Gags and Gals: A weird little scrap of a movie

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much you love the smell of dusty vaudeville. If you enjoy movies that feel like a variety show that lost its way, you’ll probably get a kick out of this.

People who need things like a plot or character arcs to function will likely find this insufferable. It’s all over the place. 🤡

Jefferson Machamer’s cartoons are the DNA here. You can tell they tried to translate that specific, scratchy humor onto the screen, and sometimes it lands. Other times, it just feels like everyone is shouting at the camera for no reason.

The pacing is… well, there really isn’t any. It’s just a series of setups. One minute we’re looking at a pretty face, the next we’re listening to Art Kahn’s Orchestra play something that sounds like it’s being recorded in a wind tunnel.

There is this one bit with the Diabold Twins that goes on for about three minutes too long. You can literally see them looking for their marks, trying to figure out if the joke is over yet. It’s charming in a train wreck kind of way.

It definitely lacks the polish of something like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. That movie knows what it wants to be. Gags and Gals is just happy to be here.

Odd bits and pieces:

• The musical numbers feel like they were filmed in a different zip code.
• The transitions are basically non-existent. It just cuts to black and comes back somewhere else.
• Henry Jines looks like he’s trying to remember his lines while simultaneously watching a fly buzz around the studio.
• The whole thing has this weird, frantic energy, like everyone had five cups of coffee before shooting.

It’s not trying to be a masterpiece. It’s just trying to be loud and pretty. Sometimes that’s enough to keep you watching, I guess. I didn’t hate it, but I’m not sure I’d sit through it twice.

It’s a far cry from the structure of The Gay Divorcee. It’s messier. It’s weirder. It’s basically just a bunch of folks having a go at it.

If you're in the mood for something that doesn't demand a single brain cell, this fits the bill. Just don't blame me if you start feeling a bit dizzy from the jumpy editing. 😵‍💫