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It is a performances centric movie

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

"Palmy Days" opens with a teasing, sexy music number set at an ideal bakery where all the employees are young, beautiful, athletic and barely dressed women! It's as pre-code as it gets (the song is called "Bend down, sister" - and they sure do!), and Busby Berkeley's magical, psychedelic choreography is magnificent. This is followed by a hilarious comic segment with Eddie Cantor as a fake medium's assistant, messing up a seance. At this point, I was already prepared to declare "Palmy Days" better than "Whoopee!", Cantor's previous (and first) movie vehicle. But the rest of the movie does not stay on that level. This time, Cantor's comedy misses about as often as it hits, like in his terrible blackface routine or his "quacking" (which should have been a single-scene gag). Fortunately, there is another great, crazy Berkeley number near the end. Charlotte Greenwood is an energetic and physical partner for Cantor, and the largely unknown Barbara Weeks is about as beautiful as any other famous actress of her day. **1/2 out of 4.

Palmy Days was Eddie Cantor's first original feature film, the previous two Kid Boots and Whoopee were film adaptions of Cantor's previous Broadway successes that presumably carried built in audiences. Palmy Days could be said to be Cantor's first personal film success. It sure came at a time he needed it because being wiped out in the stock market crash Cantor was working real hard to rebuild his nest egg and support his wife and five daughters.His innocent schnook character who turns the tables often on bigger and cleverer foes was finding real appeal with the movie going public. Cantor works for phony psychic Charles Middleton working all the special effects to convince Middleton's marks during séances that their dearly departed are actually communicating with them. One of Middleton's bigger suckers is bakery owner Spencer Charters who employs a flock of beautiful Goldwyn Girls as his bakers. Cantor who's been abused by Middleton decides to trip up one of his cons by getting a job at Charters's bakery, but Charters mistakes him for someone else and hires him as an efficiency expert. You have to love some of Cantor's brilliant ideas like sawing the corners of Charters's desk so that folks would not be tempted to linger awhile sitting on said corners and taking up his time.Eddie also hooks up with Amazonian physical culturist Charlotte Greenwood who is always a delight. The two worked well together, they should have done more joint films. Charlotte also has the first musical number in the film Bend Down Sister or exercising with the Goldwyn Girls. Busby Berkeley did the choreography and while he hadn't really reached the creative heights as he did with Warner Brothers his style is unmistakable.Cantor gets two numbers My Baby Said Yes Yes and There's Nothing Too Good For My Baby. Both are delivered in his quick tempo style, Michael Jackson had nothing on Eddie Cantor when it came to moving about on stage.Of course Middleton is down, but not out. Cantor and Greenwood have a hilarious climax with Middleton and his two torpedoes Harry Woods and George Raft in the bakery. This was one of Raft's earliest films and he barely gets any dialog, but casting him as a gangster was definitely something he could always handle.Palmy Days holds up well after more than 80 years, it's classic comedy is timeless and the film is great introduction to one of the funniest men of the last century Eddie Cantor.

The other more knowledgeable reviewers have given comprehensive overviews of this movie so I'll stick to giving reasons for why I rate this as one of my favourite American musicals of all time.Charlotte Greenwood, she of the L O N G legs and faultless timing. This is one of three movies in which Miss Greenwood, for me anyway, made those movies worth watching time and time again, the others being "Springtime in the Rockies" and "The Gang's All Here". Her appearances are a joy to behold; she never puts a foot (or leg) wrong, and delivers lines as only she can. Wow, what a gal! The musical numbers. Yes, there are only three of 'em, but what great numbers. The best is "Bend Down, Sister", consisting of a magical song I've whistled my way through at least a couple of times every week for the past 40 years.Eddie Cantor. A unique talent, along the lines of Al Jolson. I remember Eddie in the early days of television; he could always deliver a song which would keep me transfixed, unlike most of the other singers appearing on television at the time. When I finally caught up with his early musicals in the 1960s, it was a revelation.Here's to you, Eddie, Charlotte and of course, The Master, Busby Berkeley!

How can you NOT like Eddie Cantor? Even after all those years, his charisma is absolutely intact. You look at those big dark sad eyes once and you fall in love with that very generous and charismatic performer. He was a dynamo. And so cute! He spares nothing to please you and it is very effective. He's not that good a singer, though. He had a too high-pitched voice.And what about the great Charlotte Greenwood! How do I adore that strong performer with her high kicks, her almost frightening physical stamina and energy, her generosity! She's old-school all right and very, very entertaining. She never fails to give you a very great time. She's a scene stealer too. But we love her even more for it! See it if only for her as well as all the other movies she's in! As for the plot, well, it is a pure slapstick comedy. You have to like the genre but if you do as I do, you'll like the movie.Interesting to see a glimpse of Betty Grable as a teenager. Try to find her! Haha! One wishes she would have at least one scene with Eddie Cantor.See it, it's good.