Sing and Like It: A bizarre little musical comedy that shouldn't work

Should you watch this?

If you have a thing for those oddball 1930s comedies where everyone is yelling and the plot makes absolutely zero sense, you’ll probably have a blast. If you prefer movies that actually have a logical flow or characters who behave like real human beings, steer clear. This one is for the completionists of the era or anyone who enjoys watching a train wreck unfold in slow motion.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sing and Like It (1934) through its definitive frames.

The premise is honestly kind of gross but in that weird, charming way old Hollywood could get away with. A gangster deciding he’s a talent scout for someone who clearly can't sing? It’s a bold choice.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sing and Like It (1934) through its definitive frames.

I found myself staring at the screen wondering why anyone would think this was a good idea, but then Zasu Pitts walks into a frame and I just stop caring about the plot holes. Her face alone does more work than the entire script. She has this way of looking perpetually startled, like she’s just realized she left the stove on in 1925 during The Lost Chord.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sing and Like It (1934) through its definitive frames.

The Gangster Problem

The transition from tough-guy intimidation to Broadway aspiration is so jarring it feels like two different movies taped together. One minute it’s all fedoras and threats, and the next, it’s supposed to be a musical comedy. The tonal whiplash is real, folks.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sing and Like It (1934) through its definitive frames.

There is a specific scene where the producer is just sweating through his suit, clearly wishing he was anywhere else. You can feel the actor’s exhaustion. It feels less like acting and more like a cry for help. Truly painful stuff.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Sing and Like It (1934) through its definitive frames.

• The singing is purposefully, aggressively bad. It’s an achievement.
• The pacing is a mess. It rushes when it should slow down.
• I kept thinking about how this compares to something like 45 Minutes from Broadway, but this is way meaner.

Some of the background characters look like they wandered off the set of a completely different picture. There’s one guy in the back of the theater scene who just stands there, unmoving, for like three whole minutes. Is he a mannequin? I honestly couldn't tell.

It’s not a good movie by any stretch. But it’s a weird one. If you like your cinema with a side of confusion and a heavy dose of 1930s slapstick, you’ll find something to latch onto here. Just don't expect it to make sense when you wake up the next morning. 🎭