SURPRISE (1935) is a rare treat from the archives of Turner Classic Movies that will air once in a blue moon on the channel. This 21- minute "Broadway Brevity" produced by Warner Bros. stars the legendary Duncan Sisters. Rosetta and Vivian Duncan were as big as any stars in the world of Vaudeville during the 1910's, 1920's, and 1930's but their film appearances were quite rare, generally limited to brief appearances in short subjects. This 1935 short stars the sisters in a sweet little musical that vividly shows the charm that made the girls so beloved to live audiences.
There isn't much of a plot: Vivian and Rosetta play entertainers in the modern day 1930's who go "back home" when their gig is up, the Old South. Make that the REALLY Old South, where life does not seem to have changed much since the pre-Civil War 19th century. The girls on the road to home (in a carriage no less) stumble upon a surprise welcome home party for them going on at the old homestead, a fine old southern mansion. What happens from that point on is basically nonstop musical numbers, mostly from the sisters.
The movie also recreates the Duncan Sisters' most legendary vaudeville characters, Topsy and Eva, the children from Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel UNCLE TOM'S CABIN, played for comedy. Alas, Rosetta as Topsy is in offensive black face as was typical for these minstrel type programs still going on in the 1930's. The latter-day distaste for this is somewhat undercut by the lack of malice in her characterization and no attempt at a mush mouth malapropism stereotype, "Topsy" is eccentric but hers is a standard "adult mincing a child" voice. Indeed, watching Rosetta Duncan one realizes how much Fanny Brice's Baby Snooks owes to this famous characterization, it's basically the same character minus black makeup.
Topsy is quite funny with her sass and her downright 21st century cynicism. "I hate everybody," she says. "In fact I wish there was more people in the world so I could hate them, too!" Topsy loathes school and her teacher who "don't know nothing - she's always asking' me questions!"
The highlight is the hearing the lovely harmony singing of the sisters, natural and sweet and far more appealing than the often nasal vocals of some of the musical stars of the era. Rosetta was 40 when this short was made, Vivian 37 but they each look at least a decade younger. Rosetta is clearly the main talent here with an excellent voice and a pioneering comic style but Vivian holds her own and is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful, as gorgeous as any blonde starlet fifteen years her junior.
This short was one of the last hurrahs for the sisters although they still worked on the stage for many years to come. Rosetta was killed in a car crash in 1959 and Vivian passed away in 1987 during the MTV generation, a million years away from the golden era of Vaudeville.
