The Big Paraders (1929) Review - Big Energy in an Old Short

If you are looking for a deep story with twists, you should probably just close this tab right now. The Big Paraders is not that kind of movie.

It is worth watching if you have ten minutes and want to see what passed for a 'novelty act' nearly a century ago. 🎷 People who love the history of the stage will probably find it charming, but most modern viewers might just find it loud and confusing.

The whole thing is basically a recorded vaudeville set. You have these performers who are all, well, quite large, and they just lean into it with zero shame.

There is something really infectious about the energy here. They aren't trying to be sophisticated or 'high art' like you might see in The Girl of Today.

They are just there to belt out some tunes and maybe get a laugh. One of the singers has this wide, toothy grin that looks like he's having the absolute time of his life, even though he's probably sweating under those hot studio lights.

The camera doesn't really move at all. It just sits there like a person in the front row of a theater who forgot how to turn their head.

The sound quality is a bit scratchy, which is expected for 1929. It adds this layer of ghostliness to the whole thing, like you are eavesdropping on a party from a hundred years ago.

I noticed one of the guys in the back keeps looking slightly off-camera. It makes me wonder if there was someone standing there telling them to hurry up.

The jokes are pretty dated, honestly. I didn't laugh, but I did smirk once or twice at how fast they talk.

It reminds me a bit of the simplicity you find in Bring Home the Turkey. Just people doing stuff in front of a lens without worrying about 'cinematic language' or whatever.

There is a specific moment where the singing gets really loud and the microphone clearly struggles to handle it. The audio peaks and it sounds like a buzzy mess for a second.

I kind of love those imperfections. It makes the movie feel real and human, unlike the polished-to-death stuff we get now.

Murray Roth directed this, and you can tell he just wanted to capture the live vibe. It’s not trying to be a 'film' as much as it is a time capsule.

The costumes are these high-waisted pants that look incredibly uncomfortable. I don't know how they danced in those things without popping a button.

One performer does this little shuffle that is actually pretty impressive given how cramped the 'stage' looks. They really make the most of the tiny space they have.

If you have seen Action, you know how different these early sound experiments can feel. This one feels more like a casual hangout than a production.

The ending is very abrupt. They finish their bit, and then the screen just kind of goes dark.

No big credits, no long emotional wind-down. It just stops.

I think I prefer that sometimes. It doesn't overstay its welcome or try to convince you that it’s more important than it actually is.

Is it a masterpiece? Absolutely not.

But it is a fun little window into a world that doesn't exist anymore. Sometimes that is enough for a Tuesday afternoon watch.

If you're bored of the usual stuff, give it a go. Just don't expect it to change your life.