Eddie Cantor- My How The Time Goes By

You know, I bet the bloopers from this scene would've been pretty funny. And, my! What a lot of burnt cork!

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Eddie
• Cantor
• Susie
• Time

[oxofro]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but, in the duet, is Eddie actually singing both the male and female parts? I know his lips don't move when she sings but is it lip synch? I wasn't watching the screen when I first heard this, and thought he was putting on two funny voices! The male voice is different from his usual one too. God, this question is going to sound stupid either way, isn't it?

[voglesque89]

Naw, Eddie's got his part and Joan Davis has her's. But I started to consider what might be different "from usual" about Eddie's voice here... this is a relatively slow song, unlike the tempo of most of his songs. Also, I think Eddie sounded different when he was older.

I'm not much of a fan of Joan Davis, but I guess she had a sort of husky voice, now that you mention it.

[louiscaponecchia]

without blackface, it wouldnt be the same...outside of having makeup on, what did they do that is so racist or terrible?

[voglesque89]

(I agree)

[wlcdsla]

The PC folks can go cork themselves - what a wonderful bit of film.

[jcreationfilms]

Hi I'm black myself and I totally agree with you! It's like people have forgotten what racism

actually means! This performance is great and there's nothing in it that says black people shouldn't be treated with respect! Go figure!

[dudley5533]

Joan Davis shows some of her multiple talents here....that high kick and cartwheel done on a moving stage a sample of her acrobatic ability. Bye the way, nice shape she had  especially great looking legs.

[maxiemom1]

The people who object to this simply show how IGNORANT they are of history: Eddie Cantor was one of those entertainers who worked for civil rights, equating the suffering of HIS people with that of African Americans. Black people then had no problems with HIM or what he stood for and he helped a number of black entertainers along the way..... GET OVER IT!

[DracoFamiliar]

@louiscaponecchia In short I agree full heartedly.

[DracoFamiliar]

@louiscaponecchia What black face? I see two excellent singers in a duet about two lovers taking too long to part for the night. With six accompanying singers.

It's insulting to think that ALL many see is that there is black makeup used in a style refered to as "blackface" and therefore the whole thing must be racist somehow. Isn't just as racist to assume that black people would be so shallow and find anything about this particular clip insulting?

[ChristophePhilippe]

Racism, schacism...this is just not entertaining. It's not funny, witty, escapist, and doesn't underscore any real emotion or moment.

Pretty lousy really.

[SuperHartline]

I like this number a lot, but there is a slight dig. The last two chorus girls the camera focus on as the girls mount the steps, have had their butts padded. That was a slur, along with watermelon, blacks had protruding rears. Superhartline

[cjprentiss1]

Genessa: You say that no one was listening to Blacks at that time. This is not totally true. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was a Black Super-Star in the 1930"s, and he was also a very close friend of Eleanor Powell. Robinson personally coached Powell in how to impersonate him, in Blackface, and -- in her movie "Honolulu" -- Powell gave a brilliant Blackface performance as "Bojangles", which is available on You Tube. Absolutely Terrific, and done with Robinson's guidance and blessing.

[cjprentiss1]

Genessa: This is a cute and adorable clip. I'm glad someone posted it. I was totally unaware of this song. This clip shows the enormous talent of Eddie Cantor and Joan Davis. Minstrel shows were very popular for decades. Cantor was portraying a talented song and dance man. There is nothing in this material which demeans blacks or anyone else. As for a white man performing in black face, Cantor was only playing a role. He was trying to entertain everyone and not trying to offend anyone.

[genesssa]

@Howdybub9 tiny quibble: "people" then did not find... demeaning to blacks. that would be WHITE people. the verdict is not in from blacks of the time, because no one was listening to them. however, you make a fabulouslty accurate observation in suspecting that cantor was recreating oe of his old hits, and it looks as if in this film his character at least is doing just that. blackface will always be controversial but perspective is important too.

g

[IDLERACER]

Hey, at 3:34 that treadmill is moving forward instead of backward.