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Often incorrectly cited as the inspiration for 42nd Street, On With the Show does feature some similarities with that better-known film, especially in the fact that the young and inexperienced ingenue goes on for the imperious star. However, the tone and feel of the two are quite different, and Show is much more primitive both technically and dramatically than the later landmark musical. None of this mattered to audiences at the time, who turned it into a tremendous moneymaker. Seen many decades later, Show is enormously uneven, although musical film aficionados will find it immensely rewarding. The dialogue is leaden, corny and repetitious, although the structure of the script itself is sound. Sally O'Neil as the kid from the chorus is attractive, but she's a dreadful actress and has an irritating voice. Joe E. Brown does not get a chance to display his more appealing characteristics, but Betty Compson makes the imperious star very interesting and quite entertaining. Best of all, however, is Ethel Waters, shoved into the picture to do little but deliver two numbers -- and easily stealing the movie with them. Her "Am I Blue" is deservedly acclaimed, but her "Birmingham Bertha" is every bit as good, giving her a chance to curl her voice into a soothing purr before spitting out a little venom. ("Bertha" also benefits from John Bubbles' nifty footwork.) The score as a whole is agreeable, and the "In the Land of Let's Pretend" is an enjoyable pastiche of a Ziegfeld number. Despite its flaws, there's an innocent charm to Show; that -- and Waters -- make it worth seeing.