Hoop-La
- November 30, 1933 (1933-11-30)
Hoop-La is a 1933 American pre-Code drama film directed by Frank Lloyd, and starring Clara Bow (in her final film role), Preston Foster, Richard Cromwell and Minna Gombell also in the cast. The film is based on the play The Barker by Kenyon Nicholson, which was also filmed in 1928 under the same title as the play.
A version restored by the Museum of Modern Art was shown at the 2011 Classic Film Festival in Hollywood during the spring.[1]
Plot
When the sheltered and educated Chris Miller who is the son of Nifty Miller, manager of a travelling circus, shows up unexpectedly to visit his dad, Nifty wants him to turn around and go back to school. Nifty is reluctant to let him be around the circus folk. However, he is allowed to stay and work for a while; however, this means some things have to change—like Nifty and his paramour Carrie have to cool it for a while. Carrie doesn't take that at all well, and in anger pays worldly Hoochie coochie dancer Lou to seduce Chris and lure him away from his dad. Lou tries her best, and sometimes shocks the naive Chris, like when she goes skinny dipping in a pond.
However, instead of taking him for a chump, she ends up falling in love and comes clean with him; he proposes marriage. Lou thinks she's not good enough for Chris, and so does Nifty. Then Chris and Lou sneak off and get married. Needing money to leave the circus, Lou hits up Carrie for the rest of the money she promised, threatening to tell Nifty if she doesn't pay. They gather enough money to leave, but not before an angry Nifty can throw them out and tell them never to come back. Lou and Chris head for the Chicago and the World's Fair where Lou dances and Chris works in a law office. Having fallen on hard times, Lou secretly arranges for Nifty to be the barker for her dancing act. Lou knows Chris won't be happy until he makes up with his father. Nifty isn't happy; Chris explains that Lou has been making it possible for him to learn the law while she supports them with her dancing. In the end, Nifty realizes Lou is okay and forgives them both.
Cast
- Clara Bow as Lou
- Preston Foster as Nifty Miller
- Richard Cromwell as Chris Miller
- Herbert Mundin as Hap Spissel
- James Gleason as Jerry
- Minna Gombell as Carrie
- Roger Imhof as Colonel Gowdy
- Florence Roberts as Ma Benson
unbilled
- Erville Alderson as The Sheriff
- Otis Harlan as Town Councilman, Side Show Customer
- Frank Mills as Barker
- Frank Moran as Side Show Craps Player
- Charles Sellon as The Colonel, Billy's Father
Reception
The film was a box office disappointment for Fox.[2]
Remake
The same story was remade in 1945 as Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe starring Betty Grable.
References
External links
- Hoop-La at IMDb
- Hoop-La at AllMovie
- v
- t
- e
- The Gentleman from Indiana (1915)
- Jane (1915)
- The Reform Candidate (1915)
- The Tongues of Men (1916)
- The Call of the Cumberlands (1916)
- Madame la Presidente (1916)
- The Code of Marcia Gray (1916)
- David Garrick (1916)
- The Making of Maddalena (1916)
- An International Marriage (1916)
- The Stronger Love (1916)
- The Intrigue (1916)
- Sins of Her Parent (1916)
- The World and the Woman (1916)
- The Kingdom of Love (1917)
- The Price of Silence (1917)
- A Tale of Two Cities (1917)
- American Methods (1917)
- When a Man Sees Red (1917)
- Les Misérables (1917)
- The Heart of a Lion (1917)
- The Blindness of Divorce (1918)
- True Blue (1918)
- Riders of the Purple Sage (1918)
- The Rainbow Trail (1918)
- For Freedom (1918)
- The Man Hunter (1919)
- Pitfalls of a Big City (1919)
- The World and Its Woman (1919)
- The Loves of Letty (1919)
- The Woman in Room 13 (1920)
- The Silver Horde (1920)
- Madame X (1920)
- The Great Lover (1920)
- A Tale of Two Worlds (1921)
- Roads of Destiny (1921)
- A Voice in the Dark (1921)
- The Invisible Power (1921)
- The Grim Comedian (1921)
- The Man from Lost River (1921)
- The Eternal Flame (1922)
- The Sin Flood (1922)
- Oliver Twist (1922)
- The Voice from the Minaret (1923)
- Within the Law (1923)
- Ashes of Vengeance (1923)
- Black Oxen (1923)
- The Sea Hawk (1924)
- The Silent Watcher (1924)
- Her Husband's Secret (1925)
- Winds of Chance (1925)
- The Splendid Road (1925)
- The Wise Guy (1926)
- The Eagle of the Sea (1926)
- Children of Divorce (1927)
- Adoration (1928)
- Weary River (1929)
- The Divine Lady (1929)
- Drag (1929)
- Dark Streets (1929)
- Young Nowheres (1929)
- Son of the Gods (1930)
- The Way of All Men (1930)
- The Lash (1930)
- The Right of Way (1931)
- East Lynne (1931)
- The Age for Love (1931)
- A Passport to Hell (1932)
- Cavalcade (1933)
- Berkeley Square (1933)
- Hoop-La (1933)
- Servants' Entrance (1934)
- Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
- Under Two Flags (1936)
- Maid of Salem (1937)
- Wells Fargo (1937)
- If I Were King (1938)
- Rulers of the Sea (1939)
- The Howards of Virginia (1940)
- This Woman Is Mine (1941)
- The Lady from Cheyenne (1941)
- Forever and a Day (1943)
- Blood on the Sun (1945)
- The Shanghai Story (1954)
- The Last Command (1955)
- Saboteur (1942)
- The Spoilers (1942)
- Invisible Agent (1942)