International House is an entirely insane and hilarious romp. A bunch of wacky characters travel to Wu Hu, China in order to bid for the rights to manufacture the new invention of television. W.C. Fields is the standout here, giving perhaps the funniest performance of his early career, rivaling such other classics as The Old-Fashioned Way, You're Telling Me, and It's a Gift. But there are others in this film who are just as good. Franklin Pangborn is as easily upset as ever. Bela Lugosi turns in a wonderfully hammy performance as a Russian General. George Burns and Gracie Allen deliver one corny joke after another (most people will find them annoying in any of their films, but I find that they begin to grow on you; those jokes, I contend, are supposed to be groaners). Perhaps the only character to get lost in the proceedings is Tommy Nash (Stuart Erwin), a representative of an American company who is the front runner in the race to win television. The movie tries to make him the main character at the beginning, but, with all the other zaniness, Erwin, a straight man, is understandably left out of most of the picture. Also in this film are some amazing musical numbers, including a song entitled "Reefer Man," sung by a black jazz group. Because of the marijuana references, this segment was long thought lost. Whenever they show this film on TCM, they include that scene. Marvelous stuff, all of it. 9/10
Review of International House
