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6.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Big Revue remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
This little short, The Big Revue, it’s a peek straight into a past that most people only read about. If you’re a serious classic film buff, especially one who digs deep into the early days of Hollywood stars, then yeah, you absolutely gotta see this. It’s a curiosity, a time capsule. For anyone else expecting, I don’t know, a plot? Or even just smooth transitions? You’ll probably find it kinda slow and maybe a little awkward. But for what it is, it's fascinating.
What hits you first is the setup. Just a stage, some kids, and a simple premise: let’s put on a show. The Meglin Kiddies, they’re all energetic, doing their routines. There’s a number with little sailors, all very earnest. You watch them and think, wow, this is what entertainment looked like before big budgets and CGI.
Then, there she is. Frances Gumm. Before she was Judy. The Gumm Sisters. They step out and it’s like a little spark. Even at seven years old, she’s got it. That voice. It’s raw, it’s powerful for such a tiny person. When she sings, you forget the slightly shaky camerawork or the basic backdrop. It’s just her voice filling the room. Truly, a moment. 🎤
It’s not polished, not by a long shot. Some of the cuts feel a bit abrupt, like they just snipped the film wherever. There's this one bit where a kid misses a step, almost a stumble, and they just keep going. It’s wonderfully human. It reminds you this isn't some slick, modern production. It's real.
The whole thing feels very much like a school play that someone managed to get filmed. But a school play with insane talent hiding in plain sight. You can see the effort, the innocent joy from these kids. It’s infectious, really. The simple joy of performing.
You can almost feel the scratchy film projector in your mind as you watch. It's a reminder of how simple things were, how entertainment was built from the ground up, on sheer personality and skill. And in that, The Big Revue totally delivers a little piece of history. A rough gem, sure, but a gem nonetheless. ✨
IMDb 7.5
1921
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