Before Bing, before Frankie, there was Rudy. If Lily of the Valley is a beautiful representation of womanhood, I shudder what to think of what Rudy if the Vallee represents, at least from his early films. This short shows him with his band, no moving camera, and even with snappy songs, no real zip. He apparently had one heck of a personal life, but whatever appeal he had is very unapparent here. Vallee would have limited film success in the 1930's as a leading man, but this short and the full length "Vagabond Liver" are painful antiques that barely rate historical interest. The band is fine, but he brings no real pep as evidence as to why he was a heartthrob. Even by the time he was allowed to liven up on film, his appeal had been replaced by the boo boo ba doo of Bing Crosby, making him secondary after being a heartthrob just years before.
2 Reviews
This early Vitaphone short doesn't do much to make Rudy Vallee sound like America's crooner!
planktonrules27 September 2021
The short consists of Vallee introducing himself and the band, followed by a couple musical numbers. It's pleasant but underwhelming.
At the time Rudy Vallee made "Radio Rhythm" for Paramont, he was huge.... I'm talking to the heights that Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra soon would hit. Women loved him and his band, The Connecticut Yankees, was in huge demand. So, when you watch this short and are completely underwhelmed you should understand most of the problem is the sound technology as well as the degradation on film stock over time....because the sound quality is very poor. Now this isn't so much the case with the band but Vallee's voice, which is imply drowned out in the recording. Now Vallee did not have a strong voice to begin with, but the film makes him sound pitiful and much worse than many of the bands which made shorts with Vitaphone at this same time period.
At the time Rudy Vallee made "Radio Rhythm" for Paramont, he was huge.... I'm talking to the heights that Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra soon would hit. Women loved him and his band, The Connecticut Yankees, was in huge demand. So, when you watch this short and are completely underwhelmed you should understand most of the problem is the sound technology as well as the degradation on film stock over time....because the sound quality is very poor. Now this isn't so much the case with the band but Vallee's voice, which is imply drowned out in the recording. Now Vallee did not have a strong voice to begin with, but the film makes him sound pitiful and much worse than many of the bands which made shorts with Vitaphone at this same time period.
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