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The Devil's Cabaret

  • 1930
  • Approved
  • 16m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
444
YOUR RATING
The Devil's Cabaret (1930)
ComedyMusicalShort

At "Satan & Co., Inc.", the Devil is upset because too many people are going up to Heaven rather than down to Hades. He gives his assistant, Mr. Burns the task of getting more people to his ... Read allAt "Satan & Co., Inc.", the Devil is upset because too many people are going up to Heaven rather than down to Hades. He gives his assistant, Mr. Burns the task of getting more people to his domain. In front of a nightclub, Mr. Burns invites a crowd of people to come inside to "Th... Read allAt "Satan & Co., Inc.", the Devil is upset because too many people are going up to Heaven rather than down to Hades. He gives his assistant, Mr. Burns the task of getting more people to his domain. In front of a nightclub, Mr. Burns invites a crowd of people to come inside to "The Devil's Cabaret" and be entertained. After they enjoy songs and dancing, the people go w... Read all

  • Director
    • Nick Grinde
  • Stars
    • Edward Buzzell
    • Mary Carlisle
    • Dorothy Coonan Wellman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    444
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Nick Grinde
    • Stars
      • Edward Buzzell
      • Mary Carlisle
      • Dorothy Coonan Wellman
    • 20User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos2

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    Top cast8

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    Edward Buzzell
    Edward Buzzell
    • Howie Burns
    • (as Eddie Buzzell)
    Mary Carlisle
    Mary Carlisle
    • Impy
    • (uncredited)
    Dorothy Coonan Wellman
    Dorothy Coonan Wellman
    • Chorus girl
    • (uncredited)
    Ann Dvorak
    Ann Dvorak
    • Chorine in Black
    • (uncredited)
    Vera Marshe
    Vera Marshe
    • Stuttering Blonde
    • (uncredited)
    Nelson McDowell
    Nelson McDowell
    • The Preacher
    • (uncredited)
    Charles Middleton
    Charles Middleton
    • Mr. Satan
    • (uncredited)
    Fred Warren
    Fred Warren
    • Mel (man with deck of cards)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Nick Grinde
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews20

    6.2444
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    Featured reviews

    6funkyfry

    Amusing early 30s MGM short

    I've watched this several times, and although the comedy is often just bad, it's pretty interesting because of the way hell's minions are portrayed as the protagonists, and because there's just something very odd about watching dozens of pretty girls in very skimpy outfits dancing around a giant devil head. It was filmed in color, which looks very poor.

    The acting is of a vaudeville quality, and not exactly of the highest. I can't say a lot of invention went into this peice, but it is pretty fun to watch, and something that would never have been allowed just a few short years later. A novelty, not worth the price of admission, but worth five minutes of anyone's time.
    coltrane679

    Unholy smoke!! Mindbending pre-Code musical short

    Another gem found by TCM, this pre-Code (1931) short has to be seen to be believed. "Hades" (the word "hell" is not used until the punchline) is need of new recruits, or so says "Mr. Satan" to his VP, Howie Burns (cute name!) The first clue that we are in the pre-Code era is the skimpy outfit worn by Mary Carlisle as Satan's secretary--hot hot hot. Burns and Satan have a brief exchange loaded with topical references of the day: when the secretary announces a call from Chicago, machine gun fire is heard in the background, and there is some banter about Scarface as well. Also, Satan reacts with disgust when the possibility of a stockbroker coming their way is raised by Burns (remember, this is not long after the stock market crash).

    Eventually Burns heads to Earth (and a speakeasy) for more recruits. Those induced to go to Hades to keep the good times rolling arrive via slide, where they are treated to most jaw-dropping scene of all: a fairly lavish (for a short) music and dance number, where the dancers rip off their modest, fit-for-a-Quaker outfits to reveal their "satanic" (and scanty) outfits (complete with little horns), and surround a giant, illuminated devil's head that rises out of the center stage. Along with the "Marijuana" musical number in Murder at the Vanities, this is one of the pre-Code musical bits most likely to surprise modern audiences; I'm sure some religious types would take offense even now. One can only imagine what they thought back in 1931 (I guess the movement to enforce the Production Code, which achieved success in 1934, might offer a clue!)

    This film is also a very good example of the two-strip technicolor technique used sporadically before the full, three-strip process was introduced in Becky Sharp (1935). The two-strip process doesn't really render hues of blue, but that flaw is not overwhelming in a short largely set in the reddish confines of "Hades".

    You may need the luck of the Devil to catch this treat on TCM, so keep watching!
    8ptb-8

    Red Hot and quite Blue

    This astonishing musical short was created around a shelved musical number from THE MARCH OF TIME a 1929 musical extravaganza that had all the dance numbers filmed but not the story. In mid 1930 the uncompleted film was scrapped and its massive and spectacular musical sequences then used in other films, some features and some as here in a 15 minute mini musical. To say this must have offended any religious person or organization is an understatement: THE DEVIL'S CABARET (like WONDERBAR a few years later) seems created to defy all morality and offer the viewer a 'fun look' at the enjoyment to be had in Hell, as run by Mr Satan in his snazzy nightclub. Very effectively filmed in red/brown 2 color Technicolor by MGM and utilizing the Satan Chrous from TIME, the deco splendor of the office and the fun-park of the cabaret still shock today: you enter by sliding down the Devil's tongue into the pit of the dance floor where Chorus girls clad in Puritan outfits then wildly rip them off and jiggle about in their skimpy underwear. Our maitre'd crooner hands out cards dominoes and any sinful gambling device to have all the wicked fun you could desire, then the floor show commences of the edited TIME sequence: this consists of a jaw-dropping scene of ballet chorus girls wearing reddish sheer/lace outfits who dance around this gigantic Devil's head. Other shockers are: the rude jokes to a fat woman which are are just cruel, Satan's desk has a massive fat phallus near the edge behind which stands an assistant in a black suit... the whole thing positioned exactly in front of his pants.... all in hilariously vulgar offensive fun. THE DEVIL'S CABARET is a censorship-free time capsule of exactly why the Hays code was firmly enforce from may 1934. See it and show it to your friends so they scream and look shocked.
    drghg

    Devil's Cabaret

    I think some of the best things on TCM are the vitaphone shorts. I try to catch them whenever I am watching a movie, especially the musicals. I have seen some great ones--this one is near the top. The short is shot in 2 strip Technicolor and comes off pretty well. The dance sequences must be from another film that perhaps was not released. The March of Time (1930) comes to mind. I have seen dance sequences from that unreleased film interpolated into others.

    The jazzy title music is great---very typical for the period. All in all, very good little film.

    TCM is the best thing going now---one can only hope it never goes the way of AMC, who once was just like TCM, but now has gobs of commercials which render watching AMC nearly impossible.

    Gary
    ctone

    Devilish fun

    This short has everything music, dance, and humor. If you like puns there is tons of puns about Hell. By today's standards some of the jokes are politically incorrect but they are of the time. There is also many special effects that are sure to please. The music is lively early 30's jazz with plenty of scantily clad beautiful young women dancing their hearts and souls all the way to Hell.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      The nightclub sequence was built around the Albertina Rasch's Hades Ballet originally intended to be used in MGM's abandoned The March of Time (1930).
    • Quotes

      Howie Burns: I'll do my best to do my worst.

    • Connections
      Edited from The March of Time (1930)
    • Soundtracks
      Come Hot It Up with Me
      (1931) (uncredited)

      Music by Herbert Stothart

      Lyrics by Howard Johnson

      Played during the opening credits and often as background music

      Performed by Edward Buzzell and chorus

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 13, 1930 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Дьявольское кабаре
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 16m

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