Released in 1930, Elstree Calling was directed by Andre Charlot, Jack Hulbert, Paul Murray, and Alfred Hitchcock. Luckily, too many cooks did not spoil the broth in this case but created a marvelous musical and comedic soufflé. The film is a series of vaudeville-type skits and sketches. Tommy Handley hosts the show. "Think, and having thunk, think again," Handley humorously advises the audience.
The sections vary in quality but none are poor. Among the best: Teddy Brown whistling while playing the xylophone; lovely, blonde, and ethereal Helen Burnell in a sparkling sequined gown singing; a sprightly Russian-style song and dance number; Cicely Courtnedge singing an entrancing rendition of I'm Falling In Love; and Jack Hulbert and Helen Burnell in a dynamic duet. One brief sketch is darkly humorous as a man appears to enter a home, shoot the man and woman he "catches" kissing, only to realize, "I'm in the wrong flat!"
In one section, bagpipes play while a Scotsman in a kilt sings about how "happiness costs such a lot." It is wonderfully sung but some viewers may be offended by the way it plays on the stereotype of the Scots as stingy.
Far more viewers are apt to be offended by the sketches done by "The Three Eddies." The tap dancers are in blackface with white lips, white bowler hats, and white-rimmed round eyeglasses. Their tap dancing is wonderfully skilled but one does not have to be a stickler for "political correctness" to be disturbed by the racist stereotyping in their act.
A better note is struck in a skit in which Elstree Calling appears to play with racial (not necessarily racist expectations). In an odd take on The Taming of the Shrew, Anna Mae Wong is the clearly Asian daughter of a white man. Beautiful Wong appears as Katherine in a shiny and revealing outfit. Instead of being "tamed," this "shrew" gets her revenge by throwing cream pies in the faces of all the men around her – including Shakespeare himself!
Like many works from past time periods, Elstree Calling sometimes strikes an "off" chord with contemporary audiences. Nevertheless, it is a fast-paced and fun series. One hour and twenty-six minutes long, it never drags but is a very entertaining potpourri of performances.
The sections vary in quality but none are poor. Among the best: Teddy Brown whistling while playing the xylophone; lovely, blonde, and ethereal Helen Burnell in a sparkling sequined gown singing; a sprightly Russian-style song and dance number; Cicely Courtnedge singing an entrancing rendition of I'm Falling In Love; and Jack Hulbert and Helen Burnell in a dynamic duet. One brief sketch is darkly humorous as a man appears to enter a home, shoot the man and woman he "catches" kissing, only to realize, "I'm in the wrong flat!"
In one section, bagpipes play while a Scotsman in a kilt sings about how "happiness costs such a lot." It is wonderfully sung but some viewers may be offended by the way it plays on the stereotype of the Scots as stingy.
Far more viewers are apt to be offended by the sketches done by "The Three Eddies." The tap dancers are in blackface with white lips, white bowler hats, and white-rimmed round eyeglasses. Their tap dancing is wonderfully skilled but one does not have to be a stickler for "political correctness" to be disturbed by the racist stereotyping in their act.
A better note is struck in a skit in which Elstree Calling appears to play with racial (not necessarily racist expectations). In an odd take on The Taming of the Shrew, Anna Mae Wong is the clearly Asian daughter of a white man. Beautiful Wong appears as Katherine in a shiny and revealing outfit. Instead of being "tamed," this "shrew" gets her revenge by throwing cream pies in the faces of all the men around her – including Shakespeare himself!
Like many works from past time periods, Elstree Calling sometimes strikes an "off" chord with contemporary audiences. Nevertheless, it is a fast-paced and fun series. One hour and twenty-six minutes long, it never drags but is a very entertaining potpourri of performances.