Reviews

An awful movie! The characters are all so deplorable, that the ending, instead of being sad, is joyous! I thought, thank God that this horrible movie with hardly any plot, is finally over. It says more about the writer and director, than it does about the era depicted. Audiences accept this piece of junk as an accurate depiction of 1930's America. Let's remember that movies are not reality. This started as an idea in a writer's mind, and was then brought to picture form by a bunch of people who had a very warped sense of entertainment. Not too many good films have come out of Hollywood since the 1950's. If one wants to see films about the Depression era, I recommend the Hollywood films made during the 1930's. Those films say more than this ratty film ever could. That the despicable Jane Fonda was nominated for Best Actress for this trash, only sounded a death toll for the greatness that was once Hollywood.

I just watched this movie again, and I think it is wonderful. Shirley Temple is adorable, as always. Madge Evans is terrific. She was way underrated as an actress. She was so good in so many films; Dinner at Eight , Beauty For Sale, and Mayor of Hell are a few that come to mind. Warner Baxter is good, but his role does not offer him the acting opportunity that 42nd Street did , one year earlier.

As for Stepin Fetchit, he is marvelous!!! The man was a comic genius. I rate him as good as Stan Laurel. People nowadays keep stressing the stereotypes of minorities in old films. That's true, but even so, actors like Fetchit displayed great talent. And didn't most comedians, of any color, play stereotypical roles? Silliness has always been a source of comedy, whether it was performed by Stepin Fetchit, Stan Laurel, Cary Grant, or Willie Fung.

I love the musical numbers! They are upbeat, and happy. my favorite one is not Baby, Take A Bow, but Broadway's Gone Hillbilly. I think that The Picken Sisters sing in this number, although they are not listed in the cast.