On with the Show! (1929)

(On Cable TV, March 2021) I may be overdosing on Broadway backstage musicals at the moment, but that won’t stop me from acknowledging On with the Show’s place as one of the earliest full-fledged examples of the form, executed almost as easily as it was possible to do so with that newfangled talkie technology. The story will be familiar to generations of moviegoers, as a Broadway show struggles to get back on track after various problems (compounded by a robbery) prevent everyone from getting paid. There are several complications, as the actors clash and people struggle to use the show for their own advancement. But this is really one of the earliest examples of the first wave of movie musicals, taking inspiration from Broadway to take advantage of sound technology but before Hollywood affranchised itself from the theatrical musical tradition. Apparently shot in colour (in 1929!), only a black-and-white version survives today — not that it makes much of a difference. The film itself is merely acceptable when compared to later examples of the form: the mixture of genres doesn’t completely work, the pacing is off, the musical numbers are fine without being spectacular and everyone on set is still trying to find their footing in the universe of sound. Vaudeville legend Joe E. Brown makes an appearance as a competitive comedian. On with the Show remains primarily of interest to movie musical fans, although it’s fun enough to be interesting to others, even despite the roughness of the production.