{"id":18062,"date":"2011-06-27T13:48:50","date_gmt":"2011-06-27T20:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18062"},"modified":"2022-07-02T17:23:24","modified_gmt":"2022-07-03T00:23:24","slug":"international-house-1933","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18062","title":{"rendered":"International House (1933)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;That guy&#8217;s invention must be plenty hot to drag us from all around the world like this.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Poster-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-18063\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Poster-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Poster.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA group of eclectic individuals &#8212; including a wealthy socialite (Peggy Hopkins Joyce), her jealous ex-husband (Bela Lugosi), and a professor flying an &#8220;auto-gyro&#8221; (W.C. Fields) &#8212; all gather in the town of Wu Hu, China to bid on an invention created by Dr. Wong (Edmund Breese).\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bela Lugosi Films<\/li>\n<li>China<\/li>\n<li>Comedy<\/li>\n<li>Ensemble Films<\/li>\n<li>George Burns Films<\/li>\n<li>Inventors<\/li>\n<li>W.C. Fields Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nEssentially a comedic variety show (some have likened it to &#8220;radio on-screen&#8221;), this typically bizarre W.C. Fields film (he&#8217;s not top-billed, but might as well have been) whizzes by in a flurry of vignettes featuring big-name stars of the era &#8212; many of whom are now forgotten, but some of whom remain a delight to see in their prime. George Burns and Gracie Allen, for instance, are given several moments of screentime to perform their characteristically deadpan banter together, while Cab Calloway&#8217;s band offers an energetic rendition of &#8220;Reefer Man&#8221; (ah, Pre-Code times!). The infamous socialite <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Peggy_Hopkins_Joyce\">Peggy Hopkins Joyce<\/a> does a surprisingly fine job playing herself, and may be of minor cultural interest to some viewers as well. Be forewarned: the central plot device is merely a MacGuffin to get all these random characters together. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>George Burns&#8217; and Gracie Allen&#8217;s comedic rapport<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Burns.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Burns.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"400\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Burns.png 528w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Burns-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Burns-300x227.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>A fun Pre-Code sensibility<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Pre-Code.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Pre-Code.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"400\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18067\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Pre-Code.png 528w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Pre-Code-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Pre-Code-300x227.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The truly surreal teapcup\/mug dance<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"400\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18068\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup.png 528w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup-300x227.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"400\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-18069\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup2.png 528w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/International-House-Teacup2-300x227.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 528px) 100vw, 528px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Typically enjoyable (Pre-Code) one-liners by Fields:<br \/>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Peggy<\/strong>: I wonder what their parents were?<br \/>\n<strong>Fields:<\/strong> Careless, my little dove cake, careless. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s certainly worth a look. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0024183\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1933\/05\/27\/archives\/wild-fan.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=1097&#038;aff=13\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/moria.co.nz\/sciencefiction\/internationalhouse.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/79305\/international-house#articles-reviews?articleId=88226\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/film\/reviews\/76071\/international_house.html\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;That guy&#8217;s invention must be plenty hot to drag us from all around the world like this.&#8221; Synopsis: A group of eclectic individuals &#8212; including a wealthy socialite (Peggy Hopkins Joyce), her jealous ex-husband (Bela Lugosi), and a professor flying an &#8220;auto-gyro&#8221; (W.C. Fields) &#8212; all gather in the town of Wu Hu, China to bid on an invention created by Dr. Wong (Edmund Breese). Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Bela Lugosi Films China Comedy Ensemble Films George Burns Films&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=18062\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18062","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18062","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18062"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18062\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85161,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18062\/revisions\/85161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18062"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18062"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18062"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}