Yesterday's post focused on a dramatic film, so today, let's shift to something lighter: The Cocoanuts. Directed by Robert Florey and Joseph Santley, this delightful pre-Code musical comedy (based on the 1925 musical play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Irving Berlin) is one of the films from 1929 that entered the public domain in the U.S. this year. Starring the Marx Brothers - Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo - it offers a mix of sharp wit, slapstick humor, and dazzling 1920s fashion.
According to magazine Photoplay (July 1929 issue), Charles LeMaire, original costume designer for the Broadway version of The Cocoanuts, also worked on the costumes for the Paramount film.
Set during Florida's land boom of the 1920s, the story unfolds at the Hotel de Cocoanut, run by the ever-scheming Mr. Hammer (Groucho Marx) with the help of his assistant, Jamison (Zeppo Marx). Chaos ensues when Harpo and Chico arrive, intent on swindling the guests.
Meanwhile, the wealthy Mrs. Potter (Margaret Dumont) has grand plans to marry her daughter Polly (Mary Eaton) to Harvey Yates (Cyril Ring). However, Polly is in love with struggling architect Bob Adams (Oscar Shaw), and Yates is hatching a robbery plot with his accomplice, Penelope (Kay Francis).
The film is also a feast for the eyes, capturing the essence of late-1920s fashion. Think flapper dresses adorned with fringe and sequins, elegant cloche hats, and Art Deco-inspired embellishments.
The film offers plenty of memorable fashion moments. It opens on a beach set, where one woman sports a lobster swimsuit (a playful precursor to Schiaparelli's iconic lobster dress) while another guest wears a swimsuit monogrammed with her initials, a very trendy choice at the time.
Throughout the film, we see a variety of elegant cloche hats and striking ensembles, including Penelope’s standout gowns: a sleek silk satin evening dress with a dramatic tail at the back and a second, equally captivating evening gown paired with an extravagant mantilla for the Spanish-themed party. This grand finale showcases an array of sparkling designs worn by several characters, including the Marx Brothers.
True to their comedic style, their costumes are humorously juxtaposed against the glamour of the others, creating a delightful contrast. The women's outfits, featuring fringed dresses, sequins, and Art Deco-inspired embellishments, were instead designed to dazzle under the lights and enhance movement during the dance sequences, adding a touch of glamour to every scene.
For the Spanish-themed party, Polly wears a stunningly elegant dress adorned with beaded floral embroideries and cascading fringes that flow from her shoulders for a reprise of "When My Dreams Come True" (written by Irving Berlin).
Yet, beyond the Marx Brothers' hilarious gags, some of the film's most fascinating moments come from its choreographies. Several musical numbers feature the Gamby-Hale Girls and Allan K. Foster Girls.
In one sequence, the dancers, dressed as bellhops, sit on the hotel steps and create a vibrant hand and arm choreography, almost a precursor to the intricate style of modern choreographies by Sadeck Waff.
Another standout performance is an en pointe number where the dancers wear Spanish costumes and form geometric, kaleidoscopic patterns. Captured with an overhead camera, this sequence was particularly striking for audiences at the time, offering a fresh and innovative perspective.
Interestingly, these musical numbers were not pre-recorded but shot live on the soundstage with an off-camera orchestra, a challenging feat given the technical limitations of early sound cinema.
The overhead shots, with their symmetrical, kaleidoscopic visuals, evoke the style that would later be perfected in the 1930s by Busby Berkeley who transformed dance routines into surreal, larger-than-life spectacles.
For fashion designers, this is the kind of sequence worth studying. While costumes are undeniably crucial, choreographies like these ones shot from above can inspire creative patterns for prints. So, fashion design students, whenever you watch films from this era, pay close attention to these moments, they're treasure troves of artistic ideas.
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