a phone line to sweet
adeline
by Douglas Messerli
Miss Ella Shields: The Ideal of Ideals / 1930
In 1930 the Pathetone Weekly issued another of Shields’ performances, subtitling it “The Ideal of Ideals,” although whether they meant that literally or sarcastically is not clear. Beginning the song on the phone, Shields moves from wanting a telephone line to her singing about going back to her sweet Adeline. The song is charming and forceful, but not nearly as clever as the previous short, although her voice is quite wonderful, her dance gradually turning into almost an early version of the Michael Jackson’s “moonwalk” done to tap. Nothing quite so astounding, but still very memorable.
Los Angeles, November 5, 2023
Reprinted from World Cinema Review (November
2023).
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