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Singing soldiers, a sword fight, a charismatic leading man, and ridiculous American and British accents in the middle of France, Devil-May-Care has it all.
Ramon Novarro and Dorothy Jordan in Screenland (March 1930)
Date of Release: Dec 27, 1929
Studio: MGM
Director: Sidney Franklin
Screenplay: Hans Kraly, Richard Schayer, Zelda Sears
Composers: Clifford Grey, Herbert Stothart, Dimitri Tiomkin
Choreography: Albertina Rasch
Leading Actors: Ramón Novarro (Armand), Dorothy Jordan (Léonie), Marion Harris (Louise). John Miljan (De Grignon), William Humphrey (Napoleon), George Davis (Groom), Clifford Bruce (Gaston)
Devil-May-Care was based on a play, La Bataille de dames (The Battle of the Ladies) by Augustin Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé, which premiered in Paris in 1851.
The screenplay was written by a talented team of writers, Hans Kraly, Richard Schayer, and Zelda Sears, who all went on to successful careers in Hollywood. German born Hans Kraly, also known as Hanns Kräly, was an actor and writer. As an actor he only appeared in silent film. His writing career lasted over thirty years, spanning two continents. Kraly was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Writing in 1930 and 1938, winning for The Patriot (1928).
Richard Schayer was a prolific writer who penned over 100 screenplays. His career spanned both silent and talkie films, and his credits include Devil-May-Care (1929), Frankenstein (1931), and The Mummy (1932). He eventually became a studio executive at Universal.
Zelda Sears started out as a reporter and stenographer, and after working on a script for a playwright became an actress. In addition to performing, Sears wrote scripts and lyrics for multiple Broadway productions in the first two decades of the twentieth century. After moving to Hollywood to work as a scenarist for MGM, Sears appeared in several Hollywood films, and wrote almost 30 screenplays including Devil-May-Care (1929), The Divorcee (1930), You Can’t Buy Everything (1934) and A Wicked Woman (1934).
The film tells the story of Armand (Ramón Novarro), a Bonapartist soldier, who cleverly escapes execution. Whilst on the run, he finds himself in the bedroom of “the most beautiful girl,” Léonie (Dorothy Jordan). Armand once again eludes the soldiers, this time finding refuge disguised as a footman at the chateau of his good friend Louise (Marion Harris). The next day, who should come to stay but Louise’s cousin, Léonie, who we discover is a staunch Royalist due to the fact Napoleon killed her family.
All the women of the household are in love with the delightful Armand, but he only has eyes for Léonie. Léonie returns his affection, but becomes distraught when she learns he is a Bonapartist.
Armand receives intelligence that Napoleon has returned to France, and he leaves the chateau to reunite with his men. Louise informs Armand that Léonie has run away with a pompous Royal soldier, proving that Léonie must really love Armand. Armand flies to her side and rescues her (against her will). The next morning, Armand and Léonie are singing love songs by the river
Studio: MGM
Director: Sidney Franklin
Screenplay: Hans Kraly, Richard Schayer, Zelda Sears
Composers: Clifford Grey, Herbert Stothart, Dimitri Tiomkin
Choreography: Albertina Rasch
Leading Actors: Ramón Novarro (Armand), Dorothy Jordan (Léonie), Marion Harris (Louise). John Miljan (De Grignon), William Humphrey (Napoleon), George Davis (Groom), Clifford Bruce (Gaston)
Devil-May-Care was based on a play, La Bataille de dames (The Battle of the Ladies) by Augustin Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé, which premiered in Paris in 1851.
The screenplay was written by a talented team of writers, Hans Kraly, Richard Schayer, and Zelda Sears, who all went on to successful careers in Hollywood. German born Hans Kraly, also known as Hanns Kräly, was an actor and writer. As an actor he only appeared in silent film. His writing career lasted over thirty years, spanning two continents. Kraly was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Writing in 1930 and 1938, winning for The Patriot (1928).
Richard Schayer was a prolific writer who penned over 100 screenplays. His career spanned both silent and talkie films, and his credits include Devil-May-Care (1929), Frankenstein (1931), and The Mummy (1932). He eventually became a studio executive at Universal.
Zelda Sears started out as a reporter and stenographer, and after working on a script for a playwright became an actress. In addition to performing, Sears wrote scripts and lyrics for multiple Broadway productions in the first two decades of the twentieth century. After moving to Hollywood to work as a scenarist for MGM, Sears appeared in several Hollywood films, and wrote almost 30 screenplays including Devil-May-Care (1929), The Divorcee (1930), You Can’t Buy Everything (1934) and A Wicked Woman (1934).
The film tells the story of Armand (Ramón Novarro), a Bonapartist soldier, who cleverly escapes execution. Whilst on the run, he finds himself in the bedroom of “the most beautiful girl,” Léonie (Dorothy Jordan). Armand once again eludes the soldiers, this time finding refuge disguised as a footman at the chateau of his good friend Louise (Marion Harris). The next day, who should come to stay but Louise’s cousin, Léonie, who we discover is a staunch Royalist due to the fact Napoleon killed her family.
All the women of the household are in love with the delightful Armand, but he only has eyes for Léonie. Léonie returns his affection, but becomes distraught when she learns he is a Bonapartist.
Armand receives intelligence that Napoleon has returned to France, and he leaves the chateau to reunite with his men. Louise informs Armand that Léonie has run away with a pompous Royal soldier, proving that Léonie must really love Armand. Armand flies to her side and rescues her (against her will). The next morning, Armand and Léonie are singing love songs by the river
Screenland's "Shot of the Month" (Jan 1930)
The plot of Devil-May-Care may be ridiculous, but the music is wonderful. In a refreshing break from 1929 conventions, the music actually contributes to the story-telling. The sense of Armand as a roguish paramour is heightened by the delightful patter-type songs “Bon Jour, Louie,” and “Madame Pompadour.” Novarro is equally at home singing love songs, with the sweet “Charming.”
The women are also given a chance to sing, with Marion Harris delivering a wonderful “If He Cared.” Her mezzo voice is warm and full of feeling, and seems like a pre-cursor to the matron songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Dorothy Jordan’s singing voice is less appealing (as is her character overall), and given the vast difference in her performance between scenes, it is feasible her reprise of “If He Cared” was dubbed.
Reprises are used to great effect, particularly with the return of Napoleon’s soldiers singing “March of the Old Guard.” The full male chorus is stirring with its rich full harmonies, and a welcome break from musicals full of scantily clad women.
Like the writing team, the music team of Clifford Grey, Herbert Stothart, and Dimitri Tiomkin went onto great success. Clifford Grey had a prominent career as an actor and writer in London revues before working as a song writer and librettist in New York. After a brief stint in Hollywood, Grey returned to England where he wrote screenplays and scores for British films.
Herbert Stothart was a teacher, composer, and music director. He worked prolifically on Broadway, and contributed music to over 100 films. His songs include “Tramps at Sea,” “The Cossack Love Song,” and “The Donkey Serenade.”
Russian born Dimitri Tiomkin was a highly acclaimed composer who wrote for stage and screen. He started out as accompanist for silent film and ballet. After moving to New York, he worked with, and eventually married, ballerina Albertina Rasch. In Hollywood, Tiomkin contributed music to and conducted nearly 150 films. He was nominated for an incredible seventeen Academy Awards, winning four – Best Music and Best Song for High Noon (1952), Best Music for The High and the Mighty (1954) and Best Music for The Old Man and the Sea (1958).
Of course, Devil-May-Care wouldn’t be an early musical without a female ensemble of some kind. Keeping things in-house, the Albertina Rasch ballet makes a superfluous appearance at the Grenoble celebration for Napoleon’s return. The Technicolor number has a Spanish, rather than French, flavor to it, but the costumes are spectacular. The dance corps is small compared to other films, though the use of a reflecting pool and clever camera angles makes for a visually appealing scene.
Devil-May-Care opened to favorable reviews. The Film Daily described the film as “High caliber entertainment for everybody,” and The Educational Screen stated it was “quite delightful entertainment.” The film was included in the National Board of Review Magazine “Selected Pictures Guide” (Feb 1930) who described it as “An unusually interesting and well done costume drama.”
The women are also given a chance to sing, with Marion Harris delivering a wonderful “If He Cared.” Her mezzo voice is warm and full of feeling, and seems like a pre-cursor to the matron songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Dorothy Jordan’s singing voice is less appealing (as is her character overall), and given the vast difference in her performance between scenes, it is feasible her reprise of “If He Cared” was dubbed.
Reprises are used to great effect, particularly with the return of Napoleon’s soldiers singing “March of the Old Guard.” The full male chorus is stirring with its rich full harmonies, and a welcome break from musicals full of scantily clad women.
Like the writing team, the music team of Clifford Grey, Herbert Stothart, and Dimitri Tiomkin went onto great success. Clifford Grey had a prominent career as an actor and writer in London revues before working as a song writer and librettist in New York. After a brief stint in Hollywood, Grey returned to England where he wrote screenplays and scores for British films.
Herbert Stothart was a teacher, composer, and music director. He worked prolifically on Broadway, and contributed music to over 100 films. His songs include “Tramps at Sea,” “The Cossack Love Song,” and “The Donkey Serenade.”
Russian born Dimitri Tiomkin was a highly acclaimed composer who wrote for stage and screen. He started out as accompanist for silent film and ballet. After moving to New York, he worked with, and eventually married, ballerina Albertina Rasch. In Hollywood, Tiomkin contributed music to and conducted nearly 150 films. He was nominated for an incredible seventeen Academy Awards, winning four – Best Music and Best Song for High Noon (1952), Best Music for The High and the Mighty (1954) and Best Music for The Old Man and the Sea (1958).
Of course, Devil-May-Care wouldn’t be an early musical without a female ensemble of some kind. Keeping things in-house, the Albertina Rasch ballet makes a superfluous appearance at the Grenoble celebration for Napoleon’s return. The Technicolor number has a Spanish, rather than French, flavor to it, but the costumes are spectacular. The dance corps is small compared to other films, though the use of a reflecting pool and clever camera angles makes for a visually appealing scene.
Devil-May-Care opened to favorable reviews. The Film Daily described the film as “High caliber entertainment for everybody,” and The Educational Screen stated it was “quite delightful entertainment.” The film was included in the National Board of Review Magazine “Selected Pictures Guide” (Feb 1930) who described it as “An unusually interesting and well done costume drama.”
Ramón Navarro, Picture Play (Jan 1930)
Ramón Novarro is genuinely charming, and received good notices for his first full-length talkie (earlier in the year he had appeared in The Pagan, in which he sang two songs). Praised by The Film Daily as one of the “greatest of the young romantic actors,” Mexican-born Novarro was a popular romantic leading man of the silent and early talkie era. He appeared in over 60 films and television shows including Ben-Hur (1925), The Cat and the Fiddle (1934), and Dr. Kildare (1964). He was tragically murdered in his home at the age of 69. A biography, Beyond Paradise: The Life of Ramon Novarro, was published in 2003.
Dorothy Jordan gives a weak performance as Léonie. She was a trained dancer who performed on stage and screen. Starting out as Adele Astaire’s understudy, Jordan moved to Hollywood just as talkies were taking off. She appeared in nearly thirty films including Words and Music (1929), In Gay Madrid (1930), The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) and The Wings of Eagles (1957).
Despite sounding like the most proper British Frenchwoman you’ve ever heard (until Cosette), Marion Harris is truly delightful as Louise. She is warm and genuine, and it is difficult to understand why she received such terrible reviews. Harris started out in vaudeville and went on to become a successful recording artist singing blues and jazz. Her hit recordings include “The Man I Love,” “Tea for Two,” “Look for the Silver Lining,” “After You’ve Gone,” and “St. Louis Blues.”
Devil-May-Care initially opened to mediocre houses, however business improved in the new year. The film premiered at the Astor Theatre in New York City, replacing The Hollywood Revue of 1929. The stage was set with “an elaborate and colorful Versailles garden” complete with working fountain, designed by Louis K. Sidney.
Dorothy Jordan gives a weak performance as Léonie. She was a trained dancer who performed on stage and screen. Starting out as Adele Astaire’s understudy, Jordan moved to Hollywood just as talkies were taking off. She appeared in nearly thirty films including Words and Music (1929), In Gay Madrid (1930), The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) and The Wings of Eagles (1957).
Despite sounding like the most proper British Frenchwoman you’ve ever heard (until Cosette), Marion Harris is truly delightful as Louise. She is warm and genuine, and it is difficult to understand why she received such terrible reviews. Harris started out in vaudeville and went on to become a successful recording artist singing blues and jazz. Her hit recordings include “The Man I Love,” “Tea for Two,” “Look for the Silver Lining,” “After You’ve Gone,” and “St. Louis Blues.”
Devil-May-Care initially opened to mediocre houses, however business improved in the new year. The film premiered at the Astor Theatre in New York City, replacing The Hollywood Revue of 1929. The stage was set with “an elaborate and colorful Versailles garden” complete with working fountain, designed by Louis K. Sidney.
Motion Picture News (Jan 4, 1930)
Ramón Navarro featured heavily in advertisements, and several theatres also employed unusual gimmicks to promote the film. The State Theatre in Minneapolis worked with Purity Baking Co. to have 45,000 ads placed in loaves of bread. The Harmanus Beeker theatre in Albany used a “concealed name contest in the classified ad pages,” and also had tie-in with a local music store. The Chicago Theatre in Chicago held a “Ramón Navarro Night” complete with a live orchestra and small group of ballerinas. Finally, the Regent theatre in Springfield held an “elaborate Spring Fashion Revue” that was tied in with an intricate window display at the Home Store.
Devil-May-Care is currently available on YouTube and from the Warner Archive. Worth a watch for the so-bad-it's-brilliant plot, delightful score, and the charming Novarro.
Devil-May-Care is currently available on YouTube and from the Warner Archive. Worth a watch for the so-bad-it's-brilliant plot, delightful score, and the charming Novarro.
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