Eddie Kehoe is a young vaudeville hoofer who thinks his inability to hit the big time is the fault of stage managers, agents, musicians...everybody but himself. Eddie likes to tell others how good he is, but seldom shows them. Kitty Mayo, an old-time burlesque queen, who is with the McNary Vaudeville Company, advises Eddie to get himself a partner, as his solo abilities can only be stretched so far. He decides to follow her advice and, while in a theatrical supply shop, he sees Rita Carey rehearsing her dancing act that includes a trained duck. Eddie tells Rita he is a good friend of McNary's, and, with him as her partner, her future in show business will be secured. She agrees to join him and Eddie promptly names the act "Eddie Kehoe and Partner". Despite his conceit, Rita likes Eddie, as do others in the troupe, including Cleo a little gold-digger.
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Eddie Quillan stars in this mildly interesting vaudeville drama. The title page calls it a drama/comedy/musical, but there is too little humor to call it a comedy and it's a silent - what music? There are scenes of musical numbers and of people dancing, but they could be mimes for all we know.As stated, Quillan is the star, playing a vaudeville hoofer but he is too egotistical and self-centered to generate any sympathy for his character. It is noteworthy for the appearance of Carole Lombard in a featured role, but she is the heavy and a gold-digger and does not have that much screen time. The best player is Lina Basquette as Rita, who Eddie finds in a pet shop and persuades her to be part of his act, and she turns out to be more entertaining and bankable than Eddie, much to his chagrin. She is very likable and vivacious and is the best thing about this mediocre backstage story.The outcome is predictable and probably wasn't original even in 1928. It is a museum piece at best and an undistinguished one at that. This print was from the Library Of Congress collection and was shown at Capitolfest, Rome NY, 8/13.
"Show Folks" (1928) is not to be confused with "Show People", a much better film released the same year. For one thing, "Show People" is a comedy whilst "Show Folks" is a soap opera with a show-biz background. "Show Folks" stars Eddie Quillan and Lina Basquette, who teamed again a few months later to star in "The Godless Girl" ... which is a better and more interesting movie than "Show Folks"."Show Folks" has a plot very similar to "The Dance of Life" (1929). Eddie Quillan plays a vaudeville hoofer (conceited, of course) who teams up with young dancer Rita ... played by Lina Basquette, a very pretty brunette. Eddie acts as if he's doing Rita a favour, but of course she's a much better dancer than he is. Prettier, too. Eddie Quillan was an excellent actor, but I dislike watching him in his early films because his delicate fine-boned features made him look unnervingly feminine. In his later roles (including his excellent performance in "Kid Glove Killer"), his face had coarsened somewhat and he looks slightly more masculine. In "Show Folks", it looks like Lina and Eddie are competing to see which one gets to be the leading lady.Rita's career takes off faster than Eddie's, and soon she leaves him behind for a chance at a big break which is sure to make her a star in musical comedy. BLATANTLY OBVIOUS SPOILER COMING. On opening night of the show that will make her a star, Rita decides to give it all up for her true love, Eddie the hoofer.I had trouble sitting through this. The clear message is that a relationship can't succeed if the woman is more successful than the man, and also that a woman's career is less important than keeping her man happy and suiting his needs.I didn't much fancy "Show Folks". Robert Armstrong is competent in a weak role. Blonde Carole Lombard is young and pretty in a performance which gives no hint of her later stardom. She's billed here as "Carol", which is significant. Years later, when she was a star, Carole Lombard modestly claimed that her success was entirely due to the attention she had attracted with the gimmicky spelling "Carole". Anyway, I'll rate "Show Folks" 4 points out of 10.