Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round

TRANSATLANTIC MERRY-GO-ROUND (Reliance, released by United Artists, 1934), directed by Benjamin Stoloff, produced by Edward Small, is pure thirties entertainment featuring numerous radio and screen personalities of the past whose names are almost forgotten today.

The story, told in flashback, is set on an ocean liner involving numerous passengers, including a Jimmy Brett, a jewel thief (Gene Raymond), Sally Marsh, actress (Nancy Carroll), some loan-sharks (Sidney Blackmer, Sam Hardy and William "Stage" Boyd), and a jealous husband (Ralph Morgan) out to spy on his unfaithful wife (Shirley Grey) by becoming a stowaway in a lifeboat. A murder later occurs which causes Inspector McKinney (Robert Elliott) to take time off from his vacation to gather up all the suspects.

In between the scenario, radio comedian Jack Benny as Chad Denby, with Nancy Carroll perform a spoof of MGM's GRAND HOTEL (1932); Mitzi Green singing "Oleo, It's Love" while impersonating actor George Arliss; the three Boswell Sisters singing "Rock and Roll" two decades before that term became standard to 1950s music, as well as "If I Had a Million Dollars"; along with a production number or two, save one biggie, "It Was Sweet of You," done in Busby Berkeley type-fashion, but choreographed by Larry Ceballos and Sammy Lee, including dancing girls, overhead camera shots with the chorus doing geometric figures. On the lighter side of "comedy relief," there's Patsy Kelly as a wisecracking passenger who participates in a shipboard skit; Sid Silvers as Raymond's sidekick posing as a cabin boy who hides the stolen jewels; and Sydney Howard as the passenger drunk who never sobers up for an instant during the duration of the entire story. And if any curious viewer wants to see a Nancy Carroll movie, this is possibly the only one of hers made available. What a shame that she isn't better known today especially since she was one of those top named Paramount stars of the 1930s (who at times resembles Paramount's own Sylvia Sidney). Carroll's career sadly faded after leaving Paramount, appearing in some forgettable programmers before accepting minor assignments in two 1938 releases.

TRANSATLANTIC MERRY-GO-ROUND was distributed on video cassette in 1987, became part of the "Nik-at-Nite Movie" which played after the midnight hours on Nickelodeon prior to 1988, and later returned to cable television for a while on American Movie Classics from February 2, to November 13, 2000, before disappearing from view.

It spite of its shortcomings, TRANSATLANTIC MERRY-GO-ROUND is enjoyable sort of movie quite common during the Depression era. (**1/2)

... then it would be an even better film than it is. It is all about how the lives of several passengers intertwine on a transatlantic journey. Sally Marsh (Nancy Carroll) has gotten her old friend Chad Denby (Jack Benny) to hire her on to his entertainment troupe for the voyage so that she can get her brother Ned out of town in a hurry. Underworld kingpin Lee Lother (Sidney Blackmer) , his henchmen, and his girl are on the ship, and Lother has past ties to both Sally and Ned. Actually, Lother's best girl is actually married and thinks she has pulled a fast one on her husband with this cruise, when in fact he knows what is going on and is on the same ship with murderous intentions.

So the protagonist who weaves all of these people together? Grifter Jimmy Brett, played by top billed Gene Raymond. The problem is, Jimmy is a louse, and yet the film seems to be saying we should be rooting for him. But how could I? He makes his partner in crime (Sid Sliver) work his way across the Atlantic so Jimmy can stay in first class, he is willing to steal from anybody anywhere anytime, and just because he is getting romantic with Sally, a genuinely nice gal, I'm supposed to cut him a break? Well, I'll let you see how this all works out.

Don't expect cheapskate Jack Benny of 1940 and later. At this point he is still working on his radio persona after only two years of transitioning from film to radio and doing the occasional film. Also Patsy Kelly, part of Benny's entertainment troupe, is practically background noise she is so restrained compared to her usually noisy assertive character.

Keep an eye out for the Busby Berkeley type dance number in the film, because like Berkeley's filmed dance numbers over at Warner's, the audience couldn't possibly appreciate it unless they were hanging from the ceiling, and this is not the Poseidon Adventure.

For the most part, Benjamin Stoloff's "Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round" is a typical 1930s musical. There's nothing particularly special about it.

Except for something that I found out while reading about the cast members. I already knew about Sidney Blackmer (Lee Lothar). But while reading about Patsy Kelly (Patsy), I saw that, yes, she also appeared in Roman Polanski's adaptation of Ira Levin's novel.* Patsy Kelly was also one of the few openly LGBT performers of that era; I wonder how many bigots watched this movie back in the day and didn't know that they were watching a movie starring a lesbian.

Yeah, how many people would even think to mention all those things? Anyway, the movie is what it is. A lot of attractive women, but nothing that I would call art.

*Yet another person who appeared in "Rosemary's Baby" was Emmaline Henry, who played Amanda Bellows on "I Dream of Jeannie". Talk about a weird link between two eras!

All due credit to screenwriter Leon Gordon: this picture may be a bit of a hodgepodge as it tosses together murder and drama with comedy, and tinges of a musical, but when it's firing on all cylinders, it's pretty sharp. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that some of Gordon's best wit here is turned toward the humor, as to my pleasure this earns some hearty laughs at a few different points. This isn't to say that the feature is otherwise lacking, though the wide array of characters to whom we're introduced rides a needlepoint of being smart and engaging at some times, and dull and insubstantial at others. In fairness - meaning no disrespect to filmmaker Benjamin Stoloff, but the strength of his direction in this instance is highly variable in my opinion, and maybe that has more to do with the wavering quality of the viewing experience than Gordon's writing. With no particular rhyme, reason, or pattern, some scenes are tight and hold our attention, others just flounder (sometimes it's hard to know what tone is intended for a moment); some are ill-fitting as they present, and others pass by so blithely that one risks checking out from the movie altogether. Suffice to say that 'Transatlantic merry-go-round' is a bit of a mixed bag.

It's not outright bad, mind you, but in no time at all after it begins there develops an irregular ebb and flow in which we as viewers are alternatively locked in, and struggling to actively keep our eyes on a film that isn't especially absorbing or convincing. For example, the musical numbers may be well done in and of themselves, and the last and largest such sequence is indisputably a minor delight with its choreography and camera tricks. Yet at best these feel like an empty concession to the fact that such inclusions were broadly popular in cinema in the 30s, and at worst come across as a bad joke; other inserted diversions are even more questionable as they present. Each of the characters and story threads herein are suitably worthy for exploration, some more so than others, yet they're often treated with a passivity that renders them bland and sterile. The cast is fine, but no one specifically makes an impression; those behind the scenes turned in good work, not least with regards to the sets, costume design, and of all things the editing, though even these aren't really anything to proverbially write home about. Meanwhile, it's not necessarily the fault of this 1934 title that the sound design and image quality are less than pristine - these may just as well be a reflection of the limitations of the production, or of technology of the time, or maybe a smidgen of degradation in prints from so many decades past. Nonetheless, these facets aren't a major point in this carousel's favor, either.

There is, truly, some cleverness in 'Transatlantic merry-go-round,' most of all in the dialogue and scene writing. I did enjoy myself in some measure while watching. The problem is just that very little of the resulting picture makes a mark, and even as the various pieces come together in the last third it's overall fairly forgettable. Other aspects, like Sydney Howard playing "Dan the Drunk," grow rather stale over ninety minutes; the climactic scene of The Reveal feels too jumbled and clamorous for its own good. Under such circumstances, it's hard to give the movie much of a recommendation. It's passably entertaining for a lazy day, but I think one has their sights set entirely too high if one is going out of their way to watch. Make a note of it, sure, and set it aside for when you want something light and uncomplicated that doesn't inspire or require significant investment. Like a merry-go-round in real-life, that may be the best way to get most out of this film.

Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round starts out with the murder of noted gangster/ gambler Sidney Blackmer. As is usual there are a flock of people with plenty of good reason to do him in on this voyage. But instead the film starts with the murder and then flashes back 48 hours to see how Blackmer interacted with the rest of the passengers and crew.

But we have more than a murder here. Jack Benny plays a Broadway and radio star who is bringing his troupe along which includes Nancy Carroll who has history with Blackmer and her brother Carlyle Moore who forged a check with Blackmer's name and now Blackmer has him working off the debt and a lot more so to speak. But those are just two of the people who have it in for him.

We get to see Benny's troupe perform on the voyage and among the performers are Patsy Kelly, the Boswell Sisters, Frank Parker and Mitzi Green. Green was mostly on Broadway and on radio and so this is a rare chance to see her. During her song she does a devastating impression of George Arliss. The troupe also does a satirical skit of Grand Hotel.

If the murderer didn't announce intentions during the film this would have been a great mystery and rated a notch or two higher. Still it's pretty good entertainment.