That was an excellent one.

Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

After the success of "Rio Rita" RKO planned an expensive version of Victor Herbert's "Babes in Toyland" for their new comedy sensations, Wheeler and Woolsey. Production was suddenly called off in favour of a project that reunited director Luther Reed, stars Bebe Daniels, Dorothy Lee etc and composer Harry Tierney and substituted Rio Rita's south of the border setting for New Orleans and Mardi Gras - "Dixiana". But instead of a big hit and in spite of kind reviews Radio was left with a big flop. The leading man was quickly blamed - a bit unfairly. When John Boles proved unavailable, the studio needed another stirring singer to cope with "Dixiana"'s demanding score and thought they had found him in Everett Marshall whose dashing looks and solid baritone had already won him applause at the Metropolitan Opera. Unfortunately he was definitely not at ease before the camera and Bebe Daniels, who was already upset by the lack lustre score and one dimensional role, could see that Marshall was not going to do her any favours in the leading man stakes!!!Jobyna Howland, so hilarious in "The Cuckoos", is hardly seen after the first half hour. Wheeler and Woolsey, in my opinion, an acquired taste, were already laborious in their comedy routines, including one involving chamber pots and another in which they kick people who pick up cigars, seemed never ending. Dorothy Lee's character Nanny turns up out of the blue in mid movie as a love interest to Wheeler's Peewee but she and Wheeler do get to sing and dance the cutest routine "My One Ambition is You". It starts out with shenanigans on a spiral staircase, then a sweet little gavotte and finishes with Nanny losing her hooped skirt and, oblivious, skipping off with the lovestruck Peewee.The movie gets off to a rousing start - after singing the stirring "Mr. and Mrs. Sippi" over the opening credits, Carl (Everett Marshall) journeys to New Orleans to see Dixiana. She is a carnival queen and Bebe Daniels makes a startling entrance - she breaks out of a giant egg singing "Am I Your Baby Now" - but to whom?? It seems Carl has a rival in the form of Royal Montague (Ralfe Harold), a powerful New Orleans gambler. When Royal indicates that Dixiana is not for the likes of the upper crust Carl, Carl takes her and her two side kicks, Ginger and Peewee to his father's plantation. He keeps their theatrical background a secret, announcing them as his distinguished guests. At the welcoming party the songs come thick and fast - "Here's to the Old Days" - Carl says goodbye to his bachelor days, Dixiana questions her worthiness with "A Tear, a Kiss, a Smile". During the party Peewee accidentally gives Dixiana's profession away and after a most unholy scene Mrs. Van Horn (Howland) banishes the trio from her home. When they return to the carnival Royal, who controls the carnival, commands the owner not to re-employ Dixi or her pals - he gives them a job in his gambling house.Once Dorothy Lee makes her appearance she quickly becomes the star - she is fresh, vibrant and cute. Bebe Daniels tries but she is really hampered by a Southern accent as thick as treacle. Ralfe Harold is good as well, although it's not hard to rise above this sort of material. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson makes everything worthwhile. His effortless and stylish stair dance (you can hear every beat of his taps) to "Mr. and Mrs. Sippi" during the film's Technicolor finale - rises above this film, which is a Mardi Gras mess. Even the movie's big song "Guiding Star" is completely forgettable.

I had never seen the comedy team of Wheeler and Woolsey before I saw this movie, and at the very least they are an acquired taste. They were a successful Broadway act that actually helped save RKO from bankruptcy during the Great Depression, but quickly plummeted in popularity after the production code came into effect in 1934 because of their heavy reliance on risqué humor.Wheeler plays the wide-eyed innocent to the more caustic Woolsey, whose manner is very reminiscent of George Burns. "Dixiana" is basically a musical drama played out in the pre-Civil War south with comedy bits by Wheeler and Woolsey interspersed with the dramatic storyline. The problem is, this movie is just not big enough for the two of them. Wheeler and Woolsey's comedy really has nothing to do with the dramatic storyline, and the dramatic storyline is totally divorced from Wheeler and Woolsey's characters. The funny thing is, this formula worked fabulously in the previous year's "Rio Rita". A large part of that might have been that the male romantic lead in Rio Rita was played by the much more dashing and effective John Boles versus Everett Marshall in this film. Also, Wheeler and Woolsey were given much better comic material in Rio Rita than they were in this film.This film has fallen into the public domain, and I have seen both a public domain version and the restored Roan version. Scenes have been cut from the public domain versions that cause the film to not make sense at some points. For example, in the public domain version, there is a scene where the villain says he had something to do with rigging a duel resulting in the death of a relative of the hero of the dramatic storyline - and that's the last you ever hear of it. Also, somehow at the end, the heroine, Dixiana, and her boyfriend are reunited, but there never is anything in the movie showing exactly how this was accomplished. These lost scenes are restored in the Roan version, and everything is made clear. I don't like to plug specific products in these reviews, but if you watch the short version you're not giving the film a fair chance.The music is pretty good, and the musical numbers have very lavish and in some cases unusual sets and costumes. The prime example is the opening number with Wheeler and Woolsey dressed up as dancing ostriches and Dixiana popping out of an egg to do her part of the musical number. I'd say it's worth viewing just for the weirdness of it all.

I am amazed that there are people in the film community who show any respect for this dated, awkward, racist film by giving it a "7" as a majority of the IMDb viewers have. The bonus that attracted me was the color version of Bill Robinson ("Bojangles") tap dancing in a carnaval scene. After suffering through the histrionic throes of unrequited love by the heroine, the wooden performance of the lead (a Metropolitan Opera reject), and the dull and obvious comic chatter of the comic duo, finally comes the big scene. Three minutes. Some steps, some synchronization and... what happened? This film is best relegated to the "classics" trash heap for occasional viewing by students of cinema history thankfully long dead.

Back in 1930 RKO was like all the other studios, churning out musicals to please an audience hungry for the new rage of talking pictures. 'Dixiana' was meant to cash in on the success of 'Rio Rita', the Ziegfeld show that became a movie in 1929, and used many of the same cast - the lovely Bebe Daniels in the title role (very like Jeanette MacDonald in this), plus comic relief from Wheeler and Woolsey and pretty Dorothy Lee. The big mistake was in casting Met star Everett Marshall as the male lead; an opera singer with an excellent voice but no acting ability whatever.Add to this mix Joseph Cawthorn and Jobyna Howland as Marshall's parents (Ms Howland goes to town with her over-acting!); plus Mr Bojangles in his debut film appearance (a 3 minute solo); and a two-strip Technicolor finale. The musical numbers are fine (mostly for Everett Marshall and Bebe Daniels; although there's a cute song for Bert Wheeler and Dorothy Lee about halfway into the film). I've seen this film described as a 'prehistoric turkey', but I wouldn't put it down that much. It has its high points (the colour sequence looks great and is a hoot) and it is about as complete a restoration as you could ask for. And it is the only Wheeler and Woolsey currently on DVD; we need more of their mad movies commercially available. 'Dixiana' is patchy but it isn't prehistoric!