I can't imagine how it got major-market release like this. I enjoyed the film overall despite this handicap but it certainly colored the experience for me. Of course this would be more bearable if the film were closed captioned, but the version that ran on Sundance this week was not. I'd hastily drop the level, then some poor soul on the screen would start mouthing silent words again.
The British must have been deeply impressed with this American contest for they imitated it a couple of decades later. During these bizarre contests, most of the participants physical features, except for the eyes, were hidden so as to not distract the judges.
I'd get the voices to a volume level that allowed me to make out the words, then the music would crash in and wake my companion. For example, 'Miss Lovely Eyes' contests were extremely popular in 1930s America. In fact, I don't recall ever before having to ride the levels during the entire length of a movie, never letting go of the remote for its entire length.
The music swelled over the voices, the voices fought the ambiance, and the man who spoke in the lowest register forced me to crank up the volume every time he spoke. I found just the opposite, with poorly-mastered sound all but ruining the film for me. I'm stunned to see an earlier review specify that 'Pageant' is 'well done, in all technical elements'.
