Every Day’s a Holiday (1937)

Had Every Day’s a Holiday been made a few years earlier, it would most likely have been considerably funnier. By 1937, censors were forcing Mae West and her particular brand of comedy to undergo a "watering down" that took a great deal of life out of the great comic’s films. Still, even diluted, Holiday is a moderately entertaining vehicle for West — and just to make sure there’s no doubt as to whose vehicle this is, West made sure there were no other female roles of any consequence whatsoever. Whether she had any hand in the choosing of Edmond Lowe as her co-star is debatable, but his casting also means that she doesn’t have to worry about the male lead stealing any of her thunder. Lowe is adequate, but uninspired. Of more concern to West would be the supporting cast, starting with the excellent Lloyd Nolan turning in a beautiful villainous performance and also including the fine comedic talents of Charles Biutterworth, Charles Winninger, and Walter Catlett. But West is more than able to take any scene that seems to be going their way and steal it back with a mere nod of the head or slight wiggle of the hips. Whether cutting through a window to steal a mannequin’s outfit or pretending to be the most ridiculous French chanteuse ever, West is a delight to behold. Every Day’s a Holiday may not be all that it should have been, but with Mae West on board, there’s enough to keep the audience entertained.

 1937, B&W, 79 minutes