On with the Show(Warner Bros.) (1929)

i i ion— in Uikietlor boa “ON WITH THE SHOW’’—First 100% Natural Color, Talking, Singing, Dancing Picture—A Warner Bros. Vitaphone Production T “On With The Show’”’ Big Triumph In New York Premiere . ; : ; rae The pioneering Warner Bros. treated New York picture patrons to a new and brilliant triumph in the ae ae a : pictures with the presentation of their first 100% natural color, Vitaphone talking, singing and hare picture in Tec : With the Show,” which had its Eastern premiere at the Winter Garden on Tuesday night, May 28th. So pleased was the great and distinguished first night audience with the brilliant colors, truthfully ae the ature: “f e . of seiauiaee and sets, the lilt of the songs and the excellence of the acting that the voices of the players were frequently , out by the applause they evoked. i i % the reCritics on the New York newspapers reiterated the praise which was showered on “On ps the ~— ; gas by viewers on the Los Angeles dailies following the film’s Western premiere at the Warner Bros. Theatre in Holly : i i across the “Movies Again Revolutionized with Great Success of Natural Color Sound Film,” proclaimed a streamer clear page of the New York American carrying Regina Crewe’s review. Regina Crewe in the New York American: ‘‘It was Warner Bros. who gave us the first talkie. Now they have again revolutionized the motion picture industry with ‘On With the Show. Its mighty success means just one thing. In another, say, two years there won't be a photoplay in black and white photography presented on Broadway... As the film mounts from one height to another it is safe to say that every audience will drown out the sound device with applause. That’s what they did last night at the Winter Garden. And it was none too great a tribute to pay to this musical revue. For it equals anything the old playhouse has ever seen.” ams a0_ tthe Daily News: ‘Something new under seOus tis revicwei .... _vor WILTESStu . perfectly blended, softly, harmoniously shaded and set to delightful scenic background and charming costume. Its pleasant tunes get over happily and snappily. Ought to bring crowds of customers to the Winter Garden box office, and they'll be satisfied with the offering.” Bland Johaneson in the New York Mirror: “‘It’s a riot! Warner Bros. brought out the first talkie and blew up the movie business. They've slipped over something again, the first movie musical comedy filmed in natural colors. What a show! It stands up beside the big Broadway musical for songs, dances and beautiful dolls. And it has a better story. The dialogue is hot, authentic Broadwayese. The acting is great. The color photography is marvelous. ‘On With the Show’ is such a forward stride in the technique of the movies, nobody should miss it. It's new, it’s different, and it’s a whale of a show.” Richard Watts, Jr., in the Herald Tribune: ‘‘The cinema, carefully guided by the enterprising Warner Bros., conducted one of its most interesting experiments at the Winter Garden last night. They offer, as usual, the premiere attempt to provide an all-talking, all-singing, dancing and color film as their latest contribution to progress. As a production, as well as an experiment, the work is admirable. The colors are handled with great expertness. The chorus numbers and the stage effects are managed with a degree of expertness that makes their presence in what presumably is a Broadway show entirely convincing. . . The best thing the films have done in the way of transferring Broadway music shows to the screen. An admirable and frequently handsome bit of cinema exploring.”’ Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times: ‘‘Those enterprising pioneers of the talking films Warner Bros. . . last night took another forward step by launching at the Winter Garden the first dialogue motion picture in natural color. (T hey are) to be felicitated on the beauty of its pastel shades. From the pris Sy. Neieeingie, . . BY “ ‘On With the Show’ Presages End of ‘Black and White’ ”’. matic angle it is immensely interesting and the producers have resourcefully presented scenes in colors which have never before decorated the screen.” Quinn Martin in the New York World: “A work of brilliant pictorial design, magnificent in its tinting and shading. Colors have not before been applied to picture plays on so large a scale with such naturalness, such unobtrusiveness. A notable exhibit. Miss Betty Compson is a model of sheer beauty in the color films.” Rose Pelswick in the Journal: ‘‘Warner Bros. have again gone another step ahead in changing the future of the film industry, just as they were the first to synchronize music and sound. The color photography used in the production is gor‘On With the Show’ should be a box office ace, and the . xXWT7 a> RE dash geous. ~~ AAT George Gerhard in the Evening World: “‘Is probably the most beautiful picture ever screened, and the Warner Bros. have made it one of the most tuneful and peppy offerings seen hereabouts in many a moon. Boy, what a treat it is! You're bound to enjoy it.” Katherine Zimmerman in the New York Telegram: ‘‘The astonishing spectacle . . . bared to a breathless and spellbound first night audience. . . ‘On With the Show’ seems to us the most exciting and significant thing that has happened to the movies since they discovered that they have a voice. It is sensationally different. Deserves a long and prosperous run at the Winter Garden. I have a hunch that it will get it, too.” Betty Colfax in the Graphic: “A sure-fire box-office hit. As scintillating, amusing, orb-pleasing a camera piece as has been projected on Broadway this year. The dialogue is spontaneous and the musical score holds several summer hits.” John S. Cohen, Jr., in the Sun: ‘‘Has the speed and pace and general pageantry of an expensive spectacle that occasionally resembles a Ziegfeld show, with backgrounds by Maxfield Parrish . .. The most expensive and generally eye-and-ear-filling chorus number that the audible films have as yet attempted. “The Land of Let’s Pretend’ was a triumph in all departments. Flicited rounds of applause. Held last night’s audience.”’ Maurice Kann in Film Daily: ‘‘‘On With the Show’ will hold its own against any of ‘em and outdistance most of ’em by miles. It is a bearcat in entertainment, a smash hit. You have everything in it—hot music, sentimental music, pretty girls, snappy dialogue, beautiful sets and what no other sound picture has—COLOR. The Warners have: pointed the way again. Give them credit; it’s theirs by right.”’ W. R. Wilkerson in the Daily Review: ‘Boys and girls, this is it!”’ wwii, Witt pride. to“his new-acuievement.. o 2 = ] d 9? — _alg IS extencatly recorded.