Doc Varney. Blair’s staff recognizes that the only attribute keeping him from winning the oncoming election is his dull personality (he just needs some sex appeal!) and they soon discover an exact duplicate in Varney, a vaudeville performer with lots of character. Their plan is to deceive the public: let Varney do all the speaking and Blair make all the decisions. After the election, they connive to pack Varney to Antarctica to live with the seals to keep their secret, well, secret! Interesting observations: Blair’s staff includes a mature woman who dresses in men’s clothing and a bespectacled effeminate male advisor, both of whom hold equal standing with the older white men in his entourage, and their appearance is never questioned or parodied. The woman keeps lecturing about Blair’s lack of sex appeal! This inclusiveness almost makes up for the blackface performance by Cohan (as Varney) during the Medicine Show routine. Jimmy Durante and his schnozzola dominate every scene, lending physicality to his most unfunny lines!
The music is rather mundane and forgettable though interestingly photographed: in the opening scene, presidential portraits come to life and sing about the upcoming election, as the camera begins at a high angle then moves towards a medium shot of the four portraits. Cool. I haven’t seen much of DP David Abel’s work, but he brings a few flourishes to an otherwise static narrative that captures singing and dancing in mostly long take and medium shot. Compositions are tight and the split-screen effect is wonderfully realized, as timing of dialogue and framing is nearly perfect. Claudette Colbert is adorable as the daughter of an ex-president and love interest, who can’t be easily fooled and catches on rather quickly. I like this fact because it would have been easy to write a “dumb woman” part and play the confusion for laughs…at her expense. Overall, a silly affair that trades political caustics for chortles.
Final Grade: (C)