Admittedly to me the story was somewhat disposable and took too long to get going and the Minstrel Man song and routine are a little uninspired and one of the least memorable parts of King for a Day. King for a Day is shot in beautiful black and white however, the music puts you in a good mood due to its infectiousness- particularly Smiles and Old Folks at Home-, and the choreography is witty and elegant. Some of the rehearsal stuff is amusing and the performances are solid enough, but Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and his tap dancing are what make King for a Day. Robinson has a really charming presence which makes him a likable performer and his character easy to root for, even better than when he was partnered with Shirley Temple. And his tap dancing is incredible, always precise yet with a simple elegance and with not a flat or heavy foot move. It's not "athletic" as such nor did it really need to be. Overall, a very nice short film that is worth seeing primarily for Robinson and the tap dancing because while not everything is entirely smooth sailing they work tremendously. 8/10 Bethany Cox
11 Reviews
Bojangles acts and taps.
ilprofessore-118 August 2021
This entertaining short directed in NYC by Roy Mack, full of the usual Harlem stereotypes, introduces a great Ray Noble song, LOVE WALKED OUT, that Al Bowlly first recorded in London in 1933. Bill Robinson not only gets to tap in this film, he acts as well with the under-estimated Ernest Whitman as Mr. Brown, best remembered for STORMY WEATHER. This short is a perfect example of the sort of popular entertainment white folks paid to see at the Cotton Club back in the 30s. The talent was always greater than the script and the chorus girl routines. Out of this silliness, such great performers as Cab Calloway and Ethel Waters evolved. This is a historical document.
black talkie
SnoopyStyle5 May 2020
Bill Green (Bill "Bojangles" Robinson) is desperate to audition for "Brown's Black Orchids" but Mr. Brown refuses to even listen to the amateur. Mr. Brown has a weakness for dice and Bill wins against him in craps.
It's a fascinating early talkie short with an all-black cast. The story is rather simple. It's not anything to write home about but it is great to see all-black performances. Honestly, most old musicals are hard to sit through with the old music but this is very watchable. Other than one song, the music generally has a good beat and a bit of sass. The tap dancing is fun and Robinson has good charisma. There is general good performing in this short. Although, one must accept that blackface is a vaudevillian hold-over. The jokes are pretty cheesy but at least, it has an edge. It's a small window into black cinema of that era.
It's a fascinating early talkie short with an all-black cast. The story is rather simple. It's not anything to write home about but it is great to see all-black performances. Honestly, most old musicals are hard to sit through with the old music but this is very watchable. Other than one song, the music generally has a good beat and a bit of sass. The tap dancing is fun and Robinson has good charisma. There is general good performing in this short. Although, one must accept that blackface is a vaudevillian hold-over. The jokes are pretty cheesy but at least, it has an edge. It's a small window into black cinema of that era.
Another Great Black Film Short to Savour!
msladysoul9 June 2002
Roy Mack was the great director of short black films, he wanted to show black entertainment, since he couldn't put it in movies, he put them in short films, which were great. These short films may not seem like much today, but back in the 30s and 40s, shorts were considered better then the feature film. Black film shorts always were great. It showed the latest dances, the latest singing styles, wonderful. Shows you how it was in that era. Wonderful black history. If you can find it, you'll love it. Some shorts are very hard to find, believe me I know, I started collecting black film shorts, but when you find it, you'll love it.
"I'll shoot you for the show."
classicsoncall10 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Set aside any PC reservations about early film shorts like this and enjoy the ride. This one actually does have a couple of eye openers that wouldn't pass muster today, so having these old flicks preserved and shown on TCM from time to time are a real treat for film buffs like myself. To my recollection, this is the only time in a picture I've seen a black man call another one 'Boy', and it actually happens twice with two different characters. The other more interesting sequence had to do with black actors operating in black face, something I definitely haven't seen before. It was basically done to accentuate the actors' lips and facial features, but it did come across as odd to me.
The principals involved here are a colorful lot, going by Bill Green (Bill Robinson) and Brownie Brown (Ernest Whitman). Trying to land a job with Brown's 'Black Orchids' dance company, the guys roll the dice so to speak, with Green winning ownership of the troupe. We're then treated to a variety of song and dance routines, the highlight of which features Robinson's pair of fantastic tap dance shoes. But after Robinson tapping up a storm, Brown wants back in to his former show, and wins it back with additional rolls of the dice.
With over two hundred movie shorts to his credit, director Roy Mack utilized an all black cast for this entertaining flick. The Black Orchids are talented dancers in their own right, though Muriel Rahn's song number got a bit shrill for my ear near the end of her performance. In keeping with the loss of his ownership in the Orchids, Robinson's character finds another colorful opportunity with the Snow White Black Birds!
The principals involved here are a colorful lot, going by Bill Green (Bill Robinson) and Brownie Brown (Ernest Whitman). Trying to land a job with Brown's 'Black Orchids' dance company, the guys roll the dice so to speak, with Green winning ownership of the troupe. We're then treated to a variety of song and dance routines, the highlight of which features Robinson's pair of fantastic tap dance shoes. But after Robinson tapping up a storm, Brown wants back in to his former show, and wins it back with additional rolls of the dice.
With over two hundred movie shorts to his credit, director Roy Mack utilized an all black cast for this entertaining flick. The Black Orchids are talented dancers in their own right, though Muriel Rahn's song number got a bit shrill for my ear near the end of her performance. In keeping with the loss of his ownership in the Orchids, Robinson's character finds another colorful opportunity with the Snow White Black Birds!
So exciting to see this
jennifr-1865318 July 2020
We're truly missing out on the old talent of the Harlem Renaissance; thank goodness this is so available. It has a charm you won't find today. If you like this film, I implore you to seek out on YouTube "102 y/o sees herself on film for the first time." It will encourage you to look up everything you can get your hands on!
Bill Robinson becomes owner of a nightclub...
Doylenf12 January 2009
At a time when his presence in A-films was not quite established, BILL ROBINSON appeared in this short subject which I found moderately interesting. I was waiting for his tap dancing sequence and it was a good one, but the story is a trifle about him gambling the owner in a crap game and getting the chance to strut his stuff. It took too much time to get to his dancing.
Unfortunately, it's all very dated, especially when it gets to the actual vaudeville routines depicted in the show. The singing style is strictly from the '30s, the lead singer does a song called "Love Lost Out" sounding very tinny in her high soprano register, and the dancers look as though they're badly in need of a good choreographer. Where is Busby Berkeley when you need him?
Robinson, however, does his own thing with his usual skill--but is stuck in a short subject that cries for more originality in the script department. His tapping to "Swanee River" is a delight but after that the routine goes into less successful moments and ends with a wedding bells song that closes the short with a thud.
I can't recommend this with much enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, it's all very dated, especially when it gets to the actual vaudeville routines depicted in the show. The singing style is strictly from the '30s, the lead singer does a song called "Love Lost Out" sounding very tinny in her high soprano register, and the dancers look as though they're badly in need of a good choreographer. Where is Busby Berkeley when you need him?
Robinson, however, does his own thing with his usual skill--but is stuck in a short subject that cries for more originality in the script department. His tapping to "Swanee River" is a delight but after that the routine goes into less successful moments and ends with a wedding bells song that closes the short with a thud.
I can't recommend this with much enthusiasm.
Fantastic Tap Dancing Short
lakebotany-328085 January 2020
Fade that
bkoganbing5 December 2016
One of the stereotypes back in the day was that black men just loved to shoot dice. Not sure if that was the case but when I watch scenes like that in old films I think to myself this is better than scenes with whites where they were supposed to be menial. Gamblers they be, but they show their real selves in these scenes.
A crap game is what this musical short with Bill Robinson aka Bojangles is what frames it. Robinson's skill and luck with the painted sugar cubes gets him Ernest Whitman's show and then we see the show.
Which brings up something else, this looks very much like a Cotton Club Show minstrel show format and all. A lot of talent, but black people couldn't see it in their own neighborhood. What is worse than that?
Still enjoy Robinson's singing and dancing and all that goes with it.
A crap game is what this musical short with Bill Robinson aka Bojangles is what frames it. Robinson's skill and luck with the painted sugar cubes gets him Ernest Whitman's show and then we see the show.
Which brings up something else, this looks very much like a Cotton Club Show minstrel show format and all. A lot of talent, but black people couldn't see it in their own neighborhood. What is worse than that?
Still enjoy Robinson's singing and dancing and all that goes with it.
Not Enough Bill Robinson
boblipton4 January 2020
Bill Robinson wants to get into the show, but the man who owns it doesn't want any amateurs (heh), so Bill wins it and finances it in a crap game, then the entertainers start singing and dancing.
It's one of the several all-Black short subjects that Vitaphone and other short-subject producers turned out. Although they played many theaters, they were conceived as something to offer the Blacks-only theaters of the era; producing a race film (as films starring Blacks in the era were called) was not considered a viable business model, but a short subject was much cheaper to turn out, and the polish that Vitaphone could bring to a production like this was appreciated.
Although I could watch Bill Robinson and his easy-going, self-assured dancing endlessly, the big number is "Got the Jitters" featuring Babe Matthews, the chorus line and some great lighting by Vitaphone cameraman E. B. DuPar.
It's one of the several all-Black short subjects that Vitaphone and other short-subject producers turned out. Although they played many theaters, they were conceived as something to offer the Blacks-only theaters of the era; producing a race film (as films starring Blacks in the era were called) was not considered a viable business model, but a short subject was much cheaper to turn out, and the polish that Vitaphone could bring to a production like this was appreciated.
Although I could watch Bill Robinson and his easy-going, self-assured dancing endlessly, the big number is "Got the Jitters" featuring Babe Matthews, the chorus line and some great lighting by Vitaphone cameraman E. B. DuPar.
Bill Robinson's fine performance make this a must-see short.
planktonrules27 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Despite black performers being consigned almost exclusively to playing servants or comic relief, somehow Warner Brothers chose to showcase black men and women in some amazing Vitaphone shorts. This one features the amazing Bill "Bojangles" Robinson--and it's a much better chance to see him act and dance than his performances in Shirley Temple films.
The film begins with some folks rehearsing for a big Broadway-style show. Bill Green (Robinson) wants to try out but stupid producer won't even give him a chance. However, when they get to shooting dice, by the time they are finished, Green not only has a job but he now is the producer and owner of this performing group! Now he's sure to be in the show! As for the show, Robinson is THE reason to watch. While his tap dancing is not the most athletic I've seen, the way he makes it look simple and elegant is amazing. And, at times, I couldn't help but smile as he strutted his stuff. As for the rest, they were okay--but seeing black men with mouths painted white performing a minstrel routine was pretty sad to watch.
See this film and see what great dancing is like. Also, while not politically correct, the humor did make me laugh a few times.
The film begins with some folks rehearsing for a big Broadway-style show. Bill Green (Robinson) wants to try out but stupid producer won't even give him a chance. However, when they get to shooting dice, by the time they are finished, Green not only has a job but he now is the producer and owner of this performing group! Now he's sure to be in the show! As for the show, Robinson is THE reason to watch. While his tap dancing is not the most athletic I've seen, the way he makes it look simple and elegant is amazing. And, at times, I couldn't help but smile as he strutted his stuff. As for the rest, they were okay--but seeing black men with mouths painted white performing a minstrel routine was pretty sad to watch.
See this film and see what great dancing is like. Also, while not politically correct, the humor did make me laugh a few times.
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