By and large, most audiences associate anthology movies with collections of bite-sized, fictional narratives. Whether it's one of the classic W. Somerset Maugham portmanteau productions or a Tales from the Crypt-style creepfest that first springs to mind, a small selection of stories (with some wraparound material for good measure) has more often than not been the order of the day when it comes to this genre. But in the late 1940s, RKO did away with plot wholesale, with the studio embarking on a string of pictures that supplied viewers vintage theatrical entertainment in a modern package. Lasting about one hour apiece, these three silver-screen variety shows were the way to go for a quick fix of mirth and merriment. Admittedly, flicks like this haven't the best shelf life (with jokes and references that make it seem dated, even by the standards of the time), but for those who fancy a visit from the ghost of corny revues past, Warner Archive's new RKO Varieties Triple Feature set should do just the trick.

Vaudeville may be long gone, but who's to say people can't enjoy an evening's worth of singing, dancing, and comedy, without having to follow one of those pesky plots? That's the mindset RKO embraced when it went full speed ahead on the production of its inaugural anthology film: 1948's Variety Time. Hosted by future "Tonight Show" emcee Jack Paar, the studio packed in just shy of 60 minutes' worth of whatever gags, tunes, and gravity-defying dance moves it could get its hands on. From comedic shorts starring Edgar Kennedy and Leon Errol to the orchestral melodies of bandleaders like Frankie Carle, no form of fun is off-limits from being chucked onto the screen at a rapid-fire rate. RKO would recycle the format for two more variety pictures, the next being 1949's Make Mine Laughs. This time, comedian Gil Lamb takes over hosting duties from Paar, and despite the title's emphasis on comedy, clips of dancers and such performers as Frances Langford belting out love songs are dispersed amidst the more light-hearted segments, as well. Lastly, Paar comes back to present us 1951's Footlight Varieties, an assembly of everything from funnyman Red Buttons to those rootin'-tootin' rhythm rustlers, the Harmonicats.

In spirit, structure, and presentation, all three of the RKO Varieties are virtually identical, to the extent of sharing a couple dedicated vignettes. Each film includes an Errol short, in addition to a "Flicker Flashback," wherein our master of ceremonies provides his own humorous commentary over an old silent one-reeler. But although seasoned cinephiles will be kept more than busy with picking out which clips were borrowed from which movies (a move that unfortunately resulted in a copyright suit for Make Mine Laughs), the trio runs the risk of coming off as all too samey for most viewers. When watched in as immediate succession as Warner Archive encourages (as they all come on one disc), these titles can't help but bleed into one another, thanks to the similar material and the format of its delivery. Telling which joke or skit originated from what flick is no easy feat, but it goes without saying that some are more skillful at spreading out the routines than others. Footlight Varieties fares the best in this respect, courtesy of Paar's jovial hosting talents and a pace that, for the most part, maintains momentum as it bounces from act to act. Variety Time and Make Mine Laughs shine their sluggish sides a little too often, though charm is still present in many respects (from Paar's one-liners in the former to the latter's cameo appearances from Wizard of Oz castmates Jack Haley and Ray Bolger).

Movies don't get any more no-frills than what you'll experience within the RKO Varieties Triple Feature. This threesome gleefully throws caution and context to the wind, throwing every kind of entertainment they could conjure onto the screen and seeing what stuck. Today's eyes might roll at their idea of what constituted a good time, but that doesn't mean the RKO Varities don't have a little something to greet with a smile.

(RKo Varieties Triple Feature is available on DVD from the Warner Archive Collection at http://www.wbshop.com.)