After sound came to motion pictures, when you went to the movies, you got your money's worth; a newsreel, a cartoon, a 'short subject,' a second-billed feature, and the 'main' feature film! 'This' is one of the great musical 'short subjects' from Vitaphone - Warner Bros.. Woody Herman was a 'big star' in dance pavilions and live theater shows, and this short is a perfect example of the era. Going to the movies back then was a special occasion, and everybody dressed up! There are some shots of the theater audience that look like they're at the opera, but that's how you dressed when you 'went out' back then. Woody's band is top notch as always, and the two specialty dance numbers are terrific! The first, by Wiley and Hartman, is the only known film performance of Marie Hartman. The second dance number, by Hal and Honey Abbott, a great vaudeville eccentric dance team,is 'their' only known filmed performance as well. This little gem is what live performing was all about in the thirties and forties.
Review of Woody Herman & His Orchestra
