A Hula Honeymoon

In a breezy tableau of 1920s escapism, the modest Mr. Smudge, a clerk of unremarkable ambition, and his vivacious wife, Mrs. Smudge, a former chorus girl with a penchant for mischief, stumble upon a contest that promises an all‑expenses‑paid honeymoon in Honolulu. Their victory, announced amidst the clatter of a downtown lottery hall, propels the couple from the soot‑stained alleys of their hometown to the sun‑kissed cliffs of the Hawaiian archipelago. Upon arrival, the Smudges are greeted by a cadre of flamboyant locals, including the charismatic tour guide Earle Rodney, whose wry commentary frames the island’s exotic allure. The narrative unfurls as a series of comedic set‑pieces: a botched surf lesson that leaves Mr. Smudge tangled in seaweed, a moonlit luau where Mrs. Smudge’s flirtatious dance draws the ire of a jealous plantation owner, and a series of misunderstandings that culminate in a mistaken identity at a high‑society garden party. Throughout, the screenplay, penned by Walter Graham, interlaces slapstick with a subtle critique of the era’s romantic idealism, juxtaposing the Smudges’ earnest yearning for intimacy against the performative expectations of Hawaiian tourism. The climax arrives when a bureaucratic blunder threatens to revoke the couple’s lodging, prompting a frantic appeal to the island’s governor, portrayed with dignified gravitas by Henry Murdock. In a final tableau of reconciliation, the Smudges, having navigated cultural faux pas and personal insecurities, rediscover their affection on a secluded beach, the tide whispering promises of enduring partnership.