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The first musical revue style musical.
Motion Picture News, June 1929
Date of Release: June 20, 1929
Studio: MGM
Director: Charles Reisner
Screenplay: Joe Farnham, Al Boasberg, Robert E. Hopkins
Composers: Louis Alter, Martin Broones, Nacio Herb Brown, Gus Edwards, Fred Fisher, Arthur Freed, Joe Goodwin, Jesse Greer, Ed Haley, Robert A. Keiser, Raymond Klages, John T. Murray, Andy Rice, Joe Trent
Musical Arrangements: Arthur Lange, Ernest Klapholtz, Ray Heindorf
Choreographer: Sammy Lee, George Cunningham
Leading Actors: Conrad Nagel, Jack Benny, John Gilbert, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Bessie Love, Lionel Barrymore, Cliff Edwards, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Anita Page, Nils Asther, The Brox Sisters, Natacha Natova and Co., Marion Davies, William Haines, Buster Keaton, Marie Dressler, Charles King, Polly Moran, Gus Edwards, Karl Dane, George K. Arthur, Ann Dvorak, Gwen Lee, Albertina Rasch Ballet, The Rounders, The Biltmore Quartet
Studio: MGM
Director: Charles Reisner
Screenplay: Joe Farnham, Al Boasberg, Robert E. Hopkins
Composers: Louis Alter, Martin Broones, Nacio Herb Brown, Gus Edwards, Fred Fisher, Arthur Freed, Joe Goodwin, Jesse Greer, Ed Haley, Robert A. Keiser, Raymond Klages, John T. Murray, Andy Rice, Joe Trent
Musical Arrangements: Arthur Lange, Ernest Klapholtz, Ray Heindorf
Choreographer: Sammy Lee, George Cunningham
Leading Actors: Conrad Nagel, Jack Benny, John Gilbert, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Bessie Love, Lionel Barrymore, Cliff Edwards, Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Anita Page, Nils Asther, The Brox Sisters, Natacha Natova and Co., Marion Davies, William Haines, Buster Keaton, Marie Dressler, Charles King, Polly Moran, Gus Edwards, Karl Dane, George K. Arthur, Ann Dvorak, Gwen Lee, Albertina Rasch Ballet, The Rounders, The Biltmore Quartet
Both IMDb and AFI list the opening date for The Hollywood Revue of 1929 as November 23, 1929. However ads and articles in the various trade magazines show the film was actually released in June 1929 – making it the first revue style musical film.
Developed from an idea by producer Harry Rapf, the revue was set to feature some of MGM’s brightest stars. Addressing issues of dubbing, Motion Picture News reported that
Developed from an idea by producer Harry Rapf, the revue was set to feature some of MGM’s brightest stars. Addressing issues of dubbing, Motion Picture News reported that
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer will take no chances on the accusation being made that their stars’ voices are doubled… Each member of the cast will sign an affidavit stating that he or she actually took part in the singing and talking numbers, and in the dancing as well.”
Highly anticipated, the premier was reported by The Film Daily as “one of the most spectacular ever held on the Coast.” The opening featured a human billboard (pictured below) and was one of the first to announce celebrities as they walked down the aisles of theatre. Variety noted that throughout the screening, the audience sat frozen in their seats “because of the immediate thought on how is the stage going to compete with such effects…”
Human billboard featured in Picture Play, April 1930
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 opened to rave reviews and played to sold-out houses, frequently topping the grosses list. The Film Daily called it "A smash and a wow.” Motion Picture News described it as “an excellent show,” and claimed the "Singing in the Rain" number was "by far the most effective number ever staged in either sound or silent films.” Variety stated, “it’s the top novelty film to be turned out to date.”
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 is a real treat. Divided into two hour long acts, the film features 18 original songs, comedy routines, and elaborate dances. Each sequence is shot as if filming a stage show, which generally works for the dance numbers but feels awkward during the patter sections. The actors rarely look directly at the camera, making us wonder who they are talking to.
Throughout the first act, we are treated to a variety of song and dance numbers featuring luminaries of the day including Laurel and Hardy, Joan Crawford, Ukulele Ike, Charles King, Anita Page, and Charles Nagel.
Following the opening credits, which lists all the players, the camera cuts to an orchestra playing the overture in front of a sparkling curtain.
The first song and dance number features an elaborate moving set, with black and white arches that fly up and down and across the space, forming a rainbow. The camera switches between regular and negative exposures, which combined with the black and white costumes of the ensemble, and innovative lighting, creates a wonderful effect.
The MCs, or "interlocutors" as they call themselves, Conrad Nagel and Jack Benny are surprisingly amusing, constantly putting each other down and engaging in silly banter.
The ensemble remain in the same costumes, white outfits with black polka dots, and in addition to singing and dancing, create moments of visual humor behind the leads, such as sitting when asked to rise, and falling asleep during the MC bits. The humor is often self aware, with sketches about the importance of singing in talkie films, and the fraught relationship between stage and screen actors.
Throughout the first act, we are treated to a variety of song and dance numbers featuring luminaries of the day including Laurel and Hardy, Joan Crawford, Ukulele Ike, Charles King, Anita Page, and Charles Nagel.
Following the opening credits, which lists all the players, the camera cuts to an orchestra playing the overture in front of a sparkling curtain.
The first song and dance number features an elaborate moving set, with black and white arches that fly up and down and across the space, forming a rainbow. The camera switches between regular and negative exposures, which combined with the black and white costumes of the ensemble, and innovative lighting, creates a wonderful effect.
The MCs, or "interlocutors" as they call themselves, Conrad Nagel and Jack Benny are surprisingly amusing, constantly putting each other down and engaging in silly banter.
The ensemble remain in the same costumes, white outfits with black polka dots, and in addition to singing and dancing, create moments of visual humor behind the leads, such as sitting when asked to rise, and falling asleep during the MC bits. The humor is often self aware, with sketches about the importance of singing in talkie films, and the fraught relationship between stage and screen actors.
Pocket-sized Bessie Love
The highlights of the first act are a dancer performing the Charleston on pointe, a literally pocket-sized Bessie Love, and a large soldier-themed act one finale.
Costumes featured in Picture Play, Dec 1929
The second act is even grander than the first, with enormous sets and beautiful dance numbers. Once again, the act opens with the orchestra in front of the curtain. The curtain opens to reveal an enormous crown adorned in women standing in alternate poses. The women are unmoving, serving as ornaments while an off-camera male voice sings “My Lady Fair.”
A Venus shell descends and a scantily clad female soloist performs a short dance. The shell descends again, and the camera cuts to an underwater scene – complete with waving fronds and a shimmer effect on the screen. King Neptune asks for his daughter to appear, so that he “may feast his eyes” upon her. The shell opens to reveal, not a woman, but a Buster Keaton dressed in drag to look like an Arabian princess. He dances in a comical manner, ending the routine with an impressive display of acrobatics.
A Venus shell descends and a scantily clad female soloist performs a short dance. The shell descends again, and the camera cuts to an underwater scene – complete with waving fronds and a shimmer effect on the screen. King Neptune asks for his daughter to appear, so that he “may feast his eyes” upon her. The shell opens to reveal, not a woman, but a Buster Keaton dressed in drag to look like an Arabian princess. He dances in a comical manner, ending the routine with an impressive display of acrobatics.
Charles King sings “Lon Chaney’s Going to Get You,” a number by John T. Murray and Gus Edwards. The number features costumes that rely on racist stereotypes, playing on the notion that foreigners are dangerous criminals. The number also features a short sequence filmed from above with the dancers forming a basic kaleidoscope pattern beneath.
Natacha Natova and Co.
In the next scene, Natacha Natova and Co dance and perform increasingly riskier lifts and acrobatic feats, including spinning Natova by her leg. The number is truly thrilling, spoiled by frustrating occasional mid-shots which cut off the lower half of the performers bodies.
Norma Shearer and John Gilbert
The balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet follows. It is colorized, with roses adorning the set and Norma Shearer and John Gilbert dressed in sumptuous costumes. The pacing is slow and arduous, but takes a comical turn when Lionel Barrymore makes a guest appearance as the scene’s director. He informs the actors that the studio in New York has decided that Shakespeare needs to be modernized, and the film’s new title is The Neckers. Shearer and Gilbert return to their places on the balcony, and repeat the scene, this time speaking in 1920s slang to great effect.
In a new scene, Ukulele Ike is standing in the pouring rain beneath a glittering tree. He sings “Singin’ in the Rain,” and is soon joined by the full ensemble raincoats and hats. The choreography is terrific, and once again highlighted by clever lighting. Sharing an oversized raincoat, The Brox Sisters sing a wonderful acapella bridge that I’m sad is not included in the later, more famous, renditions of the song.
Charles King, Gus Edwards, and Ukulele Ike perform a series of patter songs with great humor. They are followed by Marion Davies, Bessie Love, and Polly Moran. Moran in particular is excellent, with her powerful voice and wonderful comedic timing.
In a new scene, Ukulele Ike is standing in the pouring rain beneath a glittering tree. He sings “Singin’ in the Rain,” and is soon joined by the full ensemble raincoats and hats. The choreography is terrific, and once again highlighted by clever lighting. Sharing an oversized raincoat, The Brox Sisters sing a wonderful acapella bridge that I’m sad is not included in the later, more famous, renditions of the song.
Charles King, Gus Edwards, and Ukulele Ike perform a series of patter songs with great humor. They are followed by Marion Davies, Bessie Love, and Polly Moran. Moran in particular is excellent, with her powerful voice and wonderful comedic timing.
The Albertina Rasch Ballet
The penultimate number, “Orange Blossom Time” by Joe Goodwin and Gus Edwards is the second colorized sequence. The song sounds like an early Rogers and Hammerstein ballad, and the choreography is simply stunning. Featuring dancers from the Albertina Rasch ballet, the dancing is highly polished. With a range of camera angles, including wide shots of the whole stage, close-ups of the dancers’ feet, and clever use of a reflecting pool, the number is a real highlight of the film.
The colorized finale, a reprise of “Singin’ in the Rain,” features the entire cast singing and dancing beneath Noah’s ark, complete with a rainbow.
Unusually for the period, the production credits are played at the film's conclusion.
Overall, The Hollywood Revue of 1929 is highly entertaining. It is not without its flaws however. The sound quality on my Warner Bros DVD copy is not great, and the film itself has some choppy editing and poor choice of camera angles.
The dancing is surprisingly hit and miss, especially given the experience of choreographer Sammy Lee, who worked on Broadway choreographing for the Ziegfeld Follies and the original stage productions of No, No, Nanette (1925), The Cocoanuts (1925), Rio Rita (1927) and Show Boat (1927). He worked on over sixty films, and was later twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Dance Direction for King of Burlesque (1936) and Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937).
My theory is that some of the numbers were actually choreographed by Albertina Rasch. Austrian-born Rasch was an influential prima ballerina and choreographer. After studying in Vienna, Rasch moved to New York. She worked on over thirty Broadway, over twenty Hollywood films, and ran her own troupe of classically trained and highly disciplines dancers. The group traveled extensively to Europe, and performed on Broadway and in film.
The most difficult aspect of watching these early musicals is the blatant sexism and racism. Women are pretty objects to be looked at, people of color are absent, and racist stereotypes prevail.
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 is a fascinating record of some incredible artists. With the film's box office success, it's easy to see why Warner Bros and Fox followed with their own revues shortly thereafter.
Unusually for the period, the production credits are played at the film's conclusion.
Overall, The Hollywood Revue of 1929 is highly entertaining. It is not without its flaws however. The sound quality on my Warner Bros DVD copy is not great, and the film itself has some choppy editing and poor choice of camera angles.
The dancing is surprisingly hit and miss, especially given the experience of choreographer Sammy Lee, who worked on Broadway choreographing for the Ziegfeld Follies and the original stage productions of No, No, Nanette (1925), The Cocoanuts (1925), Rio Rita (1927) and Show Boat (1927). He worked on over sixty films, and was later twice nominated for an Academy Award for Best Dance Direction for King of Burlesque (1936) and Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937).
My theory is that some of the numbers were actually choreographed by Albertina Rasch. Austrian-born Rasch was an influential prima ballerina and choreographer. After studying in Vienna, Rasch moved to New York. She worked on over thirty Broadway, over twenty Hollywood films, and ran her own troupe of classically trained and highly disciplines dancers. The group traveled extensively to Europe, and performed on Broadway and in film.
The most difficult aspect of watching these early musicals is the blatant sexism and racism. Women are pretty objects to be looked at, people of color are absent, and racist stereotypes prevail.
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 is a fascinating record of some incredible artists. With the film's box office success, it's easy to see why Warner Bros and Fox followed with their own revues shortly thereafter.
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