Top 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsMost Popular Video GamesMost Popular Music VideosMost Popular Podcasts
    Release CalendarBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Surprise!

  • 19351935
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 21m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
42
YOUR RATING
ShortComedyMusical
The Duncan Sisters (Rosie and Vivian) and their college dorm mates sing a song to their alma mater while packing up to leave college at the end of school. The sisters make a special point of... Read allThe Duncan Sisters (Rosie and Vivian) and their college dorm mates sing a song to their alma mater while packing up to leave college at the end of school. The sisters make a special point of packing up a couple of costumes--a Gypsy dress and a Toreador outfit--from one of their s... Read allThe Duncan Sisters (Rosie and Vivian) and their college dorm mates sing a song to their alma mater while packing up to leave college at the end of school. The sisters make a special point of packing up a couple of costumes--a Gypsy dress and a Toreador outfit--from one of their stage productions. The sisters then sing an ode to their old southern plantation home, whic... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
42
YOUR RATING
    • Roy Mack
    • Cyrus Wood(story)
  • Stars
    • Vivian Duncan
    • Rosetta Duncan
    • Clarence Nordstrom
    • Roy Mack
    • Cyrus Wood(story)
  • Stars
    • Vivian Duncan
    • Rosetta Duncan
    • Clarence Nordstrom
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 3User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Vivian Duncan
    Vivian Duncan
    • Vivian
    • (as Duncan Sisters)
    • …
    Rosetta Duncan
    Rosetta Duncan
    • Rosie
    • (as Duncan Sisters)
    • …
    Clarence Nordstrom
    • Joe
    Gerald Oliver Smith
    Jay Seiler
    • Eccentric Dancer
    Dot Kay & Em
    • Vocal Trio
    Wen Talbert
    • Chorale Leader
      • Roy Mack
      • Cyrus Wood(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Vitaphone production reels #1851-1852.
    • Soundtracks
      Goodbye, Alma Mater
      (uncredited)

      Written by Cliff Hess

      Sung at the beginning of the picture

    User reviews3

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    3/10
    A So-So Racially Insensitive Short
    Based on other comments, this Vitaphone short features the Duncan Sisters, who, apparently were fairly well known in vaudeville, not well known in film.

    You are definitely required to ignore a few things - like women in their late 30's to early 40's are attending college - but live in the deep South without a trace of a Southern accent. Rosie looks closer to her age than the age of a college coed, Vivian looks younger than her years.

    This old plantation that they are supposed to be from has to be reached by horse and carriage. The Duncans arrive home to a surprise costume party. The sisters want to surprise the party goers by changing into costumes that they conveniently brought home from school. Some of the humor involves an exploding cigar, so don't expect to see any writing credits by Robert Benchley or Dorothy Parker.

    There are people in blackface, so be prepared to be offended. One song about the Volga River flowing through Dixie has the word "darkies" There is also someone dressed as Simon Legree, holding a bullwhip to add to the offensiveness.

    For the most part, this is pretty forgettable - except for the racist stereotypes, those should be remembered to see what was "acceptable", how far we've come from that, and how far we still need to go.
    helpful•2
    9
    • jtyroler
    • Jul 5, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 27, 1935 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Production company
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 21 minutes
      • Black and White
      • Mono

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Top Gap
    By what name was Surprise! (1935) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.