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6.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you love old-school 1930s mysteries but also wouldn't mind a random fifteen-minute tap dance routine in the middle of your crime story, you should probably watch Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round tonight. But if you want a tight, serious whodunit that actually makes sense, you will absolutely hate how this movie keeps halting the plot to let people sing. 🚢
It is basically a murder mystery set on a ocean liner, but the studio also decided to cram a whole radio variety show into the script. The result is this wonderfully bizarre hybrid where people are getting shot, but not before we get some incredible close-ups of ladies doing synchronized swimming movements on dry land.
Honestly, the big murder doesn't even happen until about an hour into the movie. Before that, we just watch people flirt, scheme, and perform elaborate musical numbers on a stage that seems way too big to actually fit inside a ship. 🌊
Jack Benny is the master of ceremonies here, and he basically just plays himself. He is charming, a little sarcastic, and clearly the best thing on screen whenever he shows up.
Then we have the main romantic lead, Jimmy Brett, played by Gene Raymond. He is supposed to be this suave "gentleman thief," but his pencil-thin mustache looks like it was drawn on with a very shaky hand. ✏️
He wins a bunch of money in a rigged poker game and then immediately starts plotting to steal some fancy jewels from the passengers. There is just so much plot stuffed into this tiny run time.
If you have seen older early-talkie musicals like Free and Easy, you know how clunky these early sound films can get. This one is much better than those, but it still has some incredibly awkward transitions.
The absolute highlight of the whole thing is the Boswell Sisters. Their vocal harmonies are so incredibly tight and modern that they make the actual murder plot look like a total mess.
I also loved Patsy Kelly, who plays a passenger who seems to communicate entirely by yelling her lines. She is loud, completely out of place, and I smiled every time she was on screen. 😂
There is one hilarious moment where a guy gets shot in his cabin and he takes about three business days to finally fall over. He just kind of wobbles against the wall forever before collapsing.
By the time the ship's inspector finally starts asking questions, you have probably forgotten who half the suspects even are. But it does not really matter.
It is short, it is breezy, and it has that specific kind of 1930s energy where everyone is just happy to be talking on camera. Definitely give it a spin if you want something light and weird.
IMDb 5.9
1932
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