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Ad for 'Innocents of Paris' in Photoplay, July 1929
Starring heart throb and matinee idol Maurice Chevalier, Innocents of Paris is probably best left in the vaults.
Date of Release: May 25, 1929
Studio: Paramount Famous Lasky Corp
Director: Richard Wallace
Screenplay: Ethel Doherty, Ernest Vajda, George Marion Jr.
Music: Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting
Leading Actors: Maurice Chevalier, Sylvia Beecher, Russell Simpson, George Fawcett, Mrs. George Fawcett, John Miljan, Margaret Livingston, David Durand, Jack Luden, Johnnie Morris
Studio: Paramount Famous Lasky Corp
Director: Richard Wallace
Screenplay: Ethel Doherty, Ernest Vajda, George Marion Jr.
Music: Leo Robin, Richard A. Whiting
Leading Actors: Maurice Chevalier, Sylvia Beecher, Russell Simpson, George Fawcett, Mrs. George Fawcett, John Miljan, Margaret Livingston, David Durand, Jack Luden, Johnnie Morris
Even though Innocents of Paris is Paramount’s first musical, and the first talkie of film star Maurice Chevalier, the film is not publicly available. It was screened at the 2004 Cinefest, and is possibly held by the Library of Congress.
The film is one of Richard Wallace's early feature films. Wallace started out as a projectionist, before moving on to become an editor at Fox. He eventually became a director with Universal, Roach, and, predominantly, Paramount. Wallace went on to direct over 60 films featuring stars such as Shirley Temple, Katherine Hepburn, and Douglas Fairbanks, and was a founding member of the Director’s Guild of America.
It seems that, apart from a spirited performance by its lead star, we are not missing out on too much. The reviews, from Photoplay, The Film Daily, and The New York Times, all unanimously declared that Innocents of Paris was a terrible movie.
The Film Daily wrote, “Delightful personality burdened with inane story. Deserves better material.”
Photoplay’s wrote, “The plot is inconsequential and much of the dialogue is stilted and unnatural, but the sparkling, loveable personality of Chevalier lifts the story out of the commonplace—and makes it delightful entertainment.”
Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times wrote, “Without Chevalier this latest specimen of audible films would be a sad affair, but with him, one is willing to pardon incongruities and banalities.” Hall complained about the poor sound quality, and the bizarre American accents of the “French” policemen.
Variety was less taken with Chevalier, claiming that he was unintelligible when he sang in English, and even worse when he sang in French. Variety also criticized the film’s use of sound, and the way each scene ended with silence or a fade — “the result being an in and out film journey which doesn’t satisfy.”
The film is one of Richard Wallace's early feature films. Wallace started out as a projectionist, before moving on to become an editor at Fox. He eventually became a director with Universal, Roach, and, predominantly, Paramount. Wallace went on to direct over 60 films featuring stars such as Shirley Temple, Katherine Hepburn, and Douglas Fairbanks, and was a founding member of the Director’s Guild of America.
It seems that, apart from a spirited performance by its lead star, we are not missing out on too much. The reviews, from Photoplay, The Film Daily, and The New York Times, all unanimously declared that Innocents of Paris was a terrible movie.
The Film Daily wrote, “Delightful personality burdened with inane story. Deserves better material.”
Photoplay’s wrote, “The plot is inconsequential and much of the dialogue is stilted and unnatural, but the sparkling, loveable personality of Chevalier lifts the story out of the commonplace—and makes it delightful entertainment.”
Mordaunt Hall in the New York Times wrote, “Without Chevalier this latest specimen of audible films would be a sad affair, but with him, one is willing to pardon incongruities and banalities.” Hall complained about the poor sound quality, and the bizarre American accents of the “French” policemen.
Variety was less taken with Chevalier, claiming that he was unintelligible when he sang in English, and even worse when he sang in French. Variety also criticized the film’s use of sound, and the way each scene ended with silence or a fade — “the result being an in and out film journey which doesn’t satisfy.”
"Idol of Paris" Maurice Chevalier in Photoplay, (October, 1929)
Clearly, Maurice Chevalier was the saving grace of Innocents of Paris. Described as the “Idol of Paris,” “Pet of Paris” and the “Honey of Hollywood,” Chevalier was a hugely popular singer and performer in France. Innocents of Paris was Chevalier’s highly anticipated American film debut, and it didn’t disappoint. Photoplay wrote, “Dispel your doubts, he can stay as long as he likes. He plays with abandon and his personality gets you.”
Renee Delage, a devoted Chevalier fan who, regretfully, had not been able to see him perform in Paris, wrote a gushing letter to Photoplay: “Of course I had seen his photograph a thousand times; I knew the history of his life; I had an idea of how he looked—but what a thrill when I heard his voice! Thanks to the movies and to the talkies. I owe them one of the happiest moments of my life.”
Maurice Chevalier was born and raised in Paris. When he was eleven, his father passed away, and Chevalier began work as a kind of jack of all trades. He entered compulsory military service in the French army, and during World War One, he became a prisoner of war. He escaped by masquerading as a Red Cross worker. Prior to performing in the USA, he performed in Paris, London, and even Buenos Aires.
Paramount’s publicity machine ensured plenty of coverage. Dorothy Spensley wrote an unrestrained three page feature, “Songs Across the Sea” in Photoplay, where she declared, “It’s all very confusing this thing of fame… Until you meet Maurice Chevalier, and then you understand everything. You understand personal magnetism, mob adoration, the supreme ability—the genius—that lifted itself above a worthless first picture and made him an ascending American idol.”
The Photoplay feature quotes Chevalier complete with his French accent eccentricities, which is charming and funny to read today – “Eet is person-al-ity, eh? I don’t know… Eef you put your heart into anything, your songs or your dancing, your audience feels eet, of course, yes.” The New York Times ran a similar feature in August 1929, prior to Chevalier’s return to France for a vacation.
Chevalier went on to star in many successful films, including The Love Parade (1929), Gigi (1958), Can-Can (1960), and The AristoCats (1970).
Renee Delage, a devoted Chevalier fan who, regretfully, had not been able to see him perform in Paris, wrote a gushing letter to Photoplay: “Of course I had seen his photograph a thousand times; I knew the history of his life; I had an idea of how he looked—but what a thrill when I heard his voice! Thanks to the movies and to the talkies. I owe them one of the happiest moments of my life.”
Maurice Chevalier was born and raised in Paris. When he was eleven, his father passed away, and Chevalier began work as a kind of jack of all trades. He entered compulsory military service in the French army, and during World War One, he became a prisoner of war. He escaped by masquerading as a Red Cross worker. Prior to performing in the USA, he performed in Paris, London, and even Buenos Aires.
Paramount’s publicity machine ensured plenty of coverage. Dorothy Spensley wrote an unrestrained three page feature, “Songs Across the Sea” in Photoplay, where she declared, “It’s all very confusing this thing of fame… Until you meet Maurice Chevalier, and then you understand everything. You understand personal magnetism, mob adoration, the supreme ability—the genius—that lifted itself above a worthless first picture and made him an ascending American idol.”
The Photoplay feature quotes Chevalier complete with his French accent eccentricities, which is charming and funny to read today – “Eet is person-al-ity, eh? I don’t know… Eef you put your heart into anything, your songs or your dancing, your audience feels eet, of course, yes.” The New York Times ran a similar feature in August 1929, prior to Chevalier’s return to France for a vacation.
Chevalier went on to star in many successful films, including The Love Parade (1929), Gigi (1958), Can-Can (1960), and The AristoCats (1970).
CAST
While waxing lyrical about Chevalier, the reviewers just about failed to make any mention of the other actors — which is surprising given the caliber of the actors on screen.
Sylvia Beecher appeared in just two films--Innocents of Paris and Beyond the Sierras (1928). Very little information available about her. The reviews that bothered to mention Beecher praise her good looks, but felt she was a weak actress.
Russell Simpson started out in vaudeville before appearing in silent films. In a career spanning over forty years, Simpson went on to appear in hundreds of films and several television shows as a character actor in small roles. He was a member of the John Ford Stock Company, and is most famous for his villainous roles in The Grapes of Wrath (1940), The Lone Ranger (1949), The Adventures of Wild Bill Hilcock (1951).
George Fawcett was a highly acclaimed and prolific stage actor who performed in London and New York. He appeared in over 100 films during the silent era, and continued to act until his death in 1939.
Mrs George Fawcett, or Percy Haswell, was a prominent stage actress, who performed, and directed, on Broadway and in a variety of regional theatres. She ran her own company, the Percy Haswell Company in Baltimore, which later became The George Fawcett Stock Company. Haswell appeared in a few films, though it appears only Innocents of Paris was a talkie. She eventually retired to Nantucket with her husband, George.
The George Fawcett and Percy Haswell Fawcett Papers are held at the New York Public Library in the Billy Rose Theatre Division. The collection contains photographs, scrapbooks, programs, articles, correspondence, writings about the Fawcett’s professional lives from the period 1857 to 1939.
Serbian-born Miljan reportedly made his talking picture debut in a promotional trailer for The Jazz Singer. He appeared in over 200 films and television shows, usually as a villain.
Margaret Livingston was predominantly a supporting actress in silent films. A wonderful article about her can be found here.
David Durand was an immensely popular child actor throughout the 1930s, and appeared in Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1926), and the popular shorts Glove Swingers, and East Side Kids.
Jack Luden was considered by the studios to be a rising star, and graduated from the Paramount Picture School with the likes of Charles “Buddy” Rogers in 1927. He went on to star in Two Flaming Youths (1927) and The Wild Party (1929) with Clara Bow. Unfortunately for Luden, he had a pronounced stutter, which diminished his chances of continued stardom in talkies. Despite a privileged upbringing, Luden had a rather tragic life, and died in prison after being arrested for drug charges at the age of 49.
Johnnie Morris, also known as Johnny Morris, is most famous for playing Pappy Yokum in L’il Abner (1940). His stage and film career spanned three decades.
While waxing lyrical about Chevalier, the reviewers just about failed to make any mention of the other actors — which is surprising given the caliber of the actors on screen.
Sylvia Beecher appeared in just two films--Innocents of Paris and Beyond the Sierras (1928). Very little information available about her. The reviews that bothered to mention Beecher praise her good looks, but felt she was a weak actress.
Russell Simpson started out in vaudeville before appearing in silent films. In a career spanning over forty years, Simpson went on to appear in hundreds of films and several television shows as a character actor in small roles. He was a member of the John Ford Stock Company, and is most famous for his villainous roles in The Grapes of Wrath (1940), The Lone Ranger (1949), The Adventures of Wild Bill Hilcock (1951).
George Fawcett was a highly acclaimed and prolific stage actor who performed in London and New York. He appeared in over 100 films during the silent era, and continued to act until his death in 1939.
Mrs George Fawcett, or Percy Haswell, was a prominent stage actress, who performed, and directed, on Broadway and in a variety of regional theatres. She ran her own company, the Percy Haswell Company in Baltimore, which later became The George Fawcett Stock Company. Haswell appeared in a few films, though it appears only Innocents of Paris was a talkie. She eventually retired to Nantucket with her husband, George.
The George Fawcett and Percy Haswell Fawcett Papers are held at the New York Public Library in the Billy Rose Theatre Division. The collection contains photographs, scrapbooks, programs, articles, correspondence, writings about the Fawcett’s professional lives from the period 1857 to 1939.
Serbian-born Miljan reportedly made his talking picture debut in a promotional trailer for The Jazz Singer. He appeared in over 200 films and television shows, usually as a villain.
Margaret Livingston was predominantly a supporting actress in silent films. A wonderful article about her can be found here.
David Durand was an immensely popular child actor throughout the 1930s, and appeared in Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1926), and the popular shorts Glove Swingers, and East Side Kids.
Jack Luden was considered by the studios to be a rising star, and graduated from the Paramount Picture School with the likes of Charles “Buddy” Rogers in 1927. He went on to star in Two Flaming Youths (1927) and The Wild Party (1929) with Clara Bow. Unfortunately for Luden, he had a pronounced stutter, which diminished his chances of continued stardom in talkies. Despite a privileged upbringing, Luden had a rather tragic life, and died in prison after being arrested for drug charges at the age of 49.
Johnnie Morris, also known as Johnny Morris, is most famous for playing Pappy Yokum in L’il Abner (1940). His stage and film career spanned three decades.
The Writers
The AFI claims Innocents of Paris was based on the 1928 novel of the same name by Clarence Edward Andrews. Turner Classic Movies meanwhile, states it was based on a play, Flea Market, by Charles E. Andrews. Neither search turns up any information, nor does the author.
Innocents of Paris is one of the few films of 1929 to have a female screenwriter, Ethel Doherty. Despite having over twenty films to her name, most of which were made during the silent era, there is little to no information about Doherty currently available.
Hungarian born writer Ernest Vajda was a prominent contract writer for Paramount and MGM. He is most well known for The Love Parade (1929), Marie Antoinette (1938), and Stars and Stripes Forever (1952).
A prolific writer, whose career spanned almost thirty years, George Marion Jr. was also a composer on Sweetie.
The AFI claims Innocents of Paris was based on the 1928 novel of the same name by Clarence Edward Andrews. Turner Classic Movies meanwhile, states it was based on a play, Flea Market, by Charles E. Andrews. Neither search turns up any information, nor does the author.
Innocents of Paris is one of the few films of 1929 to have a female screenwriter, Ethel Doherty. Despite having over twenty films to her name, most of which were made during the silent era, there is little to no information about Doherty currently available.
Hungarian born writer Ernest Vajda was a prominent contract writer for Paramount and MGM. He is most well known for The Love Parade (1929), Marie Antoinette (1938), and Stars and Stripes Forever (1952).
A prolific writer, whose career spanned almost thirty years, George Marion Jr. was also a composer on Sweetie.
MUSIC
While the film received little praise, several critics did enjoy the film’s music. Film Daily described the tunes as catchy, while Variety praised the song “Louise,” claiming it was “the best melody any picture has uncorked in recent months.” The song became one of Chevalier’s signature songs (along with “Thank Heavens for Little Girls,” from Gigi).
Maurice Fenton’s Photoplay review for the record of Innocents of Paris was less praiseworthy, stating pithily, that it “Felt like we were handling stolen goods when we played with these. Where have we heard something like it before?”
Leo Robin was a Broadway and Hollywood lyricist who had successful partnerships with Ralph Rainger, Jerome Kern, and Jule Styne. He worked on another 1929 movie musical, Syncopation, and he eventually won an Oscar for Best Original Song (1938) for “Thanks for the Memory,” sung by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross.
Innocents of Paris marks the third musical in 1929 for composer Richard A. Whiting (“Hooray for Hollywood” and “On the Good Ship Lollipop), who had also worked on Sweetie and Broadway Scandals.
Thanks to Chevalier's popularity, Innocents of Paris was screened in France, with most of the English dialogue cut out. I wonder if the critics would have preferred the French version?!
While the film received little praise, several critics did enjoy the film’s music. Film Daily described the tunes as catchy, while Variety praised the song “Louise,” claiming it was “the best melody any picture has uncorked in recent months.” The song became one of Chevalier’s signature songs (along with “Thank Heavens for Little Girls,” from Gigi).
Maurice Fenton’s Photoplay review for the record of Innocents of Paris was less praiseworthy, stating pithily, that it “Felt like we were handling stolen goods when we played with these. Where have we heard something like it before?”
Leo Robin was a Broadway and Hollywood lyricist who had successful partnerships with Ralph Rainger, Jerome Kern, and Jule Styne. He worked on another 1929 movie musical, Syncopation, and he eventually won an Oscar for Best Original Song (1938) for “Thanks for the Memory,” sung by Bob Hope and Shirley Ross.
Innocents of Paris marks the third musical in 1929 for composer Richard A. Whiting (“Hooray for Hollywood” and “On the Good Ship Lollipop), who had also worked on Sweetie and Broadway Scandals.
Thanks to Chevalier's popularity, Innocents of Paris was screened in France, with most of the English dialogue cut out. I wonder if the critics would have preferred the French version?!
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