The Ritz Brothers parody Alice Faye in 1937

Let's go slumming. In two different versions. First is the serious one and the second is the parody. ENJOY!
Also a cameo by very young Joan Davis.

[@liberte5847]

Outstanding Hollywood number ever rendering. Thanks a lot from Paris France 👍.

[@Northatlantic2012]

Alice Faye was fantastic!

[@22LAF]

Alice Faye is fantastic! A great musical number by Irving Berlin. Great dance routine.

[@liberte5847]

One the best ever in Hollywood historical moments!!!! BRAVO! Emmanuel

[@nancilucey2055]

Best dancing scene ever! So enjoyable and I love how the 2 classes merge. Alice Faye knocked this one out of the park!

[@m.lecollie3565]

The lost art of stagecraft in full display!! Wonderful to see. Marvelous dance number.

[@jamesryan6008]

The better the material, the better The Ritz Brothers are.

[@liberte5847]

THE BEST EVER MOVIE WITH THE RITZ BROTHERS! BRAVO FOR THIS, GREAT SOUND AND IMAGE RENDITION! MERCI BEAUCOUP FROM Emmanuel from Paris France

[@liberte5847]

One of the best ever singer Ever! BRAVO to be remerembing Her forever from Hollywood History, BRAVO. Merci beaucoup for this Golden Age Movie! Emmanuel from Paris

[@RoxyTG1]

That jump on the the moving walls was actually quite impressive lol if the timing had been wrong we would have a very squished man in drag!

[@whazzat8015]

Harry Ritz was sublime. great physical comedian on par with Marceau

[@ANTIGOSDISCOSMGK]

YOU CAN SEE THE APPREHENSION IN HARRY'S FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, NOT SAFE AT ALL!!! RESPECTFULLY MICHAEL GERARD KIRSLING CHICAGO

[@jamesmcinnis208]

"actually"

[@hebneh]

To me the funniest part of this is the "Hey, hey! Hey, hey!" as they go up the steps of the set, only to suddenly yell out "HEY!" in surprise and panic as it splits in half.

[@terrancebigham6765]

Irving Berlin, who wrote “Puttin’ On The Ritz”, also wrote this one.

[@tombradley]

Jesus Christ on a bicycle do I love the Ritz Brothers! Beyond their unique gift I am astounded at how unknown they are. I suppose most of the great comedic talent is forgotten or ignored today, but I'm 60 and few of my contemporaries know of them. That one little hands flutter Harry does after wandering into the distance is worth the price of admission.

[@liberte5847]

The greatest performers! Family STARS ever! BRAVO, crash CRAZY ever men in reunion! BRAVO bravo bravo! Emmanuel

[@denniswahl-ds2jo]

Just great entertainment! We seem to have lost that. I watch more, and more old movies these days

[@megasept]

I agree. I appreciate the (unusually) thoughtful and informative discussion / debates here. Everybody gains.

[@bostonblackie9503]

The musical numder with Alice was great, a real stage in a movie, can't say much for the rest.

[@whazzat8015]

The Ritz brothers were great dancers. Watch it carefully, they are doing great work here.

[@yaffayafo82]

Harry was the nucleus

[@rifroar]

Love Alice, Underated"

[@barryobrien7935]

Anyone notice Joan Davis as the assistant?

[@caribman10]

Great set of gams on that gal, hotcha!

[@karlakor]

You are absolutely right,. Society had changed by the 1940s, and the comedians from that period were extremely popular, especially Abbott and Costello, whose pictures saved Universal Studios from bankruptcy. It is also true that the short subject, in which the comedians from the 1930s were so brilliant, was falling out of favor, and studios concentrated more on full-length pictures in which the story was of primary importance, with comic interludes being secondary. Your points are well taken.

[@albanybeardguy]

MUCH better than usual Ritz- they knew enough to keep the parody short and sweet

[@LucyHaskell-qx6nu]

Oh wow 😂

[@LazlosPlane]

Here (in Seinfeld) we find Harlequin in full flower in the character of Kramer, with signature hair, clothing and physicality. Also special note to Sid Ceasar, Dick Van Dyke, Joan Davis, Lucille Ball, and many others whose connection to the classic (not to mention funnier) traditions of comedy were thankfully kept alive in America. The French can continue to adore Jerry Lewis.

[@zelphx]

That secretary was a real honey; even the cracking voice is cute. They had cute, back then, before we did!

[@whazzat8015]

They had Harry Ritz, one of the greatest of all at physical comedy

[@mkofftiger]

Interesting sociological commentary...by the late '30s the phemomenon known as "Cafe Society" was emerging. One author described Cafe Society as the democritization of old Northeastern society (think Edith Wharton) grown bored with Newport, unwilling/unable to entertain as lavishly as their parents and grandparents, and economically squeezed by the depression begin associating with the newly rich and/or merely famous. This musical number pretty much echoes that, doesn't it?

[@marksell5774]

Big-time 1937 Depression vibe here. Sociologically rich routine. Cafe society observation rings true. Ritz Brothers, essentially nightclub performers Zanuck grafted onto movies from about 1936-40, are at their best in these kinds of number.

[@dougobrien4877]

The men are wearing what look like chest waders instead of trousers😅😂

[@oak4901]

Great performance however wonder if this is a knock off of "puttin' on the Ritz"?

[@lotteweill]

Both Irving Berlin. Slumming not nearly as complex a tune as Ritz Same idea sort of.

[@karlakor]

Comedy in Hollywood began a nosedive around this period, reaching its lowest point ever during the 1940s, with the likes of Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello, and the Ritz Brothers. Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, and the Marx Brothers put the comedians of this period to shame. It's no wonder that comedies of the 1940s were so heavily padded with musical numbers, given the dearth of talent.

[@deadpan80]

Different time period, different tastes - I wouldn't write off completely Bob Hope, Abbott and Costello, and the Ritz Brothers (and you may put Red Skelton and Danny Kaye on that list too) as comedic talents. They were very funny and worthy of the success and adulation they received. But to compare them with Keaton, Chaplin, Laurel/Hardy, etc is not completely fair - these guys were a different class of comedic geniuses and were able to create their own material (with help of gag writers) but that shouldn't take away the talents of those that followed. Yeah, they may not be in the same league but not everyone can be (Christ- look at what we have now, for example). The comedians of the late 30s and 40s still had that special something and were able to take the material given to them and could weave gold! Its all in the interpretation. A&C never wrote a single word of their routines but they way they performed them and able to wring out every possible laugh is where true magic was.

[@GanymedeBoy]

She sure can do a lot in heels.

[@rifroar]

NAME OF FILM PLEASE!

[@whazzat8015]

On the Avenue 1937

[@rifroar]

@@whazzat8015 Thanks"

[@pittypaws6633]

It almost looks like Jimmy and Al are barefoot. I must say Harry looked good in a dress.

[@JoeLibby]

I think Jimmy and Al are barefoot.

[@whazzat8015]

@@JoeLibby Yep Tap barefoot Only the Ritz brothers could out Ritz the Ritz brothers

[@jayrice5156]

The brother in the satin skirt is hot!

[@whazzat8015]

Harry Ritz was hot before hot.

[@thebrazilianatlantis165]

"recent movies have been simply horrid" I thought these were funny and unformulaic: Big Stan 2007 Hot Rod 2007 Smiley Face 2007 Forgetting Sarah Marshall 2008 Sex Drive 2008 Tropic Thunder 2008 Lower Learning 2008 Fired Up 2009 Dinner For Schmucks 2010 Easy A 2010 The Other Guys 2010 Crazy Stupid Love 2011 Wanderlust 2012 This Is The End 2013 We're The Millers 2013

[@LazlosPlane]

It (the connection to Comm Del Arte) in much of the comedy of early television. Ed Norton (Art Carney) is an obvious Harelquin down to the costume (vest, tee-shirt, hat), as well as Gleason's characters including Ralph Kramden. Then, the formulas took over TV as well, leaving us with the deadness and bland stupidity of the comedy of the mid-to late sixties through today. One exception, among others, of course, was Seinfeld. (continued)

[@LazlosPlane]

Losun, No doubt that M. Sadoul was correct TO A DEGREE. The Ritz Brothers are an exception perhaps not known to him, and Bob Hope's early comedic acting was superb. Hollywood became formula driven by the 1940's so much of the comedy is this bland, predictable, flavorless gunk. When INDIVIDUALS are left to create, unhindered by studio dictates, the product is so much better. But the connection to Commedia Del' Arte never completely disappeared. (continued)

[@antinotis]

That outfit is so bad that it looks better on him than on Alice.

[@BernardProfitendieu]

haha! true!

[@whazzat8015]

Harry had some legs on him, he did.

[@bluedorissmith6352]

fantastic act, but the ritz brothers ? not so much, probably appealed more in the 30's but Alice faye, brilliant!thanks

[@whazzat8015]

They were physical comedians without par. Tap barefoot and doing coordinated dance on a narrow set. The leap on to the split stage? genius. long takes. You just have to appreciate the form their work was among the very best. Solid movie. Solid dance, Great cast all around.