Yes, this movie was heralded as Sue's comeback feature. Fox saw her as their own "It" girl and she was featured as a flapper in picture after picture - too many, because there came a time when Dixie Lee, who was always "the friend", suddenly started getting a big build up (and deservedly so). That was in 1929. In 1930 Sue was the ingenue in RKO's "Check and Double Check", a movie that became one of the biggest money makers of the year - all because of Amos and Andy. They were top radio stars played by white actors, Freeman F. Godsen and Charles J. Correll, in black face. The publicity for the film was enormous, coinciding with an Amos and Andy candy bar, which went a long way toward the films popularity - not for any artistic merit. RKO thought it had made a great deal when it signed the comics who turned down offers from Warners and Paramount, to take $250,000 plus 50% of the net profits but the comics were difficult. They wouldn't be photographed without their makeup and refused to give interviews about their personal lives. Fortunately there was no second movie, the audiences had turned up just for the novelty value of seeing their radio favourites in the flesh.
Amos (Godsen) and Andy (Correll) are the proud owners of the Fresh Air Taxi Cab Company of America. Andy is the brains of the pair (he thinks) and really likes to put Amos down. Kingfish (Russ Powell) has a big job for the boys - he wants them to take Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra to a party and be back in time for their lodge meeting of the Mystic Knights of the Sea. The band is over two hours late to play at the birthday party of Jean (Sue Carol) who is due to announce her engagement to Richard (Charles Morton). He, in turn, is eager to search his grandfather's vacant house in Harlem for a deed that will make his fortune. Overhearing the conversation is the villain of the movie, Ralph Crawford (Ralf Harolde of course) - you know he is a villain because you first see him beating a horse!!! He is determined to go to the house and find the deed for himself. Surprise, Surprise - it just so happens that the home that interests Ralph and Richard so much is the house where Amos and Andy have to spend the night - it is an old lodge custom. They are searching for a paper that says "Check and Double Check" on it and of course they meet Ralph, papers get exchanged, Amos and Andy keep the deed and Ralph gleefully pockets the paper with "Check and Double Check" on it. The boys are pleased to present the deed to Richard, who is an old friend from down South.
Aside from the fantastic Duke Ellington, who's ten minute music session not only helped his career but bought a lot of patrons to the theatre, the lasting appeal of the movie was the song "Three Little Words" - sung by an unseen Rhythm Boys (featuring Bing Crosby). Harry Ruby remembered "Everybody predicted the song would be a flop. It was nearly dropped from the movie but it became an overnight hit".
Amos (Godsen) and Andy (Correll) are the proud owners of the Fresh Air Taxi Cab Company of America. Andy is the brains of the pair (he thinks) and really likes to put Amos down. Kingfish (Russ Powell) has a big job for the boys - he wants them to take Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra to a party and be back in time for their lodge meeting of the Mystic Knights of the Sea. The band is over two hours late to play at the birthday party of Jean (Sue Carol) who is due to announce her engagement to Richard (Charles Morton). He, in turn, is eager to search his grandfather's vacant house in Harlem for a deed that will make his fortune. Overhearing the conversation is the villain of the movie, Ralph Crawford (Ralf Harolde of course) - you know he is a villain because you first see him beating a horse!!! He is determined to go to the house and find the deed for himself. Surprise, Surprise - it just so happens that the home that interests Ralph and Richard so much is the house where Amos and Andy have to spend the night - it is an old lodge custom. They are searching for a paper that says "Check and Double Check" on it and of course they meet Ralph, papers get exchanged, Amos and Andy keep the deed and Ralph gleefully pockets the paper with "Check and Double Check" on it. The boys are pleased to present the deed to Richard, who is an old friend from down South.
Aside from the fantastic Duke Ellington, who's ten minute music session not only helped his career but bought a lot of patrons to the theatre, the lasting appeal of the movie was the song "Three Little Words" - sung by an unseen Rhythm Boys (featuring Bing Crosby). Harry Ruby remembered "Everybody predicted the song would be a flop. It was nearly dropped from the movie but it became an overnight hit".