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5.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Yes! We Have No Bananas remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, you should watch this if you have six minutes to kill and want to feel like you are hallucinating in the year 1923. It is perfect for people who like weird old media or early music history, but if you hate repetitive songs, stay far away.
I found myself watching this late at night and it's just... strange. You know the song, right? Even if you think you don't, you definitely do.
It was everywhere back then, like the 'Baby Shark' of the jazz age. This short film is basically just a way to cash in on that fever before people got sick of it.
James Stanley and Billy Murray show up to perform it. Billy Murray was basically the biggest recording star in the world for a minute there, though he looks like a guy who would sell you insurance that doesn't actually cover anything.
The whole thing feels like it was filmed in someone's garage with about four dollars and a bag of onions. The fruit stand they are standing near looks so fake it’s actually kind of charming.
There is this one moment where the camera just lingers on James Stanley's face while he waits for his cue. He looks slightly terrified, or maybe just bored, it is hard to tell with the grainy film quality.
The song is about a Greek fruit seller who doesn't have any bananas but has everything else. It makes no sense, but the way they perform it, they act like it's the funniest thing ever written.
I kept looking at the background characters. They have this stiff way of moving that you only see in these really early shorts, like Trying to Get Along or some of the other stuff from that year.
One guy in the back keeps adjusting his hat. He does it like four times in one minute.
I think he was worried it was going to fall off and ruin the take. They probly only had enough film for one or two tries anyway.
Billy Murray has this nasal voice that was perfect for old acoustic recording horns. On film, it makes him seem like a cartoon character that somehow became real.
The editing is... well, it isn't really edited. It just sort of happens until it stops.
If you've seen A Close Shave, you know how these early comedies rely on just staring at the performer. There’s no fancy camera work here.
At one point, the lyrics mention "string beans and onions." I swear the guy holding the onions looks like he wants to cry.
Maybe the onions were real even if the bananas weren't. 🧅
There is something really human about how unpolished this is. Today, everything is so slick and color-graded to death, but here, you can see the dirt on the floor.
It reminds me a bit of Her Accidental Husband in how it just feels like people trying their best with new technology. They didn't know they were making 'history,' they were just making a quick buck.
The song gets stuck in your head for hours afterward. I've been humming it while doing the dishes and it’s actually driving my roommate crazy.
The facial expressions are way too big. Billy Murray does this wide-eyed stare that feels like he’s trying to see into your soul through the lens.
It’s not 'good' in a traditional sense. It is just a vibe.
You can see where they messed up a lyric but just kept going. They didn't care.
I wish modern movies had that kind of 'whatever' energy sometimes. Not every shot needs to be a masterpiece.
It is definitely better than Shadows of the West which is just a slog. At least this is over before you can get bored.
I wonder if they actually had bananas on set and just ate them before filming started. That would be ironic, wouldn't it?
Anyway, if you find it on a public domain site, give it a watch. It’s a nice break from 3-hour epics that take themselves too seriously.
It’s just a song about a guy who is out of stock. 🍌
IMDb —
1915
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