Play, Don Review: A Weird, Tiny Slice of 1930s Vaudeville

Is this worth watching today? Only if you have nine minutes and a weird obsession with dusty, early-sound musical shorts.

Jazz nerds will probably dig the vibra-harp solo, but anyone expecting a real movie with a plot will absolutely hate it. 🎷

Basically, it's just a filmed vaudeville act from 1931.

You get some guys named 'Ducky' and Neil singing, and then a lady named Patsy Kane who has that incredibly sharp, piercing voice from the early days of talkies.

At one point, the camera just stares at the band leader for what feels like three minutes while he smiles like a madman. It is deeply unsettling but I couldn't look away.

The real draw here—if you can even call it that—is Don Bestor playing 'Star Dust' on the vibra harp.

It sounds like a haunted music box that's running out of batteries.

Honestly, the vibra harp looks like something someone built in their garage after a fever dream.

If you've seen other shorts from this era, like the goofy Small Town Stuff, you already know the vibe here.

There is zero budget.

The curtain in the background looks like it was borrowed from a local high school gym.

And the sound quality are... well, it's 1931, so everyone sound like they are shouting through a tin can filled with wet sand.

But there is a strange charm to how fast it moves.

Before you can even get bored of one song, Patsy is already beltin' out the next one.

I noticed one of the trumpet players in the back looks incredibly bored.

He literally sighs and adjusts his collar while 'Ducky' is doing his thing.

I love finding little details like that in these old shorts.

It makes you realize these were just real people trying to make a quick buck on a Tuesday afternoon.

Don't expect a masterpiece.

Just turn it on, watch the weird vibra harp, and then go do something else.