Bubbles (1929)

Short subject / Black and white / 8 minutes

Once in awhile, a random creation that isn't a big deal at the time is suddenly very valuable, as in the case of this short subject by the Vitaphone company. Filmed as the last subject in a set, "Bubbles" is now popular because of young Frances Gumm, a seven-year-old soloist who would later hit the big time as Judy Garland.

Long thought to be lost, the film was discovered in the last ten years at the Library of Congress. It was originally filmed in primitive two-strip Technicolor, but only the black and white negative survives. The children in this film are from the Ethel Meglin Dance School, which also taught singing and acting, and they had been incorporated into a group called the Vitaphone Kiddies.

The film opens in a cheesy way, with a creepy old man in overalls and a teenage girl blowing bubbles with two children. Notable here is that the teenage girl is Mae Questel, who would later become the voice of Betty Boop. Then, they are transported to a magical world, the "land of let's pretend", where girls of all ages are dancing and warming up.

Judy appears next as the youngest Gumm Sister, singing with Mary Jane (14) and Jimmie (12). They wear strange costumes that look like clown suits. Little Frances Gumm, or "Baby", as they called her, must have been extremely talented, for at the age of seven, she was selected to sing their solo in the number. This is a rare glance into Judy's vaudeville childhood, and she performs her lines with grace and elegance. Though she is not a standout, she definitely has potential.

On the whole, the singing and dancing in "Bubbles" is superb. After having a childhood of dancing myself, I recognize how amazingly talented Meglin's troupes were. Kids, who appear to be under high school age, perform tap dances on pointe, which is a feat I would never even attempt, nor have I seen anyone else do. One cute little girl has an acrobatics solo, and she performs a one-handed front handspring, two front flips, successive front walkovers, back handsprings, and several hard leaps without the aid of even a mat. The tap dancing is good, and the only act that annoys me at all is this overenthusiastic jazz singer who looks like she's never eaten before in her life. The film is cute, like an elementary school talent show, except that all of the acts are actually good.

This is definitely my favorite of all of her shorts, and it's available on the "Meet Me in St. Louis" 2-disc special edition.

You would like this if: you want to see this rare footage of Judy Garland as a child. Also, everybody who grew up dancing or singing should definitely watch it, because it'll bring back good childhood memories with spectacular talent.

You probably wouldn't like this if: children can be annoying to you. Anyone who hates Shirley Temple will hate this. Also, if you don't like corny things, "Bubbles" is probably not a good idea.

Rating: **
Judy Score: ***