This'll Make You Whistle is a weird, frantic relic

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s musical comedies that move at a pace best described as 'manic,' then sure. This isn't high art. It’s a bit of a relic. But if you hate musical numbers or stagey dialogue, honestly, stay away. You will be bored to tears within fifteen minutes.

The whole thing feels like a stage play that decided to wander into a film set without really knowing where it was going. It’s got that jittery energy you only get from movies made when everyone was still figuring out how to balance songs and plot.

The vibe is... frantic.

Jack Buchanan is doing a lot of work here. He’s got that specific, clipped way of talking that makes you wonder if he’s ever actually taken a full breath. When he decides to throw this party to scare the uncle, the movie just kind of explodes into a weird, disjointed mess.

There’s a moment during the party scene where the dancing goes on just a little too long. It’s not graceful, it’s not particularly tight, but it’s earnest. It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Broadway Beauties, where the scale of the production feels slightly bigger than the actual room they’re standing in.

Some random notes

• The uncle character is surprisingly the best part of the whole thing.
• The plot is essentially just an excuse to get to the next musical number.
• There’s a doorbell in the middle of a scene that sounds suspiciously like a distorted goat.
• The editing feels like it was done with a pair of rusty kitchen scissors.

I found myself wondering if this feels as dated as What's the World Coming To, which also had that same desperate need to keep the audience entertained at all costs. It’s a specific kind of desperation that’s actually kind of endearing.

It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s not trying to be. It’s just a bunch of people in suits trying to keep the momentum going before the whole thing collapses under its own weight. Sometimes, that’s all you really need on a Tuesday night. 🎷