Roman Scandals (1933) in Color — Starring Eddie Cantor & Ruth Etting

Roman Scandals (1933) — Buy This Classic in Color

Discover Roman Scandals, the 1933 musical comedy starring Eddie Cantor and Gloria Stuart, now available as a professionally colorized version. This lavishly produced pre-Code spectacle features some of the most dazzling choreography Busby Berkeley ever created, wrapped around a wildly funny time-travel fantasy that satirizes political corruption with pre-Code fearlessness. Own this classic movie in color as a DRM-free MP4 digital download for just €15.00.

Plot Summary

Eddie, played with boundless comic energy by Eddie Cantor, is a good-natured dreamer and self-appointed crusader for justice living in the corrupt town of West Rome, Oklahoma. The town is controlled by a crooked mayor and his cronies who are bilking the citizens through rigged construction contracts and political graft. Eddie’s loud public protests against the mayor’s corruption — including disrupting a town meeting with devastating accuracy — earn him not praise but exile, as the mayor’s thugs physically run him out of town.

Disoriented and exhausted after his banishment, Eddie falls asleep and dreams himself back to ancient Rome during the reign of the tyrant Emperor Valerius, played with sinister grandeur by Edward Arnold. Eddie materializes in the marketplace and is quickly enslaved, eventually becoming the emperor’s official food taster — a position that sounds glamorous until Eddie realizes that multiple previous food tasters have died of poisoning. Each meal becomes a terrifying game of Russian roulette, with Eddie deploying increasingly creative methods to avoid actually swallowing the food.

Eddie discovers that the emperor’s corruption mirrors the mayor’s back in Oklahoma — Valerius is enslaving his own people, stealing from the treasury, and plotting to murder the beautiful Princess Sylvia, played by Gloria Stuart, who stands in the way of his absolute power. The princess is beloved by a young soldier whose devotion to her has also put him in the emperor’s crosshairs. Using his modern knowledge, contemporary street smarts, and sheer audacity, Eddie navigates a labyrinth of palace intrigues while becoming an unlikely hero. He infiltrates the emperor’s inner circle, befriends the enslaved Goldwyn Girls in Berkeley’s most stunning sequences, survives a harrowing chariot race through the streets of Rome, and faces gladiatorial combat in the Colosseum. The film builds toward a spectacular climactic rebellion in which Eddie leads the slaves against Valerius, proving that courage and wit can triumph over tyranny in any era.

Cast & Crew

Director: Frank Tuttle

Stars: Eddie Cantor, Gloria Stuart, Edward Arnold, Ruth Etting, David Manners

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

Roman Scandals was originally filmed in black and white, with elaborate production design and Busby Berkeley’s famous geometric dance sequences that practically cry out for color. This professionally colorized restoration enhances every scene with frame-by-frame precision, bringing the elaborate Roman sets to life with marble whites, imperial purples, and burnished gold. The Busby Berkeley musical numbers — featuring dozens of dancers in stunning formations — become even more spectacular in color as the costumes, lighting effects, and geometric patterns reveal their full visual splendor. Ruth Etting’s torch song performances gain romantic warmth against the lavish backdrop, and the chariot race sequences acquire thrilling dynamism as the golden chariots thunder through sun-drenched Roman streets. The contrast between the drab Oklahoma framing scenes and the opulent Roman dream world becomes a vivid visual metaphor in color. The colorized version reveals new details in this restored classic film. Now also available in colour.

Buy Roman Scandals in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Roman Scandals featured choreography by the legendary Busby Berkeley at the absolute peak of his creative powers, whose spectacular dance sequences were among the most ambitious and visually stunning of the pre-Code era. The famous slave market number, featuring the Goldwyn Girls in minimal costumes that would have been impossible after the Production Code was enforced the following year, remains one of Berkeley’s most iconic creations. Eddie Cantor was one of the biggest entertainment stars in America — a vaudeville, radio, and film sensation — and his willingness to use comedy as a vehicle for sharp political satire gave the film genuine bite beneath the laughs. The screenplay was co-written by a young Robert Sherwood, who would later win three Pulitzer Prizes for Drama and an Academy Award. Edward Arnold’s Emperor Valerius was a thinly veiled portrait of political strongmen that resonated powerfully during the Depression. Through colorization, this extravagant pre-Code musical reaches new audiences who can experience its audacious humor and visual magnificence.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD restored
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: Original mono restored
• Runtime: Approximately 92 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Who choreographed the musical numbers?
A: The legendary Busby Berkeley designed the famous dance sequences, bringing his trademark geometric formations and kaleidoscopic camera angles to a spectacular Roman setting.

Q: Is this a historical film?
A: Not at all — it is a comedy that uses ancient Rome as a backdrop for modern satire, with Eddie Cantor bringing his contemporary humor to a fantastical setting. The parallels between Roman corruption and Depression-era American politics are intentional.

Q: Is this a pre-Code film?
A: Yes, Roman Scandals was released in 1933, before the strict enforcement of the Production Code in 1934. This means its humor is racier and its costumes more revealing than films made just one year later.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as an MP4 file compatible with virtually any device or media player.

Q: Is there DRM on the file?
A: No. The download is completely DRM-free so you can watch it on any device without restrictions.

Q: How quickly can I watch after purchase?
A: Your download link is available instantly after payment, so you can start watching within minutes.

Related Colorized Classics

• Born to Dance (1936)
• Follow the Fleet (1936)
• The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
• Song of Love (1947)
• Hollywood Canteen (1944)