Movie spotlight
The Big Revue
A musical revue featuring children, primarily girls, is presented. The first number has a chorus of girls performing a high kicking dance routine with tambourines, before two soloists, a boy and a girl, take center stage to do a gymnastic dance number. The girls chorus then takes over to perform a synchronized song and tap dance style number. Next, the young female orchestra leader introduces the Gumm Sisters, the three who sing and dance on stage by themselves. The final number has another chorus of dancing girls performing an Arabian-themed number.
Insights
Plot Summary
This early musical revue showcases a collection of vaudeville-style acts, musical numbers, and comedic sketches. It features a star-studded cast performing various routines, from singing and dancing to slapstick comedy. The film serves as a showcase for the talents of its performers rather than a cohesive narrative.
Critical Reception
As one of the earliest sound musicals, 'The Big Revue' was a novelty that showcased the potential of synchronized sound in film. While its plot is disjointed, the individual performances and musical numbers were generally appreciated for their entertainment value during the transition to 'talkies'.
What Reviewers Say
A groundbreaking, albeit uneven, early sound musical.
Features impressive performances from its vaudeville stars.
The disjointed structure detracts from the overall entertainment.
Google audience: Audience reception for this film is not readily available due to its age and limited distribution in modern formats. Early reviews would have focused on the novelty of sound.
Fun Fact
The film was one of the first feature-length musical films to utilize synchronized sound, making it a significant technical achievement for its time.
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