Not much here to recommend beyond the set pieces. Allow me to pick over the other bits I found interesting, even if not enjoyable. The couple we're supposed to care about are overshadowed by Barrymore and Butterworth, the actual love story in this film. B&B see a boy running from his father and notice that he has a unique way of hurdling a gate (is that slow motion?). They decide on the spot to become kidnappers and develop him into a dancer, well Barrymore decides and Butterworth complies.
There's a flash forward to allow the boy to grow up. There is a moment of confusion when the human dancers in current time resemble the puppet dancers from the opening scene. An expensive visual trick that was likely missed by many.
The 2 young lovers are apparently meeting in an aviary. The incessant chirping makes their dialogue hard to follow. I bet the birds' lines were more interesting than anything these two had to say.
Butterworth tries to explain his idea for a ballet. When we finally hear him explain the plot, it is stranger and much more interesting than the story through which we're suffering. In his story a man removes a pearl gray derby and 30 or 40 pigeons fly out. One character delivers the line, "You go to your church and I'll go to mine." Barrymore listens intently and then calls his friend a "stupid *ss." They are the perfect S/M match.
Barrymore sees Fidor's lover as a distraction. He encourages her to leave her young dancer and become a sugar baby for the Count, a slimy mustachioed character who says "A-Gain" instead of "again." Don't you hate that?
There's a final scene where we see Butterworth without Barrymore and the sadness is palpable. Who will treat him like garbage now?
There is some pre-code racy dialogue. A comparison of alcohol and sex as addictive behaviors. Some weird projected shadow scenes. And we never get to see Fidor, the great dancer, dance a lick.
Butterworth has always reminded me vaguely of Stan Laurel. Here he seems to go even further into his Stan Laurel persona. Not sure what to make of it. I imagine he was older than Laurel. Maybe this is just a standard character type from that time.
There's a flash forward to allow the boy to grow up. There is a moment of confusion when the human dancers in current time resemble the puppet dancers from the opening scene. An expensive visual trick that was likely missed by many.
The 2 young lovers are apparently meeting in an aviary. The incessant chirping makes their dialogue hard to follow. I bet the birds' lines were more interesting than anything these two had to say.
Butterworth tries to explain his idea for a ballet. When we finally hear him explain the plot, it is stranger and much more interesting than the story through which we're suffering. In his story a man removes a pearl gray derby and 30 or 40 pigeons fly out. One character delivers the line, "You go to your church and I'll go to mine." Barrymore listens intently and then calls his friend a "stupid *ss." They are the perfect S/M match.
Barrymore sees Fidor's lover as a distraction. He encourages her to leave her young dancer and become a sugar baby for the Count, a slimy mustachioed character who says "A-Gain" instead of "again." Don't you hate that?
There's a final scene where we see Butterworth without Barrymore and the sadness is palpable. Who will treat him like garbage now?
There is some pre-code racy dialogue. A comparison of alcohol and sex as addictive behaviors. Some weird projected shadow scenes. And we never get to see Fidor, the great dancer, dance a lick.
Butterworth has always reminded me vaguely of Stan Laurel. Here he seems to go even further into his Stan Laurel persona. Not sure what to make of it. I imagine he was older than Laurel. Maybe this is just a standard character type from that time.