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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Charles MacArthur (writer)
Harry Ruskin (writer)
Release Date:
20 April 1930 (USA) more
Plot:
This revue presents its numbers around the orchestra leader Paul Whiteman, besides that it shows in... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. more
User Comments:
Mankind's Memory would Be all the Poorer without this Film more (16 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Paul Whiteman | ... | Himself (as Paul Whiteman and His Band) | |
| John Boles | ... | Himself - Vocalist ("Song of the Dawn" / "It Happened in Monterey") | |
| Laura La Plante | ... | Editor ("Ladies of the Press") / Stenographer ("In Conference") | |
| Glenn Tryon | ... | Executive ("In Conference") / Unmarried Husband | |
| Jeanette Loff | ... | Herself - Vocalist ("It Happened in Monterey" / "Bridal Veil" / "A Bench in the Park") | |
| Merna Kennedy | ... | Second Reporter ("Ladies of the Press") / Wife ("In Conference") / Unmarried Wife | |
| Stanley Smith | ... | Bridegroom ("Bridal Veil" / "A Bench in the Park") | |
| Slim Summerville | ... | Automobile Owner ("Springtime") / Rear End of Horse / Charles | |
| Otis Harlan | ... | Charles's Intended Father-in-Law | |
| William Kent | ... | General ("All Noisy on the Eastern Front") / Goldfish Owner ("Oh! Forevermore!") / Unmarried Couple's Offspring / Vocal ("Do Things For You") | |
| Bing Crosby | ... | Himself (as The Rhythm Boys) | |
| Al Rinker | ... | Himself (as The Rhythm Boys) | |
| Harry Barris | ... | Himself (as The Rhythm Boys) | |
| Eleanor Gutchrlein | ... | Herself, Dance Specialty (as Sisters G) | |
| Karla Gutchrlein | ... | Herself Dance Specialty (as Sisters G) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
USA:98 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The animation sequence, created by Walter Lantz, was the first Technicolor animation ever produced. more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The Universal Story (1995) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Song Of The Dawn more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (16 total)
Message Boards
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Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Animation section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |

This film is in two-tone Technicolor. It is rather like a vaudeville brought onto the stage with music, short sketches, and variety turns.
From the perspective of today, the glaring omission is that the American Negro influence is not given any acknowledgement whatever. In the melting pot scene at the end the American Negro influence is glaring conspicuous by its absence. Although there is certainly a European influence in American jazz music, it is less of an influence than African music or - don't forget - Mexican music. But the film was of its time, and at that time, the Amrican Negro playing jazz was not officially referred to, and it would be some time before black artists could be spoken of as musical heroes. Funnily enough Paul Whiteman's star singer Bing Crosby, who appears in this film with the Rhythmn Boys, would have a huge role to play here by his collaborations with black artists like the Mills Brothers.
In spite of all this, we must regard this film in the context of the period it was made, regret the Negro omissions and enjoy the film for its own sake.
Other impressive acts are the trick violinist playing "Pop Goes the Weasel", bel canto singer John Boles and that amazing rubber-legged dancer Al Norman. (Eat your heart out, John Travolta)
Although I was not born till a quarter of a century after the release of this film, I cannot but help a feeling of nostalgia. We will certainly never see the like of these acts again. But for this film, the magic of Boles and Norman and the Whiteman orchestra would be gone for good.