ABSTRACT
Virtually unknown outside of Canada, and little-known within, Gordon Sparling's Rhapsody in Two Languages nevertheless occupies a very unique position in the history of Canadian cinema, as does its creator. At a time when Canadian cinema was largely stagnant, its screens and production facilities colonized by outside interests, Sparling founded a series of short films that was dedicated to getting Canadian content produced by Canadian talent projected on Canadian screens. In April 1934 associated screen news (ASN) unveiled the latest release in its ground-breaking Canadian Cameos series, and the film that would establish Sparling's reputation: Rhapsody in Two Languages, an ode to Montreal and modernity. It is perhaps no wonder that ASN had greater difficulties getting Rhapsody screened in Montreal than it did in other parts of Canada, even though its "bare-legged females" were performing on stage just down the street, as Sparling liked to point out.
