Since Warner Archive has just issued a 6-DVD box set of Vitaphone musical shorts (about which I will scout around for discount deals online), that gives me an excuse to post a 1933 Vitaphone two-reeler.
This mini-sendup of Grand Hotel has a few fun moments, mostly involving gratuitous high-kicking showgirls. Granted, this is not as anywhere near as glorious as the "Grand Mills Hotel" feature-length spoof concept Buster Keaton pitched to Irving Thalberg (which, alas, was rejected, very likely by Louis B. Mayer). And even considering that the hilarious Lyda Roberti, at that time starring in feature films, was not cast as "Madam" and that neither Vernon Dent nor Lupino Lane are among the leads, this remains a diverting bit of early 1930's fluff.
Vitaphone musical shorts were issued in the 1990's briefly on laserdisc and didn't sell, so classic movie buffs, support this endeavor and enable more stuff from the vaults to get restored and released on DVD! Supposedly, plans are in the works for further restorations of 1920's and early 1930's Vitaphone short subjects.
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