The Great Morgan, from 1946... starring FRANK Morgan, who was the awesome Wizard of Oz in 1939... plays a very similar character here. Highlights many of the MGM big-shots...Leon Ames, who usually played the scheming big-shot is Morgan's boss, and of course we see Virginia OBrien (love her!) and Eleanor Powell in the clips. At one point, Morgan lists off the MGM big-shot behind-the-scenes department heads: Douglas Shearer (sound), Cedric Gibbons (Artwork) , and Irene (wardrobe). That crew made about half the films ever produced, and it was actually interesting to see what they looked like. The "plot" here is paper thin, and is just there to hold the song & dance bits together. Morgan does all his sound and sight gags, and is pretty much a one man show. The bumbling Morgan shows his film "The Burning Secret" to the studio big-shots. This is all just a big old mess of clips from various MGM properties, with the various stars as credited. It's okay. nothing special. A more interesting note is that there really WAS a German film from 1933, called "Burning Mystery"... does not appear to be related to this. HOWEVER... that German film from 1933 was written by Frederick Kohner.. who also wrote the novel Gidget ... later turned into (many) films! weird connection. Also a strangely detailed clip on the early Stanley Steamer car.
en.wikipedia.org/Stanley_Motor_Carriage_Company
also a reference to the ice trucks, back when the ice-box needed a constant supply of ice. see details here at
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator
Not sure what that bit is even doing in the middle of these singers and dancers. Written and directed by Nat Perrin, who had worked on several Marx brothers films. Its okay. Probably a good thing its only 57 minutes long. The fact that i had time to look things up in wikipedia is an indicator of how interested i was.
en.wikipedia.org/Stanley_Motor_Carriage_Company
also a reference to the ice trucks, back when the ice-box needed a constant supply of ice. see details here at
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator
Not sure what that bit is even doing in the middle of these singers and dancers. Written and directed by Nat Perrin, who had worked on several Marx brothers films. Its okay. Probably a good thing its only 57 minutes long. The fact that i had time to look things up in wikipedia is an indicator of how interested i was.