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5.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Rambling 'Round Radio Row #5 remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s radio history or just want to see how weirdly staged these short variety films can be. If you are looking for actual drama or a story that goes anywhere, you are going to hate this. It is basically just a string of performances held together by a thin thread of a party.
The whole thing feels like one of those weird dreams where everyone is singing at you. Billy Jones and Ernie Hare spend most of the time trying to avoid being forced to sing, which is funny considering they are the ones who usually make a living at it. It is a nice touch of irony, I guess. Maybe they were just tired of the party circuit?
The scene where Arthur Tracy tries to charm a girl is genuinely painful to watch. The poor guy is putting in all this effort and she just shuts him down for Bing Crosby. You can almost see the life leave his eyes for a split second. It is a very specific kind of awkwardness that you don't really get in modern movies.
Then there is the bit with the four orchestra leaders. They start fighting over who can conduct better and it just feels so silly. Watching them try to out-do each other over a piece of music that is already recorded is peak 1930s comedy. It feels like something out of The Voice of Hollywood, but with more suits and fewer jokes that actually land.
The musical acts are hit or miss. Frances Langford is solid, but the rest of it feels a bit like background noise. It is not as polished as Our Blushing Brides, but it has this raw, weird energy that keeps you watching. You don't go to these movies for the production value. You go to see how these people carried themselves back then.
I caught myself wondering why they bothered with the party premise at all. They could have just had the acts stand in front of a curtain and it would have been exactly the same. But no, they had to have them wandering around a room. It gives the whole thing a slightly claustrophobic, strange vibe.
It is not a masterpiece, and it is definitely not going to change your life. But if you have 15 minutes to spare and want to see some folks from the radio days trying their best to look natural while standing in a room, give it a shot. Just don't expect a narrative arc. 📻
IMDb —
1921
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