Paramount op Parade (1930) Review: A Weirdly Charming Dutch Time Capsule

Is this worth watching today? Only if you are a real history nerd or you just love seeing how clunky early sound movies could be.

If you want a fast-moving plot, you are going to hate this. It is basically a 1930s variety show with a Dutch coat of paint.

It’s a bit of a weird experience because you can tell they were just trying to figure out how to sell Hollywood to people in the Netherlands back then. Job Weening is the guy running the show here, and he has this very stiff, formal way of talking that feels like he’s hosting a funeral instead of a party.

The movie is mostly just a bunch of sketches and songs strung together. Some of them are okay, but others feel like they go on for a thousand years.

I found myself staring at the background sets more than the actors. They have that painted-look that you don't really see anymore, and it makes the whole thing feel like a school play with a massive budget.

The Job Weening Factor

Job Weening wrote this and stars in it, so he is pretty much everywhere. He has this very specific 1930s mustache that looks like it was drawn on with a very careful pencil.

There is a moment where he looks directly into the camera and smiles, and it’s just slightly too long. It makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable, like you are stuck in a conversation with a stranger who won't let you leave.

But you have to respect the hustle. Making a Dutch version of a massive Hollywood film like this was a big deal back in the day.

It’s not quite as action-packed as something like Straight Shooting. It’s much more about the "glamour" of the era, even if that glamour feels a bit dusty now.

Things I Noticed While Watching

• The sound is really fuzzy, especially during the higher notes in the songs.
• One of the backup dancers in the background is completely out of sync for about five seconds.
• The curtains in the stage scenes look heavy enough to crush a person.
• Everyone wears their pants incredibly high up on their waist.
• There is a lot of standing around and waiting for the next line of dialogue.

There is a sequence with a lot of singing that reminded me of The Big Hop, mostly because of how earnest everyone is. They really really want you to have a good time, even if the material is a bit thin.

I think I liked the parts that were supposed to be funny the least. 1930s Dutch humor is... well, it’s an acquired taste, let’s put it that way.

It feels very different from something like Blackbirds, which has a more traditional feel to it. This is just a big, messy collage of ideas.

Does it hold up?

Not really, but that is kind of why I like it. It feels like a mistake that survived for nearly a hundred years.

The pacing is all over the place. One minute you are watching a lavish dance number, and the next you are watching two guys talk about nothing for five minutes.

It’s a bit like The False Road in the way it feels sort of lost in its own time. It doesn't quite know if it wants to be a movie or a filmed stage show.

I kept waiting for something big to happen, but it never really does. It just sort of ends after everyone has had their turn in the spotlight.

I will say this: the costumes are actually pretty impressive. Even in black and white, you can tell there was a lot of sequins involved in the production. 💃

If you have some time to kill and want to see what people in 1930 thought was peak entertainment, give it a look. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything.

It’s a curiosity. A weird, slightly loud, very Dutch curiosity.

I’m glad I watched it, but I don’t think I’ll be rushing to see it again anytime soon. It’s the kind of thing you watch once just to say you did. 📽️