I’ve just watched Gold Diggers of 1935. Actually over 2 days - I watched half of it last night, fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up I watched CSI & Law & Order: Criminal Intent (I love these shows) .

Ironic maybe…. as my troublesome wisdom tooth cost me $180 today to get an xray done and medication (I think it’ll have to be pulled in a few months). And the film was full of people calculating their net worth, their share in joint ventures…. and breach of promise suits.

This is Busby Berkeley’s directorial debut, and while a spectacle in its own right, it’s not the same. The magic of previous efforts is glimpsed here but not repeated in full. Except for Dick Powell and 1 or 2 other actors (Glenda Farrell & Adolphe Menjou come to mind), the rest of the cast is completely different. And it’s seriously lacking the naughty hints that were in the pre-code films.

The story is pretty stodgy - elements of “let’s put on a show” with “after of your summer of fun you must marry the proper man… but oh yess here’s a $500 escort”. The scheming going on is pretty pedestrian - getting a signature so to set up T. Mosely Thorpe III for a breach of promise suit and Powell & Stuart going on a motorboat ride.

But Gloria Stuart was interesting to me - the only other movie I’d seen of hers was Titanic (which I have sworn never ever to see again). Another character I liked was T. Mosely Thorpe III (played by Hugh Herbert) as a bumbling idiot who likes snuff a little too much.

My favourite musical number was Lullaby of Broadway. The story it tells of a young couple living only at night and to excess is still as relevant today as it was 70 years ago. Watching dancers tap en masse was also thrilling, and it’s definitely up there with Berkeley numbers from previous films. The piano number was okay… but I much preferred the Violin Number from the Gold Diggers of 1933 film.

The disc was slightly less full of special features than other discs… but the cartoons were interesting choice… Gold Diggers of ‘49 & Shuffle off to Buffalo. And controversial!!!!

Warner Home Video must have agonised about whether to include these cartoons, especially Shuffle off to Buffalo. It’s racist and negatively depicts Jews and other minorities. Before the cartoon plays there is a disclaimer stating that they have chosen to show them in their original form because even though it was wrong at the time and is wrong now… it is a part of the Warner Brothers history that cannot be ignored or erased. And they certainly don’t agree with it now.

So just 2 discs to go now. I’m part-way through 42nd street and then it’s the special sixth disc in the boxed set. It’s been a lot of fun so far.