Come on People - the Dream Sequence!

Yes, "the mirror gag" and others were funny and overall I found the film delightful and entertaining, BUT no one, in either the few posts or the few comments, mentions the scene when Max is in jail. He is scratching another prisoner's back and begins to dream.

The dream sequence was marvelous, begininng with a gorgeous estate with a lawn sweeping down to a swimming pool where a line of girls were waiting Max and his once-betrothed, then the two of them walk along the pool (as I remember). They looked back up the lawn and all of these smiling girls appeared to pop out of the ground (they had only been covered with grass or hay, I think). Then, if my memory of the sequence of these events is correct, the girls lined up back at the pool dive into the pool. So very charming, and I would think that at that time that entire scene was VERY original, quite new.

I think this was probably true with the beautiful opening shot as well, where all of the men were seated around a round table. Their right arms were outstretched, each arm had a slight curve at the elbow and a champagne glass in hand. the shot was from directly overhead, all of the men positioned perfectly alike, wearing the same clothes, gorgeously photographed - I knew this film was going to be something different.

The opening sequence, and especially the hilarious dream sequence, had me wondering how many times Busby Berkeley might have seen the film? We are all influenced by others. I wonder if, on the record somewhere, Berkeley mentioned Linder or Seven Years Bad Luck?

I enjoed the film, I laughed, and I am so happy to be introduced to another forgotten genius.

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