Dixiana (1930)

Simply Perfect

Highly Overrated But Still Good

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

While I am NOT a bleeding heart, I do find it very odd that very few of the reviews even bother to mention the racist elements in the film. While I would NOT say that you shouldn't watch it (I am a huge believer in Free Speech...period), I think the problematic view of slavery at least deserves a mention!! After all, as the film begins, you see a plantation owner and his son talking about how happy their slaves are--as the human chattel do their "fun" chores and sing. While this might ruffle a few feathers, this is akin to showing a song and dance number at a Soviet gulag! This just reinforced the horrible stereotype of the 1930s that slavery "wasn't THAT bad"! Seemingly child-like slaves who are happy and carefree is just a gross stereotype.The plot involves a circus performer, Dixiana, who has fallen for rich Carl Van Horn--the family who owns the plantation at the beginning of the film. Carl's father is a nice but hen-pecked guy. His mother is a society-conscious old battle-ax--and when she learns of the marriage between her well-connected son and a common circus performer, she blows a gasket and demands the wedding be stopped. Carl is apparently a wiener and caves to his battle-ax mother's whim. All this comes out as Wheeler & Woolsey (who look after Dixiana) have been invited to stay with the Van Horns. As for the duo's behavior during this time at the Van Horns, they mostly kick people in the butt (I am not exaggerating in the least).As for the film, it's a mixed bag. For a 1930 film, the sound is excellent. Many early sound films suffer from varying sound or sound that is simply too soft, as they had still to work out all the ins and outs of the new medium. Unfortunately, the problem is that because of this you can actually hear what's going on!! That's because the two leads warble operatic style songs that make Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy seem like pop singers! In 1930, the public liked this sort of old fashion drivel--now it is a definite chore to get past these god-awful songs. In addition to these two leads, Bert Wheeler and Dorothy Lee also sing a bit--as does Robert Woolsey near the end of the film. The Wheeler/Lee songs are more cute and enjoyable than the rest, though it should also be noted that Ms. Lee sings almost exactly like Betty Boop!! Be ready to hit the fast-forward button when any song occurs! Be forewarned, there are a lot of songs and they are hard on the ears!Newly teamed comics, Wheeler & Woolsey are on hand for comic relief. Like Abbott and Costello, the studio first used them in this role and only later gave them their own starring films. Their sort of humor is what you might expect--Burlesque style skits and not particularly inspired ones. The team is okay here, but have been better and are not enough to salvage the film. I never thought I'd find myself saying that I wanted MORE Wheeler & Woolsey! The overall film is wretched--far worse than any other Wheeler & Woolsey film I have seen (I've seen about 12-15). While many of their early films have singing, none feature as much or at annoying music. This combined with the whole slavery issue make this a tough film to enjoy.

As other comments on this site will tell you, this film is either an "antique treasure" or a "pre- historic turkey" ...(that is so hilarious! I laughed for days at that description) .... well like many others in the warbling yelling cast, I shall declare my love for DIXIANA, albeit from 79 years away. I am quite fascinated with the period of 1927-1935 and to see this sumptuous RKO production filmed in late 1929 with its lavish Technicolor finale is a dream and a thrill at the same time.. (remember those dreams?). Also Bebe Daniels is simply awesomely beautiful. As a production it is massive and atmospheric... I read somewhere this film actually captures the deep south of the 1860s which I believed I could actually feel. Also the limelight vaudeville scenes at the hippodrome and the interiors of the steamy mansions with riverboats gliding by and willows overhanging transported me to that period quite effectively. The presence of Wheeler and Woolsey and their rudeness added many laughs... in fact in Australia most of their films were released on VHS tape and quite often they play on national television on the late late show. I have quite a few and in Sydney, HIPS HIPS HOORAY and MUMMY'S BOYS have been seen a lot....and DIPLOMANIACS is an absolute scream of a comedy just like DUCK SOUP. ..anyway in DIXIANA they almost overshadow the film. The 1929 sound is really loud and clear with some really lusty operatic singing and plenty of lavish sets and art direction to enjoy. The most constantly dazzling aspect to this expensive film are the costumes, in particular the many jaw-dropping gowns and the riotous Technicolor Mardi Gras finale. The added dancing (minus his feet!!!) of Bill Robinson is a cropped treat, but the color and the spectacular lavish set and dressings add the thrill of endless beauty back into the enjoyment most effectively. Yes DIXIANA is an antique treasure for me, so if you get to see it, watch it with someone who appreciates the elements listed above.

The title role of Dixiana is played by Bebe Daniels who is a circus performer in an act with Wheeler&Woolsey. Offstage she's pursued by young southern blade Everett Marshall and Snidely Whiplash like gambler Ralf Harolde.Dixiana was RKO Pictures big budget film for 1930. It's given a lavish production, but unfortunately it's crashingly dull except when Wheeler&Woolsey are on and when Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson gets to do a specialty number.Part of the problem is Everett Marshall, fresh from the Metropolitan Opera, makes Nelson Eddy look like Marlon Brando. Marshall does have a stirring baritone and maybe if Dixiana had a few hits come from it, his career might have lasted in films. As it was, Marshall knew he was better on the musical and concert stage and wisely stayed there the rest of his career.Wheeler&Woolsey bring their own brand of humor, shattering certain traditions of the old south as the code duello. The duel they fight for Dorothy Lee's affections is hilarious.As Dixiana is set in the old south, racial and other stereotypes do abound. But unless you like Wheeler&Woolsey and Bojangles, there's no reason to see this film.

A real artifact of the earliest talkies and musicals, which includes the first two-strip Technicolor (the last half of the movie). The romance between a New Orleans cabaret singer (Bebe Daniels) and the scion of a plantation (Everett Marshall) is your basic boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl-due-to-misunderstanding-her-selfless-action, boy-gets-girl-back story......all this interspersed with singing, dancing, vaudeville routines (Wheeler & Woolsey), circus acts, chorus girls, contortionists, evil machinations of an oily villain, a near duel, and superb tap-dancing (Bill Robinson)!The dialog and acting are painfully weak and the storyline lurches roughly from scene to scene - often with little sense or continuity. The 75-year-old film is sharply dated by several instances of slaves in the background singin' and workin' happily for their beloved master and being called "boy" instead of by name. The impending Civil War is totally ignored. Still, I recommend "Dixiana" as valuable viewing for its historical Technicolor sequence as well as its illustration of the then-prevailing movie fiction of happy slaves working for benign masters in the sweet and gentle South.