Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"All Girl Revue" is a black-and-white short film from 1940, the days of World War II, so this one is already over 75 years old. The writers are not too known, but the director is Lloyd French and he made an impact through his works with Laurel and Hardy earlier in his career. Still his effort here is also not entirely forgotten. It is a brief musical that has woman claim the power for one day and we hear them singing about making the city pretty from start to finish. The most known cast member is probably June Allyson who appeared in here a while before her Golden Globe win. Actually, this was a very forgettable film. The story was extremely absurd and not in a good way, the performances were absolutely nothing special either. But I think this is still a somewhat good watch from the perspective that it determines nicely how clever a feminist is. Those call this a feminist or girl power movie or anything got it all wrong. It's rather the opposite as it shows how women focus on the arts and do nothing crucial when really being in charge and being given all the power. You could make a point for this being a sexist movie, but maybe there you would be stretching things a bit too far too. The one thing that is for sure that this is not a quality movie, simple entertainment without any kind of depth for women at home during war while their men are in the military with this weird parallel to actual life in the first half of the 1940s. This one deserves to be skipped. Don't watch.
mbsheik
This fun one-reeler finds June Allyson appointed as mayor-for-a-day in a tongue-in-cheek look at how things would be if the reins of power were held by the fair sex. As is usually the case with Vitaphone shorts, things happen fast, and right off the bat June realizes there's work to be done, so she and her assistants get down to business to the bouncy We've Got to Make the City Pretty, followed by a trip down to the train station to meet Madame Beverly, the opera star, soon to be arriving on the Guest of Honor Special. At the station, we're treated to the upbeat Information, Please, performed by the harried information kiosk girl, and which is then used as the number for the film's impressive dance production. We then switch to Madame Beverly performing I Love to Sing a Long Note on the incoming train, and before you know it, it's howdy-do, welcome-to-the-city, and one more medley of the three numbers to wrap it all up. With songs by the Warners crack team of Saul Chaplin and Sammy Cahn, All Girl Revue is one short that fans of the genre shouldn't miss.
MartinHafer
About the only reason to see this film is if you are a die-hard June Allyson fan, as she plays the lead in this practically plot less musical. Ostensibly, the plot is about the men giving the women control of the city government for the day and June is the acting mayor. But absolutely nothing is done with this plot...nothing...well, apart from making women look bad when she demands a mirror in the office because ladies, apparently, MUST have this and aren't really serious about work. Instead of developing this, however, there's one song and a crazy song and dance number. In other words, they totally sacrificed plot in order to shove a lot of music into the picture. It's not terrible...but sure is lacking the qualities you need to make it worth seeking. Not terrible...but not very good either.
Syl
Even though women finally got the vote in 1920, women were relegated to second class citizens behind men. This film short is a musical where June Allyson is Mayor of New York City. A world famous opera singer is coming to town. This light musical short indicates that women were still not perceived as equals in a male dominated society. New York City still hasn't had a female mayor to this day. The music is sweet and light hearted. There is not much of storyline but it is entertaining. June Allyson is terrific in the role. The other singers also do a wonderful job. If the film was meant to entertain, it did a good job. As for enlightenment or education, it displayed how women were relegated to love interests, comedic characters, but never equals to women in politics.
AD
