Open ClassicCINEMA
Back to the collection

OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 1199

On with the Show!

1929103 minUnited States
Musical
Video edition
Wikimedia Commons
Original language
English
This copy runs
107:06
Subtitles
No subtitle track in this language

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · Alan Crosland and Larry Ceballos · Public domain

Synopsis

A struggling theatrical company reaches an opening night that may decide whether it can continue. Unpaid performers, demanding creditors and backstage rivalries threaten the show. Among them, a young hat-check attendant hopes the stage might offer a way out of poverty.

Cast

DirectorsAlan Crosland

Behind the scenes

Warner Bros. promoted the musical through its combination of talking performances and two-color Technicolor. The production belongs to the first wave of sound features that made the making of a show their own subject.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film referenceWikidata — film identity and credits

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 15, 2026.

Photograph credit

Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.

  • Joe E. Brown — CBS Radio; eBay item photo front photo back · Public domain
  • Betty Compson — Paramount Pictures, publicity photo. Betty Compson in The Docks of New York (1927). Directed by Josef von Sternberg. · Public domain
  • Louise Fazenda — Trailer screenshot Licencing information : https://web.archive.org/web/20080321033709/http://www.sabucat.com/?pg=copyright and http://www.creativeclearance.com/guidelines.html#D2; The Casino Murder Case trailer · Public domain
  • Sally O'Neil — Hal Phyfe, photographer (Fox Film Corporation) · Public domain

Audience rating

Loading ratings…

Keep exploring

Collection