MGM made a film called "Hollywood Review of 1929" and it was a plot less picture consisting of nearly every MGM star singing and dancing--whether they liked it or not! This was because in 1929, folks LOVED talking pictures...particularly musicals with giant production numbers. The film also had some comedy and drama--making it a talent show more than anything else. The film was shot very quickly using several directors and made $1.1 million...a very tidy sum for the time. So, it's not surprising that rival studio Paramount would make their own version only a few months later. Both films lack coherent stories but are must-sees for old movie buffs, as it's great looking for all your favorite old time stars. A few of them, sadly, are very obscure and even the biggest movie buffs would be hard-pressed to recognize all of them. A few of the big and very recognizable stars include: William Powell, Clara Bow, Gary Cooper, Jean Arthur, Maurice Chevalier, Kay Francis, Frederic March and Warner Oland.
So is it any good? Well, as I mentioned above, there isn't a lot in the way of plot--just lots of little vignettes. And, sadly, portions of the film are missing today...and a recently completed restoration still lacks the opening credits and a few scenes and portions of the soundtrack. As for the acts, most of them are not good--very dated, the songs not memorable and the humor is quite forced. This is not a film you watch because it's fun or enjoyable....more a strange opportunity to see stars behaving very strangely! In particular, you can see Helen Kane--the inspiration for Betty Boop. But, because a living, talking Boop isn't that enjoyable, Ms. Kane ended up making few films. You also get to see some actors trying out outrageous accents or singing when they really aren't very good at singing--although I did enjoy hearing Clara Bow sing (though not necessarily well). And the dance numbers are mostly just strange to say the least. Overall, an odd curio that is NOT for the casual old movie buff (they'll hate it) but the die-hard fans looking for their favorite stars.
So is it any good? Well, as I mentioned above, there isn't a lot in the way of plot--just lots of little vignettes. And, sadly, portions of the film are missing today...and a recently completed restoration still lacks the opening credits and a few scenes and portions of the soundtrack. As for the acts, most of them are not good--very dated, the songs not memorable and the humor is quite forced. This is not a film you watch because it's fun or enjoyable....more a strange opportunity to see stars behaving very strangely! In particular, you can see Helen Kane--the inspiration for Betty Boop. But, because a living, talking Boop isn't that enjoyable, Ms. Kane ended up making few films. You also get to see some actors trying out outrageous accents or singing when they really aren't very good at singing--although I did enjoy hearing Clara Bow sing (though not necessarily well). And the dance numbers are mostly just strange to say the least. Overall, an odd curio that is NOT for the casual old movie buff (they'll hate it) but the die-hard fans looking for their favorite stars.