...are clearly demonstrated in this musical comedy short filmed right before the stock market crash of 1929. Specifically, not only was the American economy humming at that time, so was the musical film business. Thus every chorus girl in sight was employed. Alas, what was poor Pathe, the maker of this short, to do? What they did is on full display as Thelma White sings and dances while the audience cannot look away from the carnage of the most disorganized chorus line in history going at it full throttle behind her. They are, as Thelma sings, "giving it everything now".
This adorable short starts out in a girls' dormitory as the girls whine to music about how they are not allowed to go out and have fun. The camera pans over each girl and is reminiscent of Busby Berkeley's early work, specifically the opening sequence in "The Kid From Spain". The girls go to sleep, and then one truant girl sneaks in and begins to recount the evening's exploits to one of the other girls about her time at the "Melody Club". This sets up the opportunity for some rather cute but old jokes about not paying the check, as well as the musical numbers which include the fore-mentioned one by Thelma White and two other numbers by Ginger Rogers. Alas, Ginger is also burdened with the uncoordinated chorines, but her performance is good and the tunes catchy.
One thing you'll notice about Ginger here. She is basically doing a Helen Kane imitation just as she does in her early films for Paramount including "Young Man From Manhattan". Flappers were in demand in 1929 and 1930, but the depression era public grew impatient with such fluff, and so Ginger reinvented herself, not wanting to stand in the unemployment line with Alice White. She became the tough chorine we saw in "42nd Street" during the precode years, the light dancing romantic lead in her pictures with Astaire, and then a serious actress after that. She never let trends pass her by.
In summary, this short is lots of fun. Don't let the low current rating fool you if you are a fan of the early musical films and shorts. It is really worth watching.
This adorable short starts out in a girls' dormitory as the girls whine to music about how they are not allowed to go out and have fun. The camera pans over each girl and is reminiscent of Busby Berkeley's early work, specifically the opening sequence in "The Kid From Spain". The girls go to sleep, and then one truant girl sneaks in and begins to recount the evening's exploits to one of the other girls about her time at the "Melody Club". This sets up the opportunity for some rather cute but old jokes about not paying the check, as well as the musical numbers which include the fore-mentioned one by Thelma White and two other numbers by Ginger Rogers. Alas, Ginger is also burdened with the uncoordinated chorines, but her performance is good and the tunes catchy.
One thing you'll notice about Ginger here. She is basically doing a Helen Kane imitation just as she does in her early films for Paramount including "Young Man From Manhattan". Flappers were in demand in 1929 and 1930, but the depression era public grew impatient with such fluff, and so Ginger reinvented herself, not wanting to stand in the unemployment line with Alice White. She became the tough chorine we saw in "42nd Street" during the precode years, the light dancing romantic lead in her pictures with Astaire, and then a serious actress after that. She never let trends pass her by.
In summary, this short is lots of fun. Don't let the low current rating fool you if you are a fan of the early musical films and shorts. It is really worth watching.