Fifty years before Woody Allen's Zelig (1983), which preceded Robert Zemeckis's Forrest Gump (1994) by more than a decade itself, this sprawling spectacle of a drama features its characters in (or during) various real life, historical events (the Boer War, the Titanic, World War I, etc.) to help tell its 33 year story. It earned director Frank Lloyd his second and last Best Director Academy Award (on his second to last nomination). The film also won the Best Picture & Art Direction Oscars, and lead actress Diana Wynyard earned her only recognition from the Academy with a Best Actress nomination.If you haven't heard of Wynyard before, don't be surprised - primarily known as a London stage actress, she appeared in only half a dozen films in the 1930's (her debut in Rasputin and the Empress (1932), the only film featuring all three Barrymore siblings, directly preceded this one) and only twice that number in her career (most notably, in the British version of Gaslight (1940) opposite Anton Walbrook). In this film, she reminded me of Norma Shearer, whom she resembles, except for the fact that Wynyard under plays her character (at least, relatively).Many film fans won't recognize all of the other names in the cast either, which includes: Clive Brook, Una O'Connor, Herbert Mundin, Beryl Mercer, Irene Browne, Frank Lawton, Ursula Jeans, Margaret Lindsay (her sixth film), John Warburton and Bonita Granville (their third films), among others. It's a British story with an "upstairs downstairs" subplot, from Noel Coward's play, which was produced by a Hollywood company (20th Century Fox). Reginald Berkeley wrote the screenplay, and Sonya Levien provided continuity.It's New Year's Eve, 1899! Upstairs, Jane (Wynyard) & Robert (Brook) Marryot are toasting the coming century before he must go and serve as an officer in the Boer War (Africa). Downstairs, their servants Ellen (O'Connor) & Alfred (Mundin) Bridges can appreciate their bittersweet celebration because he too must soon leave, as an infantryman. Mercer plays the cook; Tempe Pigott plays Alfred's disagreeable mother-in- law.The Marryots have preteen two sons, Masters Edward (Dickie Henderson) and Joey (Douglas Scott), who play with Edith (Sheila MacGill), the daughter of Jane's lifelong (and film-long) best friend, Margaret Harris (Browne). The Bridges have a new baby named Fanny. After both soldiers return uninjured from the war, Robert helps Alfred go into business for himself, lending him the money he needs to buy a pub. Merle Tottenham plays the Marryot's newest servant (later, she marries, Billy Bevan).Ten years later, Fanny (now played by Granville) is a dancing prodigy. Alfred, who has been drinking away his bar's profits, is killed when he struggles away from some friends and staggers into the street in front of a speeding fire engine. Five years later, newlyweds Edward (now Warburton) and Edith (now Lindsay) wonder about what their future holds on the decks of their honeymoon cruise ... on the Titanic! When (WW I) war breaks out, Joe (now Lawton) is as excited to be joining the conflict as he was for his father 15 years earlier. Near the end of the conflict some four years later, he's predictably weary. But his spirits rise when, by chance, he sees dancer Fanny's (now Jeans) name in lights, and the two of them begin an affair unknown to their parents of differing classes. On armistice day, working class success Ellen Bridges, gaudily dressed and looking uncomfortable in high heels, visits Jane to tell her about their "children's" affair. But they're interrupted by a telegram that tells Mrs. Marryot about Joe's death. Fanny sings the "Twentieth Century Blues" about it in her nightclub.After a series of montages (like those included which signified the length of the so-called Great War) including newspaper headlines spanning more than a decade, the film ends as it began with an elderly Robert and Jane, after Margaret has left, toasting the coming of 1933 on New Year's Eve.

CALVACADE "1933"Calvacade needs to be a necessary film for anyone into film history. Starting off with a Vaudville story-line it quickly becomes a lesson in film and screenplay history. Originally a story by Noel Coward, the screenplay is sharp and directive. Scenes are well-thought out and dialogue becomes a crucial focus. The performances age with all the makeup, but it's charming. I'd watch it again. Many times.TCM brings it again. Highly recommended.

For those of you keeping up with my retrospective on all the Best Picture winners up to now, you will know these writers, directors and actors were still not accustomed to the transition to talkies, but they were slowly getting the hang of it. And on top of it all, they were even taking advantage of the visual medium. The sets, the ability to shoot on location, the cinematography, the lighting, and down the road, the color of the film itself all helped contribute all kinds of creative ways for these filmmakers to either make the impossible possible, or reliving the past. King Kong, a film that came out in 1933, is one of those films that accomplished this task and so much more.But unfortunately, we're not reviewing King Kong today because it didn't win Best Picture. It wasn't even nominated. What won instead, unfortunately, was a film that made no attempt at all to take advantage of what film as a medium has to offer; Cavalcade. Yeah, they adapted one of the drollest of plays into a feature film, and people actually loved it.What's the story? It's the life of an English couple from the New Years Eve of 1899 up until then-present day 1933 as they experience historical events include the Second Boer War, the death of Queen Victoria, the sinking of the Titanic, and World War I among many other things. And within the now-reasonably short running time of 110 minutes, then that means the film's going to be either exciting or rushed. This film is anything but exciting; it's dull as a rock. There is absolutely no soul in this picture at all.And the picture is indeed rushed. These events are just glanced over for no good reason other than to show that they lived through them, and they never seem to show how much they impacted them or the world around them. There's nothing interesting about these characters or this story whatsoever. And what's worse is that these events don't seem to impact the viewer in any way because those scenes are executed in a manner identical to those of a play; you never see these events happen. Come, on! We already had 2 War films win Best Picture in the past; where's the budget? Where are the calamities? For a sentimental film, this film sure does feel devoid of any real emotions.And that's why I call this film dull and soulless; there's no logic or reason, no critical thinking, not even pure sentimental hogwash. At least all the previous nominees had a semblance of a soul; this film doesn't. This film is completely static and unmoving to say the least. The acting is boring, the characters are boring, and the story is boring. There is nothing positive to say outside of the fact that the premise had promise. More extravagance (to help these events leave a bigger impact), about 20 or 30 more minutes added to the running time, and more interesting characters. That is all that is needed to make this film any good. So while the film is pretty bad, it is salvageable. I would just skip it if I were you. 2.5 out of 10 rounded up to 3 out of 10.

An upper-crust British family and their servant class react to the preeminent events that introduced Earth people to the Twentieth Century. Mainly, we see three decades of dramatic interludes surrounding lady Diana Wynyard (as Jane) and her noble husband Clive Brook (as Robert Marryot). This "upstairs" couple is contrasted by "downstairs" maid Una O'Connor (as Ellen) and her boozy husband Herbert Mundin (as Alfred Bridges). But, they take a back seat to the quartet's children, after they grow up to be rich Frank Lawton (as Joe Marryot) and poor Ursula Jeans (as Fanny Bridges)...Noel Coward's stage play is more than a little tedious, at least in cinematic form. "Cavalcade" was well-produced, however, and was the year's "Best Picture" by "The New York Times", "Film Daily", and the "Academy Awards". The latter group named Frank Lloyd "Best Director" and nominated Ms. Wynyard as "Best Actress" of the year for falling hard upon reading bad news. A British Norma Shearer, Wynyard came in third in "Oscar" voting, after winner Katharine Hepburn (in "Morning Glory") and May Robson (in "Lady for a Day"); a good ranking, but Greta Garbo (in "Queen Christina") outperformed them all."Cavalcade" is an anti-war excursion, by Mr. Coward, with some observations on the British class system (both rich and poor mourn the death of "Queen" Victoria), and alcoholism among the working class. The awards notwithstanding, watching these characters react to news events is hardly ever engaging. One exception is when Mr. Lawton goes blushingly backstage to meet Ms. Jeans, after she has become an entertainer. This scene gives their otherwise ordinary and predictable storyline some spark. Another strength is the wonderful Coward tune "Twentieth Century Blues" sung by Jeans' character. The song serves not only as the film's theme but also as a timeless comment on chaotic societal changes.****** Cavalcade (1/5/33) Frank Lloyd ~ Diana Wynyard, Clive Brook, Frank Lawton, Ursula Jeans