Rhapsody in Brew: A Messy Pint

Is this thing worth a watch?

Look, if you have a soft spot for the kind of chaotic, pre-war comedy that relies entirely on people falling over things, you might get a kick out of Rhapsody in Brew. If you’re looking for a plot that makes sense or jokes that aren't older than your grandparents, skip it. You will either love the relentless energy of the Schmaltz Brothers or you will find them about as funny as a wet sock.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Rhapsody in Brew (1933) through its definitive frames.

The whole premise is just a classic trap. These guys get swindled into running a beer garden, and honestly, the film feels like it was put together in about twenty minutes. The pacing is frantic, mostly because it has to be to hide the fact that nobody really knows what they’re doing in the scene.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Rhapsody in Brew (1933) through its definitive frames.

Odd little moments

There is this one bit with the Glowy Sisters that felt like it belonged in a completely different movie. It’s like the editor just grabbed a reel from Stage Stunts and spliced it in because they needed to fill time. It doesn't make sense, but hey, it’s memorable in a weird, grainy way.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Rhapsody in Brew (1933) through its definitive frames.

• The beer foam looks suspiciously like shaving cream.
• The background extras in the beer garden look like they are just waiting for their lunch break.
• Billy Gilbert is doing the heavy lifting here, bless his heart.

The humor is definitely from another era. There is a lot of shouting, a lot of mugging for the camera, and very little actual wit. It’s not quite as stiff as The Eternal Woman, but it’s close. At one point, I am pretty sure someone just improvised a line about a pretzel because they forgot their actual script.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Rhapsody in Brew (1933) through its definitive frames.

I found myself staring at the wall behind the bar for a good minute. The set decoration is bizarrely sparse—like they were trying to save money on props by just using three wooden chairs and a bucket. 🍺

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Rhapsody in Brew (1933) through its definitive frames.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even a particularly good short. But there’s a weird charm to how desperate it feels. It’s like watching a group of people try to put on a show in their backyard with nothing but leftover stage makeup and a couple of steins of flat beer. Hardly high art, but you can’t look away.

I wouldn’t go recommending this to a friend unless they were, like, really, really bored. Or if they’re doing a deep dive into 1930s slapstick, I guess? Otherwise, it’s just noise.