It's an old line, for sure, but not the usual approach Kay Francis usually used in her romantic relationships. But this is not the usual Kay Francis film, as her role is secondary to Jeannette MacDonald and Jack Oakie in this delightfully silly romp from Paramount. It's a pre-code kind of film, with all kinds of humor in dubious taste, and thus quite appealing to viewers who enjoy a trip into an unrestrained Hollywood product. There must have been something in the Paramount water in the early 30's, as once in a while they released something completely off-the-wall, full of very broad humor, eccentric stunts, wild dance moves, and plot absurdities--two prime examples were directed by Leo McCarey--this one, and three years later, the comic jewel Duck Soup, with all four Marx Brothers. In between, W.C. Fields starred in Million Dollar Legs, another screwy film taking place in Klopstockia, the nation where all the men are named George and the women are named Angela, and where the office of President is decided by arm wrestling. In this film, absurdities abound, and if you like your humor more linear or sophisticated, the nonsense may not be appealing...native girls in hula skirts on a remote island speak with a "poifect Brooklyn accent," gravel-voiced Eugene Palette, a house mover, cautions his workers to handle with care, and then, naturally and continually inadvertently smashes vases to smithereens. Oakie breaks out in several tap routines with great charm and elan, and Jeanette seems to be having fun just along for the ride. It makes almost no sense at all, unlike say, Abbott and Costello or The Three Stooges, who at least follow a logical plot line, bordering if not crossing into the territory of surreal.Unfortunately, sources where this film is available in a decent quality print do not exist, and the DVDs currently available are terribly washed out with fuzzy sound; one seems to be only to see it at Museum and College Retrospectives. It's time for whoever currently controls the early Paramount product to dig these things out--especially the early Kay Francis films not available.

1930 was James Hall's busiest year, a popular leading man of the silents, talkies proved he had a pleasant, recordable voice and he could sing - an indispensable attribute in those crazy all talkie, all singie days. But even though he was the star of "Hell's Angels", by the end of the year he was on his way out - courtesy of alcohol and a reputation for being unreliable.It was advertised as "more fun than a circus" and had the usual 1930 Paramount cast - overworked supports Jack Oakie and "Skeets" Gallagher (who surprisingly didn't get a song to sing), slinky "other woman" Kay Francis, silly ass Englishman William Austin (who did get a song and was very funny) and personalities Eugene Palette and Charles Sellon. Beautiful Jeanette MacDonald who fitted into the zany proceedings perfectly, had created a splash in "The Love Parade" but musicals were on their way out and after this one Paramount dropped her. This film was so typical of what killed off the early musical cycle - stars stepping into production numbers at the drop of a hat, mediocre songs and indifferent choreography but in spite of all that this wacky film works and no one seems out of place.This terrifically fun film features MacDonald as Joan Wood, a costumer who loses her shop because all of her money is tied up in a South American bound revue with F.O.B. (Fast Outcurving Blondes)!!! James Hall plays her boyfriend Wally Wendell who has been disinherited by his grandfather (Sellon) because he refuses to marry slinky Constance (Francis) a childhood friend. Before she sails and for the edification of the tradesmen (accident prone Eugene Palette) she and Wally sing "My Mad Moment". Also shipboard are Wally's friend Basil (Austin) and taxi driver "Voltaire" (with non stop comment about his name)(Oakie) - on the run from, it seems, the whole New York police force. Typical of the weirdly conceived musical numbers is "It Seems to Be Spring" which starts as a rehearsal then becomes a wild life montage as MacDonald and Hall peel off their coats when it begins snowing!! It has some zany comedy - what starts as a couple of chaps throwing boaters into the ocean ends with a whole crowd and boaters going everywhere. The scene is set for Jack Oakie as he goes into "Joe Jazz" - which would have been great staged in the conventional way with Oakie doing his patter and the chorus cuties tapping on their boxes but there is just so much inter-cutting and over direction - the whole effect is just too busy.Suddenly the liner hits a wreck and our intrepid group find themselves shipwrecked on an island ruled by King Jerry (Gallagher) and his island sweeties ("they were part of the Virgin Islands but they drifted"!!) who have to dodge oil geysers and throw pearls around like marbles. The title song "Let's Go Native" is staged in a good innovative way as the dancers, strutting their stuff at the beach, are reflected in the water. And maybe the film's highlight - Kay Francis, in a low melodious voice, doing her own singing to "I've Gotta Yen For You". Francis who out shines MacDonald in looks and barely there costumes (Jeanette's outfit of seaweed and cocoanuts makes her look frumpy) had to be content with finding true love with "Joe Jazz".Even Paramount's musical misfires were often witty and now "Let's Go Native" can be looked as a satire to that whole crazy, lovable period.Very Recommended.

I imagine that the average film fan would tell you their leg was being pulled if you told them that Jeanette MacDonald, Jack Oakie, and Kay Francis were the leads in the same film. At the time that Let's Go Native was being made all three were newly signed to Paramount, new because all three of them had their careers made by sound.Let's Go Native has Jeanette in the role of a dress designer with a cash flow problem. She's just designed a bunch of costumes for a review, but she's sunk all her money into it and the creditors and remember this is the Depression, are at her door. The only way she can get paid is go to Buenos Aires and get her money there.Also on the cruise are a taxi driver who's taking it on the lam in order to avoid being sued for an accident and that would be Jack Oakie. And there's society girl Kay Francis and young millionaire James Hall whose father has been contriving to get those two married.A well staged shipwreck given the primitive early sound equipment strands our passengers on a deserted Virgin Island, presided over by Skeets Gallagher and a troop of native women. Everybody then settles down and plays house.Leo McCarey directed Let's Go Native who later directed some comedy classics like Duck Soup, The Awful Truth, and Ruggles Of Red Gap. Let's Go Native is hardly in their class though it has its moments.The score by Richard Whiting and George Marion is serviceable, but not memorable. Nothing here got in Jeanette MacDonald's concert repertoire. Jack Oakie has a couple of numbers he delivers with usual bumptious fashion.Had there been such an Oscar category for special effects, the shipwreck and later earthquake might have gotten Let's Go Native an award. I believe some of the footage is later used in the Bing Crosby-Carole Lombard film, We're Not Dressing.Let's Go Native is an amusing trifle, dated though and not up to what Leo McCarey later gave us.

One would expect a great sophisticated farce with magical musical moments with a cast like Kay Francis, Jeanette MacDonald and Jack Oakie. However, things just chug along and most all transitional moments rely on tired slapstick. Jeanette sings a catchy tune at the beginning before leaving onboard for Buenos Aires, but that's it for her, except for a brief dance number. Kay Francis vamps on board ship and gets to duet with Jack Oakie "I've Gotta Yen For You". Oakie is full of his usual pep -- really, they're all in their prime here, it's just a miserable script and poorly directed, by of all people, Leo McCarey. who did BELLE OF THE NINETIES,DUCK SOUP, RUGGLES OF REDGAP,THE AWFUL TRUTH(!) and AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER. What, I wonder, happened here? Only for diehard Francis and MacDonald fans.