Nice effects though.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Although designed as a box-office follow-up to the smash hit, Rio Rita, this re-union of Daniels, Wheeler, Woolsey and Lee with writer- director Reed and producer LeBaron, proved not quite the box- office bonanza RKO had anticipated. Nevertheless, considering the enormous amount of money spent on extras, rococo sets and period costumes, an overall loss of $300,000 was not all that disastrous a result. A fair few number of customers crowded through the turnstiles — far more than returned modest profits on far less expensive productions. And what a wonderful film this is! Bebe Daniels never looked more radiant. She's handed not only fascinatingly eye-filling costumes but some really bobby- dazzling songs, including the title number and the breathtaking, rhythmically composed, bizarrely worded "Here's to the Old Days" in which she is supported by a chorus and our two unforgettable clowns, Wheeler and Woolsey. The former also enjoys a song number, "My One Ambition Is You", in which he teams with the lovely Dorothy Lee. Not to be outdone, the cigar-chomping Woolsey shares a Technicolor sequence with a quartet of lovelies in which the brass-buttoned comic raves on about "A Lady Loved a Soldier". Everett Marshall, from the New York Metropolitan Opera, makes as fine a figure of a hero as you could wish as he renders "Mr and Mrs Sippi" and "A Guiding Star". Ralf Harolde is delightfully hissable as the slick villain. Available complete with its Technicolor reel on an excellent Grapevine DVD.

I saw this in the NYC Museum of the Moving Image before cable and satellite. I went tom see it because of the early technicolor. The story and the music were quaint at best, but I felt weird as I watched the racist mentality. I was watching a time when people, who probably considered themselves liberal, were clueless about the psychological impact of the racism of daily life.Wheeler and Woolsey surprised and fascinated me. I had no idea that this comedy duo had even existed. There was something about them which gave me a funny feeling in my stomach. They looked strange, particularly Woolsey. They did comedy routines which were meant to be funny, but were weirdly humorless to me.. They might have been doing pantomime; the punch lines just fell flat.. They were like my first taste of pickled olives in childhood. Eech! Yet, like olives, I have gotten used to Wheeler and Woolsey. In fact, they are fairly funny in this movie, once one gets used to them. The two strip technicolor is great.Do not start to see this as a casual entertainment. It will bore you. It has great historical interest to comedy, technicolor, and old musical fans, however.

The title role of Dixiana is played by Bebe Daniels who is a circus performer in an act with Wheeler&Woolsey. Offstage she's pursued by young southern blade Everett Marshall and Snidely Whiplash like gambler Ralf Harolde.Dixiana was RKO Pictures big budget film for 1930. It's given a lavish production, but unfortunately it's crashingly dull except when Wheeler&Woolsey are on and when Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson gets to do a specialty number.Part of the problem is Everett Marshall, fresh from the Metropolitan Opera, makes Nelson Eddy look like Marlon Brando. Marshall does have a stirring baritone and maybe if Dixiana had a few hits come from it, his career might have lasted in films. As it was, Marshall knew he was better on the musical and concert stage and wisely stayed there the rest of his career.Wheeler&Woolsey bring their own brand of humor, shattering certain traditions of the old south as the code duello. The duel they fight for Dorothy Lee's affections is hilarious.As Dixiana is set in the old south, racial and other stereotypes do abound. But unless you like Wheeler&Woolsey and Bojangles, there's no reason to see this film.

New Orleans songbird DIXIANA attracts both the noble son of a Dutch planter and the murderous owner of a music hall casino.Here is an interesting antique from 1930, the first year Hollywood was all-Talkie. William Haines comedies were the box-office winners & musicals - like this one - were also extremely popular. Given a lavish production, especially during the Technicolor finale, a close examination of the film revels that the mysteries of the microphone were quickly being deciphered.Bebe Daniels & Everett Marshall provide the romance & music. They certainly try their best, although the dialogue is not overly kind to them, and her fake Southern accent coupled with his wooden acting skills are two high hurdles for them to jump.The film is punctuated by burlesque interludes provided by one of the finest comedic teams of the 1930's - Wheeler & Woolsey. Bert Wheeler (the short, curly-headed one) and Robert Woolsey (the skinny fellow with glasses) were always great fun and their jokes still hit home today, even if they themselves are virtually forgotten. Here they are given great assistance by dialect comedian Joseph Cawthorn, playing their Dutch host at a sumptuous Louisiana plantation; he fits in so well, especially when pulling the Three Cigar Joke, that he practically becomes a third member of the team.Also on hand, as she was in so many of the Boys' films, is pert Dorothy Lee, as kewpie doll cute as ever. The massive Jobyna Howland, playing Cawthorn's temperamental wife, proves once again that she could handle the slapstick as well as the histrionics. Both ladies supply the extra oomph lacking in Miss Daniels' performance.Ralf Harolde makes a mean villain and unbilled George Herman appears as the impressively limber contortionist.It should be noted that there are some racist elements in the story; this was not unusual in American movies of that era.The early Technicolor sequence - featuring the Mardi Gras in full swing - is very pleasing to the eye, benefiting from a recent film restoration. However, scenes still seem to be missing, evidenced by Wheeler suddenly appearing in drag (or is that his Carnival costume?) without explanation. Best of all, the legendary Bill Robinson finally arrives, for a total of 3 minutes, to dance for our delight.