The Duke Is Tops (1938)

Directed by William Nolte. Starring Ralph Cooper, Laurence Criner, Lena Horne, Monte Haley, Neva Peoples, Edward Thompson, Vernon McCalla.

Early “race film” features Ralph Cooper as the titular promoter working to drum up interest in a bush-league traveling show after allowing his star attraction (Horne, her starring film debut) move on to the big time. With hardly any semblance of a story, it’s not without its wheezy charms, although the pic would’ve benefited from more (and better) song numbers instead of reserving almost all of them for the last few reels. Laurence Criner has one or two sharp moments as a down-on-his-luck snake oil salesman. Worth a look almost exclusively for those thirsty for its “puttin’ on a nightclub revue” type. Specialty acts and singing groups like The Cats and the Fiddle, Rubberneck Holmes, and Willie Covan (of The Four Covans) appear.

59/100