Humbersi The first must-see film of the year.

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Tad Pole . . . then it must be true. I recently saw a snippet of an one of Ms. Mazetta's interviews on TCM or someplace similar, in which she said she'd totally "forgotten" recording this Vitaphone short (#809) for Warner Brothers (in 1929), and was "blown away" by how "good" a singer she was as a child when billed here as BABY ROSE MARIE THE CHILD WONDER. I'm sure there's a Shirley Temple fan out in the wilderness someone who would carp that Ms. Temple could dance and act as well as sing (some renegade might even claim Shirley was CUTER and sang BETTER), but let's look at the objective, quantifiable facts: Rose Marie has 74 acting credits, and Shirley has just 61 (about 20% FEWER). Furthermore, IMDb reveals Rose Marie is important enough to appear as herself on 89 segments of shows and documentaries of sufficient significance to be archived in their annals, while Shirley is ONLY ONE\THIRD as relevant to entertainment history as of today, with just 30 such credits as herself. The clincher is this widely-held notion that Shirley couldn't hack it in Hollywood when she left her teen years (requiring a taxpayer-subsidized government job apparently awarded to her through the pity of one of her die-hard fans who was a D.C. muckety-muck), while Rose Marie has been blessed with enough talent to have had an 80-year-long career supporting herself via show business WITHOUT REACHING INTO UNCLE SAM'S POCKET. How'd you like them apples, Shirley?

tavm This is another of the Vitaphone musical shorts from the late 20s that's on The Jazz Singer DVD. This one stars a precocious child singer named Baby Rose Marie who, yes, later removed the "Baby" from her name when she grew up and played Sally Rogers on "The Dick Van Dyke Show". Here, she has bobbed dark hair which was fashionable at the time and a voice that just won't quit that made her such a sensation at the time. In fact, it's amazing she didn't suffer the pressure another contemporary of hers, Judy Garland, eventually did. Also unlike Ms. Garland, Ms. Marie is still alive to tell the tale. So on that note, Baby Rose Marie the Child Wonder is definitely worth watching.

bkoganbing For those of you who only know Rose Marie as the eager comedy writer for the Dick Van Dyke Show in the Sixties, this film will be a revelation. Way back in the day of your parents and grandparents, little Baby Rose Marie had another career as a child performer. This Warner Brothers Vitagraph short is a tribute to that other career.The young lady does three songs, Who Wouldn't Be Jealous Of You, Don't Be Like That and Heigh Ho Everybody Heigh Ho. The last one was Rudy Vallee's theme song with his Connecticut Yankees and Vallee at this time was the most popular male singer in America. I looked for an imitation of his nasal style in Rose Marie, but she did in her own style. Just as well.Another treasure from the past preserved by Vitagraph.

director1616 To most fans of television, Rose Marie will be forever known as the witty, funny 'Sally Rogers' on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" of the 1960's. But one would be able to appreciate her singing talent on a higher level by viewing the musical short, "Baby Rose Marie the Child Wonder" (1929). I was privileged to view this short subject at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills in the autumn of 2000. The Academy screened quite a few musicals from Paramount Pictures that evening, but "Baby Rose" was definitely the crowd favorite. That really pleased Miss Marie, who was also in attendance. When you view this gem of a musical short, you will be amazed at the incredible voice and performance of the very talented Baby Rose. Even more amazing, that in 1929, sound was not yet perfected, yet we hear every wonderful musical note from her. Had Baby Rose and Shirley Temple been the same age during the Golden Age of Hollywood, Miss Marie would have rivaled Miss Temple for the hearts of America. Baby Rose displayed pure, raw talent - something that is harder to see in today's actor. I thank the stars in heaven that this musical short was so keenly preserved.