Warning: Spoilers ahead! Created in 1938 when America seems like a different world to a viewer in 2006, this short film about a group of African American singers who are apparently given a railroad dining car named "Dinah" by a crazy man; they believe him and innocently "steal" the dining car and set it up on a Hollywood street corner as one of the early RR car diners, and use it as a means of income and as a showcase for their musical talents. The police appear and tell them the car has been stolen, and then the President of the railroad appears and tells them they can truly have the diner. No longer trusting the word of the white men who keep giving them the car, the band politely declines the offer and the film ends. Certainly not one of Director Buster Keaton's best, but it's cute and watchable.
8 Reviews
An amiable time-passer and an interesting look at Black America in the 1930s
planktonrules25 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
While I was not originally going to watch this musical short since I usually hate musical shorts, I decided to see it when I saw that it was directed by none other than Buster Keaton!! It was obvious looking at Keaton's career that MGM had absolutely no idea how to use his many talents. Starting in the sound era, MGM did practically everything they could to unintentionally waste his talents. The first was pairing the visual comic with the loud, brash and pretty obnoxious Jimmy Durante. Their styles had absolutely nothing in common and Keaton just looked lost in the films--and worst of all, they weren't funny. It was so bad that by the late 1930s, he all but disappeared from the screen except in bit roles. MGM didn't know what to do with this contracted player, so they assigned him to direct some shorts. And the short, overall, is good and achieves what it intended--a short and amiable musical interlude before or between features. However, fans looking for a short that transcends this limited goal (such as Keaton's silent shorts) will be disappointed.
In addition, the film is in some ways uncomfortable to watch here in the 21st century and is an important history lesson. The singing group in the film is made up of some talented Black men who, at times, act pretty stereotypical for the time period. Blacks were not often seen in mainstream films of the era, but when they did they were usually servants or child-like "boys" who could sing and dance. The singing is excellent and catchy, but you can't help but feel that the film is patronizing and these men are allowed to act within very prescribed limits--the characters can't have depth or anguish--they must enjoy being exactly who they are and nothing more. However, don't throw away the film because of this--it is a very important time-capsule and important to our history.
This film begins with the men working as waiters on a train. They THINK they bought a used train car to convert into a restaurant, but it turns out the owner of the railroad is actually NOT the owner but an insane person! How this is all resolved in kind of cute and at least it's nice to see that in the end the men are rewarded for their decency and hard work--exactly the sort of "good Negro" image that White audiences of the time would accept.
Overall, this is an interesting film but is hindered by the age in which it was made. It's a real shame that the singers were unable to do much more with their many talents.
In addition, the film is in some ways uncomfortable to watch here in the 21st century and is an important history lesson. The singing group in the film is made up of some talented Black men who, at times, act pretty stereotypical for the time period. Blacks were not often seen in mainstream films of the era, but when they did they were usually servants or child-like "boys" who could sing and dance. The singing is excellent and catchy, but you can't help but feel that the film is patronizing and these men are allowed to act within very prescribed limits--the characters can't have depth or anguish--they must enjoy being exactly who they are and nothing more. However, don't throw away the film because of this--it is a very important time-capsule and important to our history.
This film begins with the men working as waiters on a train. They THINK they bought a used train car to convert into a restaurant, but it turns out the owner of the railroad is actually NOT the owner but an insane person! How this is all resolved in kind of cute and at least it's nice to see that in the end the men are rewarded for their decency and hard work--exactly the sort of "good Negro" image that White audiences of the time would accept.
Overall, this is an interesting film but is hindered by the age in which it was made. It's a real shame that the singers were unable to do much more with their many talents.
Streamlined Swing is an entertaining Original Sing Band short directed by Buster Keaton
tavm1 July 2008
I just discovered this rare musical short from M-G-M on the TCM site. It's directed by comedian Buster Keaton at a low point in his life when the studio he worked for had no use for his physical talents. The stars are the musical group The Original Sing Band, a group of African-Americans who don't play instruments but instead use their mouths to sound like them while others sing the lyrics of which two of the performed songs were written by Louisiana native Leon Rene. Actually, one of them does play the guitar. The flimsy plot has them getting "sold" a railroad car by a "millionaire" who plans to retire on his "yacht". They take it off the tracks and turn it into a diner called "Dinah" (get the play on words?). While there's some embarrassing dialect here, this was mostly entertaining stuff courtesy of the singing. Since the Original Sing Band appeared in one other short, this was a real find for me. I highly recommend Streamlined Swing.
The front man needs a front tooth.
F Gwynplaine MacIntyre27 May 2002
"Streamlined Swing" was directed by Buster Keaton at the lowest point in his career, when he was under contract to MGM but they refused to make proper use of his comedic talents. This film was a showcase vehicle for "The Original Sing Band", an unusual vaudeville act consisting of several young black men who play all the instruments in a band. The gimmick is that, except for one acoustic guitar, there aren't any real instruments in this band: the various bandsmen make unusual mouth noises (almost like scat-singing) to simulate the sounds of a clarinet, a saxophone, a trumpet with a wah-wah mute, and so forth. The mouth noises aren't meant to be funny; we're supposed to be impressed with the Sing Band's genuine ability to simulate the sounds of musical instruments.
Our lads in the band have got a snappy new diner but no customers, so they put on a band concert (with their nonexistent instruments) to attract a crowd, and of course there's a happy ending.
It's unfortunate that all the members of the Sing Band speak in "Yassuh" dialect, which was probably inflicted on them by some white booking agent who figured they'd be more popular with white audiences if they spoke like illiterate stereotype darkies. Also, the band's front man (the guitarist) is missing one of his front teeth, which really gives him a distressing appearance.
MGM were the richest Hollywood studio, but they obviously didn't spend much money or effort promoting the Original Sing Band. A shame, really. Buster Keaton directs this short film with proficiency but no energy. The whole film seems lackadaisical. "Streamlined Swing" deserves maybe one point out of 10, but I can't blame the men in the band for trying.
Our lads in the band have got a snappy new diner but no customers, so they put on a band concert (with their nonexistent instruments) to attract a crowd, and of course there's a happy ending.
It's unfortunate that all the members of the Sing Band speak in "Yassuh" dialect, which was probably inflicted on them by some white booking agent who figured they'd be more popular with white audiences if they spoke like illiterate stereotype darkies. Also, the band's front man (the guitarist) is missing one of his front teeth, which really gives him a distressing appearance.
MGM were the richest Hollywood studio, but they obviously didn't spend much money or effort promoting the Original Sing Band. A shame, really. Buster Keaton directs this short film with proficiency but no energy. The whole film seems lackadaisical. "Streamlined Swing" deserves maybe one point out of 10, but I can't blame the men in the band for trying.
Buster the Director
Michael_Elliott27 February 2008
Streamlined Swing (1938)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Buster Keaton directed this MGM short showcasing the original Sing Band. Keaton's direction is a tad bit dated and lazy as he doesn't really do much when filming the musical numbers, which just happen to be the best thing about the film. The story written around the musical numbers is also rather lazy and routine.
It's a shame MGM let Buster's acting career go down the drain but I guess we can be happy that he was working at all.
Turner Classic Movies shows this every once in a while.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Buster Keaton directed this MGM short showcasing the original Sing Band. Keaton's direction is a tad bit dated and lazy as he doesn't really do much when filming the musical numbers, which just happen to be the best thing about the film. The story written around the musical numbers is also rather lazy and routine.
It's a shame MGM let Buster's acting career go down the drain but I guess we can be happy that he was working at all.
Turner Classic Movies shows this every once in a while.
"Dinah" - is there anything finah?
theowinthrop10 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Because of the hostility of MGM head L. B. Mayer, who had little use for comedians, and personal and alcohol problems, Buster Keaton's star career was in eclipse by 1938. He somehow got assigned to direct this film, which is a mixed bag - but distinctly a lesser effort of the Great Stone Face. He does not appear in this one, which all in all is just as well.
Racially this film is offensive, even though there is an element in the story that suggests that better things were possible for African Americans if Caucasian Americans would assist them. Even that though does not really help: the African-Americans act like stereotypes, who mangle English, and have subservient jobs. They are the staff of a private railway car, and we see them entertaining the owner and two other men by doing the first of three skat numbers, where they sing and also pretend to be the instruments of the band. This is entertaining, but the effect in the second number is hurt by the members of the band playing instruments that include faking trumpets with toilet plungers.
The band is rewarded by the owner of the private car - he is billionaire - and he is going (he says) to live on his private yacht for the rest of his life and does not need the car. So as a gift it is given to them - but as he does not own the railroad and it's tracks they have to remove it from the tracks and take it elsewhere. He leaves the band astounded at their good fortune - but they don't see him taken under the care of a German Psychiatrist. This billionaire is as crazy as a loon (and so he can't make gifts of his property).
The members of the band somehow manage to get the diner (they call it a "Dinah") down Wiltshire Blvd. in L. A. and set it on some land - where they proceed to rebuild it as a diner. And here was the one positive point of the entire wasted short - they were quite industrious, and were intent on making their new business a success. It was a moment in the films of that era that one struggled to find usually - rare to see African-Americans striving to succeed in our capitalist system. But the moment is quickly shattered, when their hard work is threatened by two detectives (the men who accompanied the mad billionaire earlier) threaten to arrest them on their opening night. They tell the men that the billionaire was suffering from hallucinations. When the President of the Railroad shows up as a satisfied customer who will give them the car as a gift, they politely reject his offer. They don't trust gifts from billionaires anymore.
It's a lame conclusion and a let-down on the one positive point of the film that I appreciated. Keaton's directing is adequate, but nothing more. It will never be one of his memorable classics, or even his good films - it is rather forgettable quickly. It illustrates how his career was wasted for so many years for stupid reasons.
Racially this film is offensive, even though there is an element in the story that suggests that better things were possible for African Americans if Caucasian Americans would assist them. Even that though does not really help: the African-Americans act like stereotypes, who mangle English, and have subservient jobs. They are the staff of a private railway car, and we see them entertaining the owner and two other men by doing the first of three skat numbers, where they sing and also pretend to be the instruments of the band. This is entertaining, but the effect in the second number is hurt by the members of the band playing instruments that include faking trumpets with toilet plungers.
The band is rewarded by the owner of the private car - he is billionaire - and he is going (he says) to live on his private yacht for the rest of his life and does not need the car. So as a gift it is given to them - but as he does not own the railroad and it's tracks they have to remove it from the tracks and take it elsewhere. He leaves the band astounded at their good fortune - but they don't see him taken under the care of a German Psychiatrist. This billionaire is as crazy as a loon (and so he can't make gifts of his property).
The members of the band somehow manage to get the diner (they call it a "Dinah") down Wiltshire Blvd. in L. A. and set it on some land - where they proceed to rebuild it as a diner. And here was the one positive point of the entire wasted short - they were quite industrious, and were intent on making their new business a success. It was a moment in the films of that era that one struggled to find usually - rare to see African-Americans striving to succeed in our capitalist system. But the moment is quickly shattered, when their hard work is threatened by two detectives (the men who accompanied the mad billionaire earlier) threaten to arrest them on their opening night. They tell the men that the billionaire was suffering from hallucinations. When the President of the Railroad shows up as a satisfied customer who will give them the car as a gift, they politely reject his offer. They don't trust gifts from billionaires anymore.
It's a lame conclusion and a let-down on the one positive point of the film that I appreciated. Keaton's directing is adequate, but nothing more. It will never be one of his memorable classics, or even his good films - it is rather forgettable quickly. It illustrates how his career was wasted for so many years for stupid reasons.
A new kind of swing band...
Doylenf2 January 2009
Buster Keaton, at a low point in his career, directed this short subject about a new kind of swing band that plays musical instruments without actually playing them. It's a novelty act that never really caught on and it's easy to understand why.
No use discussing the plot. It's merely an excuse to show these "swing singers" doing their thing singing for their supper in a streamlined railroad "Dinah".
The black band is talented enough but the script is worthless, Keaton's direction is uninspired and the whole thing falls apart before "The End" is flashed on the screen.
Forget about it.
No use discussing the plot. It's merely an excuse to show these "swing singers" doing their thing singing for their supper in a streamlined railroad "Dinah".
The black band is talented enough but the script is worthless, Keaton's direction is uninspired and the whole thing falls apart before "The End" is flashed on the screen.
Forget about it.
Don Ameche???
Moseler18337 May 2020
I believe there is a young Don Ameche in this short. There are other familiar faces and would love to see the cast line-up filled out a bit more on this. Fun music and reminds me of the set up for films like Holiday Inn and a White Christmas.
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