mark.waltz And they thought that the Hippodrome was the greatest show on earth!It's the return of vaudeville, not quite dead as rumored, with specialties of every kind, and some are quite amazing, even in the cynical, self involved 2010's. Of course, animal acts won't please those from ASPCA (bears on roller-skates and given a giant jug that indicates that it's vodka; Eleanor Powell getting a horse to dance) but acrobats, Woody Herman and his orchestra, the sensational Cab Calloway, red hot mama Sophie Tucker and tap dancing Eleanor Powell provide clean, fun entertainment, the type that Ed Sullivan kept alive until the end of his TV show in the early 1970's. The basic plot has Powell going from Broadway star to the brains behind getting this show together for veteran producer C. Aubrey Smith, and headliner of this spectacular that heads all over, pairing her up with wisecracking Dennis O'Keefe and her attempts at the most outrageous publicity. For most of the 80 minutes, it's a cavalcade of thrills, especially a tightrope walk across a very steep gorge, Powell tap dancing her way through a giant pinball machine and in his last screen appearance, W.C. Fields seemingly very tired in attempting a sketches aboard a train. Powell, in her last leading role on film, plays a far more aggressive character than normal, but because of the extent of the specialty acts, isn't on screen a whole lot. O'Keefe, Smith and Eugene Palette add to the little story aided by the specialties. Sophie's two songs take you back to a bygone era, giving a huge sense of nostalgia. It's TV variety show 50's style on the big screen 40's style, and there's nothing wrong with that.

ksf-2 Star of the show dreams up a stunt to gain publicity for herself! Eleanor Powell is "Ginny", who finds a way to get attention, but her press agent (Eugene Palette) doesn't approve. SO many big names in here.. the awesome W.C. Fields, Sophie Tucker, Aubrey Smith, Cab Calloway, Woody Herman. Some silly bits, one after another. Paper-thin plot in a nonsense script. The wacky-ness moves right along, and we see every corny act in vaudeville history, as well as some good song and dance! Also a circus bear act about half way through. and the high-wire walker that walks a tight rope over some canyon. It ends... at some point. for some reason. Not much of a plot, but its fun to see some of these big acts from the 1940s. TERRIFIC piano duets by two players during the Cab Calloway segment, but the pianists are not named. Directed by Andrew Stone, who would win an Oscar for the "Julie" screenplay in the 1950s. We knew it wouldn't be for THIS film...

Alex da Silva Ginny (Eleanor Powell) takes over an agency and books various acts to impress Gus (Eugene Palette) and Junior (Dennis O'Keefe). She also helps open a club for Dan (C Aubrey Smith). Ginny and Junior spar with each other but will they get together in the end? There can only be one outcome! The story is an excuse to string together various entertainer routines, the worst being WC "potato nose" Fields who performs a dreadful skit and a very bland song called "Penny Arcade". However, this is offset by great dance routines (2 with Eleanor Powell), some good circus performers with an impressive tightrope walker Olaf (Hubert Castle) and a very good middle "black" section with Cab Calloway and 2 piano players which is the standout part of the film. Sophie Tucker appears for 2 numbers at the end, so this will please those of you who like those unfunny songs that are more spoken - the kind of thing that Victoria Wood does now. Overall, the dancing and entertainment lift this film past the "OK" category and it is worth another watch.

jimstet Sophie Tucker was probably sixty years old when she filmed her scenes in "Sensations of 1945". My comments here will focus on her participation in this film. Sophie sings two songs in a nightclub setting that was filmed at Republic Studios facilities and released by United Artists. These songs are "Mammy O'Mine' and "You Can't Sew A Button On A Heart"; this last also recorded commercially for Decca by Sophie. Sophie is in full voice for Maceo Pinkard's song "Mammy O'Mine" and this appearance is a wonderful preservation of her singing style as well as her splendid appearance with her beautiful ensemble including fur cape, hat, jewelry , and 1940s upsweep coiffure. In fact, she looks like one of her many beautiful Maurice Seymour photographs taken through the years of her long career spent singing on the variety stages of the world.