- Published on
Pathé Exchange's first musical.
Motion Picture News (Nov 2, 1929)
Date of Release: Nov 23, 1929
Studio: Pathé Exchange
Director: Leo McCarey
Screenplay: Earl Baldwin, Walter De Leon, William Conselman
Composers: Robert Emmett Dolan, Walter O’Keefe
Leading Actors: Alan Hale (Walter), Kathryn Crawford (Mary), Walter O’Keefe (Sam), Josephine Dunn (Claire), Anita Garvin (Mable), Ilka Chase (Mrs. Floretta), Ernest Hillard (Eddie Graham), Harry Bowen (Whiffle), James Clemmons (Singe)
Studio: Pathé Exchange
Director: Leo McCarey
Screenplay: Earl Baldwin, Walter De Leon, William Conselman
Composers: Robert Emmett Dolan, Walter O’Keefe
Leading Actors: Alan Hale (Walter), Kathryn Crawford (Mary), Walter O’Keefe (Sam), Josephine Dunn (Claire), Anita Garvin (Mable), Ilka Chase (Mrs. Floretta), Ernest Hillard (Eddie Graham), Harry Bowen (Whiffle), James Clemmons (Singe)
Red Hot Rhythm was Pathé's first film to be made on the west coast, and their first musical. The film was a backstage comedy that followed the trials and tribulations of songwriter Walter (Alan Hale) and his muse and girlfriend, nightclub singer Mary (Kathryn Crawford).
Pathé Exchange started out as the American distributor for the French company Pathé Frères. The AFI Catalog lists 70 films made by Pathé Exchange between 1915 and 1931, while IMDB lists over 500. IMDb lists Red Hot Rhythm as having being been distributed by Pathé, not produced by them, so it may be other entries on the IMDb list are also incorrect.
According to historian Richard Lewis Ward, despite being an important studio player during the silent era Pathé has mostly been omitted from the historical record on this period. Ward’s new book, When the Cock Crows: A History of the Pathé Exchange is due out in June 2016 and may do something to address this gap.
Director Leo McCarey was a prominent writer, producer and director. With over 100 credits to his name McCarey is famous for directing screwball comedies of the 1930s, including Duck Soup starring the Marx Brothers. He won three Academy Awards, Best Director and Best Writing (Original Story) for Going My Way (1944), and Best Director for The Awful Truth (1937).
Red Hot Rhythm opened to solid reviews. Motion Picture (March 1930) described it as “the best of the season,” and claimed “A hundred to one you leave the theatre whistling.” Motion Picture News (Oct 19, 1929) stated “Although it has plenty of laughs and clever wise-cracks, there is a humanness in story development that makes the picture most enjoyable.” Photoplay (Jan 1930) was less complimentary, calling the story “uneven,” however the reviewer enjoyed the dance numbers and Technicolor sequences.
Red Hot Rhythm was not actually filmed in Technicolor, but Multicolor. Both technologies created a two-tone red and green colored effect, though Multicolor only required one lens where Technicolor required two. Multicolor was bought out by Cinecolor in 1933.
The cast received positive notices for their performances, particularly Katheryn Crawford. After starting out on the stage, Crawford became a film actress. Despite a short career that really only last a few years, Crawford appeared in 18 films including Red Hot Rhythm (1929), Safety in Numbers (1930), and Emma (1932).
Alan Hale also received good notices. He was a dancer and classically trained singer who performed on stage and screen. Hale appeared in over 200 films, often playing character roles. He is best remembered for playing Little John in several Robin Hood movies. Hale was married to Gretchen Hartman. Their son, Alan Hale Jr, is best remembered as the Skipper from Gilligan’s Island.
Pathé Exchange started out as the American distributor for the French company Pathé Frères. The AFI Catalog lists 70 films made by Pathé Exchange between 1915 and 1931, while IMDB lists over 500. IMDb lists Red Hot Rhythm as having being been distributed by Pathé, not produced by them, so it may be other entries on the IMDb list are also incorrect.
According to historian Richard Lewis Ward, despite being an important studio player during the silent era Pathé has mostly been omitted from the historical record on this period. Ward’s new book, When the Cock Crows: A History of the Pathé Exchange is due out in June 2016 and may do something to address this gap.
Director Leo McCarey was a prominent writer, producer and director. With over 100 credits to his name McCarey is famous for directing screwball comedies of the 1930s, including Duck Soup starring the Marx Brothers. He won three Academy Awards, Best Director and Best Writing (Original Story) for Going My Way (1944), and Best Director for The Awful Truth (1937).
Red Hot Rhythm opened to solid reviews. Motion Picture (March 1930) described it as “the best of the season,” and claimed “A hundred to one you leave the theatre whistling.” Motion Picture News (Oct 19, 1929) stated “Although it has plenty of laughs and clever wise-cracks, there is a humanness in story development that makes the picture most enjoyable.” Photoplay (Jan 1930) was less complimentary, calling the story “uneven,” however the reviewer enjoyed the dance numbers and Technicolor sequences.
Red Hot Rhythm was not actually filmed in Technicolor, but Multicolor. Both technologies created a two-tone red and green colored effect, though Multicolor only required one lens where Technicolor required two. Multicolor was bought out by Cinecolor in 1933.
The cast received positive notices for their performances, particularly Katheryn Crawford. After starting out on the stage, Crawford became a film actress. Despite a short career that really only last a few years, Crawford appeared in 18 films including Red Hot Rhythm (1929), Safety in Numbers (1930), and Emma (1932).
Alan Hale also received good notices. He was a dancer and classically trained singer who performed on stage and screen. Hale appeared in over 200 films, often playing character roles. He is best remembered for playing Little John in several Robin Hood movies. Hale was married to Gretchen Hartman. Their son, Alan Hale Jr, is best remembered as the Skipper from Gilligan’s Island.
A silent version of Red Hot Rhythm was also released. Apart from a few surviving fragments, the film is now considered lost.
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