vert001 QUEEN HIGH is a nice example of what musicals were like before the Busby Berkeley days at Warners and the Astaire/Rogers series at RKO. The story is silly but mildly amusing, the songs pleasant and catchy, and the cast, including Frank Morgan (Wizard of Oz), Charlie Ruggles (Bringing Up Baby) and Ginger Rogers (Top Hat), is exceptionally strong. We even get the first screen appearance of Eleanor Powell, though to me at least she's quite unrecognizable dancing on a table during the film's bounciest number. On the negative side of the ledger, the camera is static, the plot structure clunky, and the film stock has deteriorated badly. Morgan and Ruggles are already their established personas while Rogers is still in her 'Betty Boop' flapper phase, but cute as a bug anyway. She's known as Astaire's partner but actually covers a wider swath of musical history than practically anybody: an early musical here, the two greatest Berkeley efforts, 42ND STREET and GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933, the Astaire RKO pictures of course, and even an early 'modern' musical, LADY IN THE DARK, and the classic MGM effort with Fred, BARKLEYS OF Broadway. And on stage both HELLO DOLLY and MAME. Amazing when you think about it.

kidboots When Broadway patrons came out of "Queen High" (1926, 378 performances) they were chuckling at the genial folksy comedy of Charlie Ruggles, so in 1930 when Paramount decided to film the musical it was a "no brainer" that Ruggles would be cast in the role that made him a star. So even though the movie would be remembered as an early feature of Ginger Rogers, it was the rapid fire back and forth patter of Ruggles and Frank Morgan (not from the original stage cast) that gave the film popularity. Ruggles stars as T. Boggs Johns who is in partnership with George Nettleton (Morgan) in a garter and novelty business and their heated bickering sees them agree to a winner take all poker game - the winner gaining control of the business for a year, the loser having to become a butler in the winner's household!! In the meantime Ginger (who because of the film's being made at Paramount's New York Astoria Studio allowed her to continue her stage role in "Top Speed") - she plays Polly Nettleton and is in a secret romance (was there any other kind in a 1930 movie??) with Johns' nephew Dick (Stanley Smith who more than earned his salary at Paramount in 1930 !!) Polly is given the job of stenographer in her uncle's firm. Dick also has a job there and at first they think none too highly of each other - "flirty, half baked flapper" is how she is described by Dick!! Of course that is before they meet and when they do, in a crowded subway, it is love at first sight!! There is a terrific number to start things off - "Brother Just Laugh It Off" - there's Ginger in her cute "baby talk" voice, a harmony group and plenty of dancers demonstrating the Charleston!! The poker game is played, with Johns the loser but definitely not in the comedy stakes as Ruggles milks the demeaning demotion of butler for all the comedy it is worth. He also gets to perform "I Love a Girl in My Own Peculiar Way", hoping to discourage a very amorous parlour maid!! Meanwhile Polly and Dick continue their romance. "I'm Afraid of You" is sung as a duet at a restaurant but unfortunately, the hit song of the film "Seems to Me" was only given to Smith, it looked like Rogers was going to have a chorus but - nothing happened!! The real stars are Morgan and Ruggles - Johns' decides to try to romance Nettleton's nervous wife then realizes that Nettleton is making a shambles of the business. Then they both realize the bet isn't legal - it was all thought up by their lawyer to teach them a lesson!!Ginger was such a cutie in this but with two over the top comedy stars vying for top honours she would have to wait a couple more years for roles that would put her in the spotlight!!

calvinnme ... and not think very hard. The title brings forth images of perhaps the world's first film about high school angst with Ginger Rogers as the queen of her senior class? Not at all. Instead "queen high" is a card term that has to do with a bet that feuding partners in a garter company have made at the encouragement of ... their lawyer? The bet will have the winner running the business alone for one year and the loser being the winner's manservant during that same time. Wouldn't a simple split of the assets be easier? Well, yes, but not nearly as much fun as this early screwball comedy.Frank Morgan and Charles Ruggles play the feuding captains of industry and play off of one another like a high-class version of Edmund Lowe and Victor McLaglen in their buddy movies. Paramount always cast Ruggles as the drunk in his early films, but here they let him play it sober and it suits him. The fact that the business is a garter manufacturer gives an excuse for lots of scantily clad young ladies to wander in and out of scenes modeling the concern's latest products.Complicating matters for the feuding business partners is that Ruggles' character's nephew (Stanley Smith) and Morgan's character's niece (Ginger Rogers) have fallen in love. They mainly handle the musical scenes which are quite charming. Ginger Rogers was still going through her flapper persona phase in 1930 and her singing is pretty good and adds to the fun.The plot resolution is rather abrupt and not very satisfying, but the journey getting there is lots of fun. Highly recommended.

perfectjazz78 This is a great comedy with a few songs, which pop up at just the right moment. Unlike many 1929-1930 musicals, the songs usually pertain to the action and fit right in. None of the melodies are intrusive: they fit right in and are played in the score.... which is better than most 1929-1930 films. Music is used for effect in several key comedy scenes. Also, this should be labeled one of the earliest screwball comedies. Ruggels and Morgan are great in their roles, and a VERY young Ginger Rogers is great as a cute flapper. You can also catch Elanor Powell dancing in one scene very briefly.It is a shame that this movie is not widely available, as I enjoyed it more than most musicals of the 1929-1930 cycle.