Party like it's 1935: Dress up and throw stuff?

Factual Questions
1

My TiVo, in one of its infrequent moments of impressively good taste, chose to record the 1935 James Cagney film G-Men for me.*

Because it’s a 1935 film, there is, of course, an obligatory musical number, at about the 12-minute mark. This takes place in a fancy nightclub, where the patrons enjoy a singing-and-dancing diva performing “Lullaby of Broadway” while backed up by a chorus-girl tap line.

But here’s the weird part: All through the song, the gowned-and-tuxedoed nightclub audience is, well, throwing crap at one another.

They appear to be having a grand time, laughing, pointing, and hucking these smallish white spheres back and forth, including, oddly, at the singer. It’s not clear in the film what’s being thrown; they appear to have the size and mass of, I’m guessing, dinner rolls. Maybe they’re lemons. Maybe they’re balled-up socks. I have no idea.

The movie doesn’t dwell on the activity, either; it just takes the combat for granted, as if the audience of the time would know what was going on. Further, the singer doesn’t break her rhythm at all when stuff hits her: she just smiles, returns fire, and keeps singing. The scene is one of near-mayhem, and it isn’t remarked at all.

What the hell kind of a party in 1935 has a black-tie crowd in a food fight?
*Eventually, if you take the time to train the machine with the up and down thumbs, it really does get the hang of what you like, and starts to grab neat stuff in the suggestions list. It’s taken over a year, though, so you may or may not want to put in the effort. Just an aside.

2

What the hell kind of a party in 1935 has a black-tie crowd in a food fight?
I remember the movie-----don’t remember the scene.

A food fight in the 30s?

That would have been unthinkable to those in the audience.

BUT-------movies then,as now, were never models of good taste or reality.

As to black tie-----no man in the average audience had ever worn one----and except for fantasy film where someone could afford dining in a ‘dinner theater’ it was all just that–Fantasy!

Mid 30s-------I remember it—didn’t like it------twenty two cents an hour-----the Lincoln Brigade--------PWA----FERA---------!

PTUI !

EZ

3

Nightclubs used to be more “audience participation.” I’m guessing these were toy trinkets that the nightclubbers were—apparently—having a grand time lobbing at each other.

In the Midnight Frolics, the girls used to throw balloons or garters at the audience, who’d toss them back and forth. One club (can’t remember which) had tiny hammers on the tables for the audience to use for applause (and as take-home gifts).

4

There’s a Three Stooges short where they play a nightclub trio named “Nil, Null And Void”, and in the course of their act, they go out and engage the customers. I’d always wondered if that, in itself, was supposed to be unusual, and now I know, thanks to Eve.

5

I’m sure the “average man” never wore a tux, but it was de rigueur for everyone going to Broadway first nights, exclusive nightclubs, formal dinner parties, balls and celebrations, testimonial dinners, and any other formal event pretty much at any time before World War II.

Not just in the U.S. but in the U.K. as well. That’s what “dressing for dinner” meant.

Of course, there were subtleties to black tie, white tie, tuxedos, tails, frock coats and all the other variations that I have little idea about so the word “tux” may not always be accurate. Whatever it was, those old movies have the dress correct.

As for throwing stuff around, I don’t know how common it was - unless F. Scott and Zelda were in the crowd. Then for sure! :slight_smile:

6

“There we was, Scott and Zelda and Dottie and Bob and I, at Tex’s joint, when Aimee Semple MacPherson shimmies in and lets loose with a coffee cup and, wham! gets me right in th’ kisser! Well, you know what them cofee cups is over at Tex’s, so I grabbed me a flask outta Doug Fairbanks’ pocket, and Mary says, “go fer it, toots,” an’ I lets fly. Aimee ducks and damned if Upton Sinclair don’t take it right on th’ beezer!”

7

"n"we all got dragged out to the maria and wound up in the sneezer while off in the distance we heard tex saying “G’nite Suckers”

Next party’ll be at a blind tiger!

For now get out the juniper berries and fill the tub!

OL’ EZ

8

Why, that would be Coffee Dan’s speakeasy in The Jazz Singer (1927).