IMDb RATING
6.1/10
681
YOUR RATING
A barker at a down-at-the-heels carnival becomes a powerhouse New York publicity man as he transforms a sideshow dancer into a Broadway sensation.A barker at a down-at-the-heels carnival becomes a powerhouse New York publicity man as he transforms a sideshow dancer into a Broadway sensation.A barker at a down-at-the-heels carnival becomes a powerhouse New York publicity man as he transforms a sideshow dancer into a Broadway sensation.
- Awards
- 1 win
Asta
- Dog in Butcher Shop
- (uncredited)
Frank Austin
- First Man with Guilty Conscience
- (uncredited)
Brooks Benedict
- Lion Gag Congratulator
- (uncredited)
Charles Dow Clark
- Sheriff
- (uncredited)
James Donlan
- Lou - Press Agent
- (uncredited)
Jay Eaton
- Hotel Desk Clerk
- (uncredited)
Bess Flowers
- Miss Flowers - Bates' Secretary
- (uncredited)
Theresa Harris
- Emily - Teresita's Maid
- (uncredited)
Thomas E. Jackson
- Marshall - Farrell's Assistant
- (uncredited)
Si Jenks
- Rube with Beard in Audience
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaComposer Max Steiner plays the conductor of the Broadway show. (He also can be seen conducting the studio orchestra in the opening titles of RKO's Girl Crazy (1932) the same year.)
- GoofsShirley Chambers' onscreen character name is "Gladys", but she says her name is "Ella Beebee". She is never called Gladys.
- Quotes
James 'Jimmy' Bates: And one more thing, you give them what they think they want and they'll want what they think you give them. As we say in trigonometry, A-B-C ,1-2-3, 2 and 2 makes 4.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Great Performances: Music for the Movies: The Hollywood Sound (1995)
- SoundtracksO! Mister Carpenter
(1932) (uncredited)
Lyrics by Edward Eliscu
Music by Harry Akst
Performed several times by Lupe Velez, often with Lee Tracy on piano
Also used as background music
Featured review
Showcase for A Great Comic Actor
Lee Tracy, too little known today, is one of the all-time great comic actors and a personal favorite of mine. He was the original Hildy Johnson in The Front Page on Broadway and although his major films are not numerous, each is a delight. Blessed Event with co-star Dick Powell and Bombshell with co-star Jean Harlow are gems long beloved by Thirties film buffs, but even they may not have seen The Half-Naked Truth, which is a pure jolt of the Lee Tracy magic. His physical and vocal presence are uniquely and unmistakably his: the lankily elastic body, the whirling-dervish energy, the sarcastic tone, the long fingers that always seem to be jabbing in someone's direction. There's not another screen actor I can think of who has quite the manic joie de vivre of the young Tracy. In The Half-Naked Truth, he plays a carnival barker and theatrical promoter who will go to any insane lengths to hog headlines (a very contemporary figure for us!). He's paired with Lupe "Mexican Spitfire" Velez, who proves to be an extremely apt partner for him; you believe in these two together, and that makes their final scene surprisingly emotional. (Tracy's magnetism definitely has its romantic aspect; watching Bombshell, an audience can be driven to heights of frustration waiting for Tracy and Harlow to realize that they are, in fact, perfect for one another.) The wonderful ending of The Half-Naked Truth also crystallizes the Tracy credo in a single line: "What good is life if you don't get some fun out of it?" You can have some of that fun by watching this film.
- mark_r_harris
- Jun 20, 2000
- Permalink
Details
- Runtime1 hour 17 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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