A straight promotional short about the film "Dames." A woman (supposedly a schoolgirl, but certainly in her 20s) wins a "Miss Complexion" contest and goes to Hollywood to meet the cast of "Dames" as they "rehearse" (actual scenes from the film are used). She talks with some of the actors and Busby Berkeley. Interesting as an example of promotional material, but the story isn't much.
9 Reviews
Miss Complexion Tours Warner Brothers
bkoganbing9 June 2013
One of the best movie trailers ever done in terms of the fact that it really made one want to plunk down a depression era dime to see the movie Dames. And She Learned About Dames even acquired a following its own.
Martha Merrill who graduated with honors from beauty school and being named Miss Complexion gets a tour of Warner Brothers courtesy of Lyle Talbot conducting the tour. She wants to meet her favorite movie star and of course she does meet Dick Powell of the piping tenor from Arkansas. It's a girl's dream come true.
We also get to meet the rest of the principal players from Dames and get to see the two famous numbers that come from the Harry Warren-Al Dubin score, the title song and I Only Have Eyes For You. After that some might argue you might not want to see the film.
A cut down version of one of Busby Berkeley's best extravaganzas from Warner Brothers. That's recommendation in and of itself.
Martha Merrill who graduated with honors from beauty school and being named Miss Complexion gets a tour of Warner Brothers courtesy of Lyle Talbot conducting the tour. She wants to meet her favorite movie star and of course she does meet Dick Powell of the piping tenor from Arkansas. It's a girl's dream come true.
We also get to meet the rest of the principal players from Dames and get to see the two famous numbers that come from the Harry Warren-Al Dubin score, the title song and I Only Have Eyes For You. After that some might argue you might not want to see the film.
A cut down version of one of Busby Berkeley's best extravaganzas from Warner Brothers. That's recommendation in and of itself.
Some shameless self-promotion from Warner Brothers.
planktonrules6 December 2010
It was fortunate that I saw this immediately after seeing "Dames", as Turner Classic Movies showed it immediately after the film it had promoted. And, if you get the Busby Berkeley DVD set, you can also see it. Now this is NOT a must-see short film--it's simply a case of self-promotion that was aired in the weeks preceding the release of "Dames" in order to drum up interest in this rather ordinary Busby Berkeley musical.
The film begins with some ladies talking about the film "Dames" and how the film can give ladies a lot of tips about beauty and elegance. Seconds later, the unattractive lady listening in has apparently taken this advice and has won some sort of beauty contest. Then, Lyle Talbot takes the lady around the studio and talks about the upcoming movie. It culminates with her seeing her idol, Dick Powell, and getting 'souvenirs' to take home with her.
All in all, a harmless film that you don't need to see BUT which makes seeing "Dames" a bit more interesting.
The film begins with some ladies talking about the film "Dames" and how the film can give ladies a lot of tips about beauty and elegance. Seconds later, the unattractive lady listening in has apparently taken this advice and has won some sort of beauty contest. Then, Lyle Talbot takes the lady around the studio and talks about the upcoming movie. It culminates with her seeing her idol, Dick Powell, and getting 'souvenirs' to take home with her.
All in all, a harmless film that you don't need to see BUT which makes seeing "Dames" a bit more interesting.
This extended theatrical trailer . . .
oscaralbert21 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
. . . dares the movie-going public to see DAMES on a Big Screen to test their night vision by making hash marks in the dark, allowing them to judge the truth of Warner Bros.' claim that 350 chorus line girls perform on-screen as soldiers for choreographer Busby Berkeley's crack squad of geometric fluff troopers. Between clips from DAMES, Berkeley himself appears on camera during AND SHE LEARNED ABOUT DAMES to say a few words about the importance of having a movie set where "everything moves." He's alluding, of course, to the gliding bath tubs, dancing P.J.s, twirling stair cases, and sliding vanities displayed during DAMES. This nine-minute piece serves a dual function as a plug for Claybury's Beauty Soap, whose sales at the time trailed those of such rivals as Luxe, Ivory, and even Old Spice. Despite additional product placement during an on-stage reprise of "I Only Have Eyes for You" toward the close of DAMES, Warner's soaps never reached the Top Ten Tier before being liquidated shortly after DAMES itself was released. Today Warner is far better known for its Animated Shorts than its brief foray into Animated Soaps.
The Warner Brothers publicity Department takes an interesting twist in promoting its newest Big Musical.
mark.waltz9 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Girls school gossip fest surrounds a bunch of the young ladies discussing actor Dick Powell, and one of the young ladies Martha Merrill ends up somehow on the Warner Brothers lot, escorted around by actor Lyle Talbot. She gets to read some of the supporting cast and gets a glimpse of Busby Berkeley in rehearsal. Guy kibbee nearly gets kicked in the chin by a chorus girl, and Hugh Herbert plays a charming host. Merrill witnesses Berkeley being raised up high in the soundstage, witnesses Ruby Keeler tapping away (even though she doesn't tap dance in the movie), and later guest to meet Berkeley who tells her how he finds his girls. Obviously, Miss Merrill is one of the chorus girls, pulled out to star in this short, but she does a decent job of playing a younger on Juno. The other girls in the school scene, however, are wearing way too much makeup which makes them look way older than they are supposed to be. Still, looking at this as a reminder of how the studios used to promote their films is interesting on a historical level and as entertainment.
Those Beautiful Dames
boblipton14 January 2020
Beautiful women ... as they will become as soon as they take off their glasses and get their hair marcelled ... enter a beauty contest. The reward will be a tour of the Warner Brothers studios, conducted by Lyle Talbot.
It's a promotional short to sell the audiences on seeing the newest WB musical, DAMES. Because of that, they keep running into actors from the movie, and Busby Berkeley. Hugh Herbert is a lot more coherent than his usual befuddled screen character; there's a brief clip from "I Only Have Eyes For You" and a scene between Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler.
Lyle Talbot would soon lose his contract with the Warner's and begin his long, slow plunge into Poverty Row.
It's a promotional short to sell the audiences on seeing the newest WB musical, DAMES. Because of that, they keep running into actors from the movie, and Busby Berkeley. Hugh Herbert is a lot more coherent than his usual befuddled screen character; there's a brief clip from "I Only Have Eyes For You" and a scene between Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler.
Lyle Talbot would soon lose his contract with the Warner's and begin his long, slow plunge into Poverty Row.
Dames! Dames! Dames!
richardchatten9 May 2019
A token narrative about a young lady throwing away her glasses and coming first in the search for Miss Complexion 1934 serves to plug Warner Bros' new extravaganza 'Dames' (constantly namechecked throughout the film) with appearances as themselves by Hugh Herbert, Dick Powell and Busby Berkeley (who we learn is addressed by everyone on the set as 'Buzz').
Almost better than the feature
dimplet30 July 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A mousy girl enters a beauty contest for a trip to Hollywood after being told that she would never be kissed by Dick Powell. She wins, after being transformed by the sponsor, Claybury's Soap, which is looking for a wholesome, pretty girl.
This short promo film was a stroke of genius, not simply because it plugs the movie, Dames, but because it embodies the essence of its star, Ruby Keeler, who was herself something of the mousy girl turned Hollywood star. If she could do it, you could, too. It is surprisingly effective, emotionally.
We get to see some of the stars out of character, like Hugh Herbert, but most are "rehearsing." It was especially interesting to see Busby Berkely talk about his technique and equipment, although briefly.
These days with all the product plugs, they would use a real soap, but actually there is no Claybury's Soap, that I can find.
Spoiler alert:
She does get to meet Dick Powell, and get kissed, and kissed, and kissed.
One of the oddities is that Zasu Pitts' name is pronounced differently by two actors, with a long and short A. The first, by Lyle Talbot, is correct, according to Wikipedia, and substitutes an S sound for the Z.
This short promo film was a stroke of genius, not simply because it plugs the movie, Dames, but because it embodies the essence of its star, Ruby Keeler, who was herself something of the mousy girl turned Hollywood star. If she could do it, you could, too. It is surprisingly effective, emotionally.
We get to see some of the stars out of character, like Hugh Herbert, but most are "rehearsing." It was especially interesting to see Busby Berkely talk about his technique and equipment, although briefly.
These days with all the product plugs, they would use a real soap, but actually there is no Claybury's Soap, that I can find.
Spoiler alert:
She does get to meet Dick Powell, and get kissed, and kissed, and kissed.
One of the oddities is that Zasu Pitts' name is pronounced differently by two actors, with a long and short A. The first, by Lyle Talbot, is correct, according to Wikipedia, and substitutes an S sound for the Z.
Decent Time Killer
Michael_Elliott3 August 2009
And She Learned About Dames (1934)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Warner short has a woman (Martha Merrill) winning a trip to Hollywood where she gets a tour of the studio by Lyle Talbot himself. Talbot takes the star struck beauty onto the set of DAMES where she meets Busby Berkeley and star Dick Powell. If you're a fan of DAMES then you might want to check this out as it turns out to be nothing more than a promotional piece. As such, I think the film does a good job at building up some hype for Warner's (then) upcoming movie. Merrill has a lot of charm even though her Hollywood career never took off. Talbot, Berkeley and Powell also do fine, if brief, work.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Warner short has a woman (Martha Merrill) winning a trip to Hollywood where she gets a tour of the studio by Lyle Talbot himself. Talbot takes the star struck beauty onto the set of DAMES where she meets Busby Berkeley and star Dick Powell. If you're a fan of DAMES then you might want to check this out as it turns out to be nothing more than a promotional piece. As such, I think the film does a good job at building up some hype for Warner's (then) upcoming movie. Merrill has a lot of charm even though her Hollywood career never took off. Talbot, Berkeley and Powell also do fine, if brief, work.
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