Hollywood Revue of 1929

It’s hard to criticize a movie like Hollywood Revue of 1929, because it has no story to tell, it is a series of musical numbers and comedy skits strung together over the course of two hours.  It’s the equivalent of watching a high school talent show; the only exception being that the performers are some of biggest stars of the day as opposed to awkward teenagers hoping to make a name for themselves. Indeed, the Hollywood Revue of 1929 was a novelty film to cash in on the latest craze in motion pictures – sound; it was, rather inexplicably, nominated for Best Picture at the 1928/29 Academy Awards (it lost to The Broadway Melody).

For the audience of the time, it must have been pretty jaw dropping to see some of their favorite silence actors speaking and singing on the big screen. In a few cases (specifically and tragically John Gilbert), the voices of the actors did not live up to their silent screen image and their film careers would come to an abrupt end.  The problem is that the novelty has worn out for modern audiences, most of whom are oblivious to half the actors in the cast, and, as a result, Hollywood Revue is an extremely arduous task to sit through; this has more to do with the unimaginative staging (and primitive sound recording) than the actual talent on display.  It is photographed like a stage play, done in complete long shots and extended takes with on occasional close up of the performer to create a dramatic effect.  The camera, for most part, remains stationary throughout the film; there are a few instances where a crane shot is used. Sometimes this stylistic choice can be beneficial, the most memorable example being Laurel and Hardy’s comedy skit, but it gets tiresome really fast. It’s also amazing just how slopping the editing is at the times; the film looks like it was edited with a chainsaw.  The jarring moments are when the position of the chorus girls will slightly change between camera sets up.

There are a few fairly offbeat moments in the movie; the two that really come to mind are William Haines ripping apart Jack Benny’s tuxedo shirt and Bessie Love making her introduction in Jack Benny’s inside coat pocket.  The comedy bit with Haines is extremely odd as if comes completely out of nowhere; The two of them banter back and forth, then Haines starts ripping apart Benny’s shirt.  Bessie Love’s introduction is a stand out moment, because it’s one of the few moments that involve a special effect.  Love is miniaturized in Benny’s pocket and does a little wave to the audience. Benny picks her up, places her on the stage floor, and then she grows to her normal height.  It’s really weird directorial decisions, but at least it’s interesting, if not entirely successful.

The movie, for all its flaws, still manages to have a few memorable moments that make it worthwhile. My favorite bits are the following:

1)      Bessie Love singing, “I Never Knew I Could Do a Thing Like That.”  After seeing Bessie Love in this movie and The Broadway Melody, I’m amazed that she didn't have a bigger career in sound films as she is an absolute joy to watch.  She has a rather lively personality and, more importantly, looks like she’s genuinely having a good time. She certainly comes off a lot better than some of her more famous co-stars; compare her energetic musical number to Joan Crawford’s rather stilted song and dance routine at the beginning of the movie. Her exuberance must have rubbed off on the producers, because she appears again later on the movie, in a musical number (“Marie, Polly, and Bess”) with Marie Dressler and Polly Moran.  While most silent stars were fairly reluctant to embrace sound pictures, Miss Love doesn't seem to have such a hang up; she seems eager to conquer the new medium. In this musical number she sings about the difficulties of transitioning from silents movies to sound movies; it's a very interesting scene to watch, because it's about a very specific moment in cinema history. It essentially encapsulates the anxiety that most Hollywood stars were feeling in 1929. Would they still have a film career by 1930? 

On an interesting side note: Love would make a cameo appearance in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

2)      Laurel and Hardy’s Magic Act.  Hollywood Revue of 1929 is not a classic film, but it is invaluable in that it features an early sound appearance by the great comedy team, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It’s not necessarily one of their best routines, but it is still rather amusing; Oliver fumbles his way through magic tricks and gets frustrated by Stan’s inattentiveness. It’s interesting to note that Oliver does all the talking, while Stan remains mute throughout the skit. While Stan was usually the quieter of the two, he was still given plenty of dialogue in their later films. This comedy routine feels like a test run for the two comedians; a chance to try out  few ideas and then later perfect them in later films. Was it their original intention that Stan would remain mute in their later sound pictures? Or was this a one time thing? 

 

3)      Gus Edwards singing “Lon Chaney’s Gonna Get You if You Don’t Watch Out.” This is a rather fun number. In it, Gus Edwards warns a couple of comely lasses that if they’re not careful Lon Chaney will snatch them in their sleep, then insanity ensues as a group of male dancers wearing monster masks force the women to dance with them, before they drag them to the bowels of hell. Sure, it’s not political correct, but it’s done with its tongue firmly implanted in its cheek and is fairly well staged.  It is interesting how audiences couldn't divorce Chaney from the horror films he made to the point that he was equated to being the boogeyman; this song isn't about how one of his screen creations is going to get you - NO - Lon Chaney, himself, is going to get you if you don’t watch out.  

4)      The Adagio Dance with the Natova Company.  This dance routine is one of the few times were the stationary camera is actually beneficial to the act being performed onstage. It’s probably the one scene that will have you at edge of your seat. The dance involves a petite woman being swung around like a doll by three male dancers; at point her head is just a fraction of an inch away from crashing into the floor. If this sequence were done in more conventional style, with lots of edits and close ups, the audience would assume there was a lot of fakery involved. Here, there is absolutely no doubt of the authenticity of the routine, because the filmmakers allow it to play out in front of us.

5)      Cliff Edwards and the Brox Sisters performing “Singin’ in the Rain.” This isn’t one of the earliest, if not the earliest, renditions of this song preserved on film, thus making is a historically significant moment. It’s also interesting to note that there’s a midsection (performed by the Brox Sisters) that later versions would omit. It’s also staged in a rather imaginative fashion; the most effect moment being the use of back light to create silhouettes of dancers in raincoats.  The number ends with the dancers ascending an arched stairway to form a silhouetted rainbow. The song is later reprise (in two strip technicolor) by the entire cast at the film's finale.

6)      Jack Benny as the Master of Ceremonies.  Hollywood Revue of 1929 actually has two master of ceremonies, Conrad Nagel and Jack Benny, but Benny comes off a lot better thanks to his brand of self deprecating humor. He is always amusing to watch, even when the jokes are not all that funny.  Nagel, on the other hand, is extremely stiff and looks like he would rather be somewhere else. The filmmakers must have noticed the contrast, because Nagel disappears in the film’s second half, while Benny is given free reign to do whatever he wants.

Leonard Maltin perfectly sums up this movie in his Movie Guide book, “Definitely a curio for film buffs, rough sledding for others.” If you are a fan of classic movies, especially from the silent era, then this movie is definitely worth a look.  It can be tedious at times, but there are enough moments to make it worth your while.

Credits

Cast:  Conrad Nagel (Master of Ceremonies), Jack Benny (Master of Ceremonies), Cliff Edwards, Bessie Love, Joan Crawford, John Gilbert, Norma Shearer, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Marie Dressler, Polly Moran, Gus Edwards, Buster Keaton, Lionel Barrymore, Anita Page, Charles King, Marion Davies, William Haines, Karl Dane, The Brox Sisters.

Director: Charles Reisner.
Screenplay: Al Boasberg, Robert E. Hopkins, Joseph Farnham.
Running Time:  120 min.