(84 mins.) Released 1934-02-28
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Stars: Al Jolson, Kay Francis, Dolores del Rio, Ricardo Cortez
Busby Berkeley ... numbers created and directed by
originally posted 17 Oct 2017 23:13
The love hexagon, murder, suicide, the "stolen" necklace, the middle-aged American couples attempted liaisons and the nightclub setting all make this BB musical more enjoyable than average.
Beyond several songs by Jolson and Powell, and a fatal dance between Del Rio & Cortez, we get these BB musical numbers: Del Rio and Cortez dance to Powell's singing of Don't Say Good-Night, which evolves into a BB production of dancing columns with chorines in the same white wigs as the ostrich feathers number in Fashions of '34 above (Del Rio's dress has a lot of o.feathers too). Lasts 11 min. The use of mirrors is amazing, and we get the overhead formations too; all much too elaborate for a theatrical stage, much less a nightclub.
Then the notorious Goin' to Heaven on a Mule starts at 1:06:50. The stereotyping is deeply offensive, but the spectacle is fascinating. And the mirrors get re-used. Lasts 12+ min.
First National (WB), dir. Bacon [+BB]; 8.
