"SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO", Definitive Version, 42nd. St. Production Number, 1933.

[zuzulo56]

@levanyzzuf Previous comments vent ideas 'bout this subject.

[caspence56]

The reason she quickly says "tummy" instead of "belly" was this: there were already rumblings about what was considered suggestive in the movies, even before the Hays Code went into full effect. For some strange reason, "belly" was considered a vulgar word. Busby Berkeley staged it this way on purpose; the exxagerated ommission of the rhyming word "belly" was his way of telling the high-minded moralists "For crying out loud...GET A LIFE !!!!".

[RetroTony1959]

Wow! The Negro porter is so dark all I could see were his teeth when he smiled. I wonder what he's doing these days??

[zuzulo56]

@RetroTony1959 In the era that this was made, and before, "those" type of scenes were called "Eye-balls & Teeth" scenes...Mr. Stepin Fetchit ( Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry) became a millionaire because of them.

[RetroTony1959]

@zuzulo56 Well good for him.

[musicaltheatergeek79]

Love how they're together at the back of the train and then it opens to separate them and they're now at opposite ends and have to go through different cars to meet up again. Great staging!

[BusbyRocks1]

Love all the Reno references in these films from the thirties. It was the easiest way to get a divorce, but you had to go there and stay for six weeks!

[bettiep]

This is one of my fave 30's movies and this actress is sooo cute!

[zuzulo56]

@bettiep In the next life, I plan to marry Ruby Keeler...if that's impossible, then Stacy Keebler!...IF my wife and The Lord agrees, i.e., I'm banking on polygamy being "kosher" then.

[LaBruxinha]

Am I the only one who loves the part with the snarky divorcees?

[zuzulo56]

@LaBruxinha One has to wonder if they spend all their free time going back-&-forth on this train, making fun of the newly-weds. Their snide remarks, on the way back from The Fall (after Consummation) must prove to be especially pointed!

[MerleOberon]

to buy a lot of babies clothes......

[LACraig621]

Did he say he was going home to pack his panties.

[zuzulo56]

@LACraig621 See the earlier comments...one of which touches on this.

[MetsFanLA]

Has anyone studied the lyrics for this song, if so please post them? Seems to be a slightly different version on the lyrics found on the internet. Thanks!

[zuzulo56]

@MetsFanLA I attribute the "mistakes" to just that...and the director, who was nicknamed "One Take", was lax in redoing the scene. Some of the earlier comments, also touch upon those errors.

[MetsFanLA]

@zuzulo56

Thanks!

[thelonelyslayer]

That fella is an absolute dream boat.

[thelonelyslayer]

Such a romantic tune. I love it. One question though: Why does that girl always stumble over saying "belly" instead of "tummy"?

[zuzulo56]

@thelonelyslayer An unfortunate, and painful, childhood memory...I presume. But(t), the REAL query is, why does he, at the start, sing, "I'll go home and pack my panties..."? Even she appears to have been caught off guard, and amused.

[thelonelyslayer]

@zuzulo56 haha. idk. i just always laugh when she starts to say "belly" but then catches herself quickly as if she is cursing. Her friend seems alarmed by the word too. Hmm. i actually always liked that he says panties. haha. I always just assumed that that was an okay usage for men back in them days.

[zuzulo56]

@thelonelyslayer I've given additional thought to this problemme, and am ready to say that I surmise that the uneasiness they both evidence, is due to (drum-roll, please!)...the practice of Belly Dancing...dah, DAH! At that confluence of American History & mores, that dance variety was becoming somewhat popular and was thought of as very risque/indecent/naughty, enough to raise a gent's...ah, blood-pressure. You see, the song (& entire play) is froth with sexual innuendo, and such.

[thelonelyslayer]

@zuzulo56 so then it was intentional? i always thought perhaps she had just messed up her line and they shot it anyway.

[payless1981]

I wanna shuffle off to Buffalo!!!!

[zuzulo56]

@payless1981 In the next life, I want to marry Ruby Keeler...if that's impossible, then Stacy Keebler!

[zuzulo56]

@payless1981 My prayer for you, is that it is NOT -30 degrees F. And do be sure to take in a good Polka Bar or two!

[errolfan]

Classic

[eric5906]

Wonder what songs the Great Depression of 2012 will bring?

[tongzhi2001]

@eric5906 just more "reality" style contest crap. unfortunately.

[rockgor]

Great tune with clever lyrics. Too bad they stopped making movie

musicals.

Thanks for the fun post.

[ajmannn]

There are certainly very high caliber performers, writers, musicians & directors that can make shows of this QUALITY today, but they're prevented from doing so! By whom? By the Music Industry that is corporately rigid in it's resolve that the only that will make a profit is more homogenized versions of Crude Soulless pop music that makes No One FEEL anything but the oxygen leaving your brain +heart. The movie business is also formulaic-producing mindless sequels & cr8ppy-formulaic idiocies

[David10brook]

I love this era, pure entertainment by great stars of dignity.

Sadly we will never see the likes of this time in the movies again!

Ruby Keeler is so lovely, as are many others like Joan Blondell I love them all.

[nauort23]

I generally hate musicals. But I LLLLLLLOVE this one, and I sing this song to myself all the time. Go figure!

[zuzulo56]

@nauort23 That's OK! & nothing to expend a great amount of concern over. It's when you begin to introduce the dance numbers, especially of the "side-step" variety, into your daily routine that you needs take care.

In my younger days, 3 & 4 decades ago, I used to dream about Ruby and me..."THOSE" types of dreams. Ya might say, although I wouldn't, that we had something SPECIAL going!

[dotHackNETSLUM]

@nauort23

This isn't the musical, the musical came about 50 years later give or take three years. Movie came out 1933, Feb 2nd. But totally agree with you, this song is awesome, and the camera shots are breathtaking.

[nauort23]

@dotHackNETSLUM It may not be THE Broadway musical you're referring to, but it's a musical. That's like saying The Wizard of Oz isn't a musical.

[woofer32]

Love this, what a great tune, - indeed the definitive version. Ruby Keeler is so watchable.