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We jump back briefly to 1928 to take a look at a film considered long lost.
Photoplay, Nov 1928
Date of Release: Sept 23, 1928
Studio: First National
Director: Alfred Santell
Writer: James T. O'Donohue, George Marion
Costumes: Max Rée
Music: Irving Caesar, Edward Grossman, Joseph Meyer, Ted Ward
Choreography: Seymour Felix
Cast: Alice White (Dixie Dugan), Donald Reed (Álvarez Romano), Lee Moran (Denny), Charles Delaney (Jimmy), Richard Tucker (Milton), Gwen Lee (Nita Dugan), James Finlayson (Mr. Dugan) Kate Price (Mrs. Dugan), Hugh Roman (Eppus), Bernard Randall (Kibbitzer)
This film represents yet another musical missing from the AFI catalog of movie musicals, and yet was an early piece of work for many important industry players.
Show Girl was based on Joseph Patrick McEvoy’s best-selling novel of the same name. The novel was also the basis for the Dixie Dugan comic strip, a popular series which chronicled the life of a Hollywood showgirl.
The novel was heavily employed in promoting the film, with the serialized version of the novel re-released in local newspapers, and copies of the book distributed to theatre managers. Screenland (Nov 1928) also featured an article by the film’s star, Alice White, extolling the novel’s comedic value.
Studio: First National
Director: Alfred Santell
Writer: James T. O'Donohue, George Marion
Costumes: Max Rée
Music: Irving Caesar, Edward Grossman, Joseph Meyer, Ted Ward
Choreography: Seymour Felix
Cast: Alice White (Dixie Dugan), Donald Reed (Álvarez Romano), Lee Moran (Denny), Charles Delaney (Jimmy), Richard Tucker (Milton), Gwen Lee (Nita Dugan), James Finlayson (Mr. Dugan) Kate Price (Mrs. Dugan), Hugh Roman (Eppus), Bernard Randall (Kibbitzer)
This film represents yet another musical missing from the AFI catalog of movie musicals, and yet was an early piece of work for many important industry players.
Show Girl was based on Joseph Patrick McEvoy’s best-selling novel of the same name. The novel was also the basis for the Dixie Dugan comic strip, a popular series which chronicled the life of a Hollywood showgirl.
The novel was heavily employed in promoting the film, with the serialized version of the novel re-released in local newspapers, and copies of the book distributed to theatre managers. Screenland (Nov 1928) also featured an article by the film’s star, Alice White, extolling the novel’s comedic value.
Alice White's feature in Screenland, Nov 1928
The promotions paid off, and Show Girl did well at the box office. In New York, part of the appeal of Show Girl was that the Strand Theatre was one of the few theatres wired for sound. Audiences loved being able to see, and hear, up-coming talkie previews.
Although the critics thought Alice White “wasn’t so good in her part,” audiences loved her. As reported in Motion Picture Magazine (Dec 1928), one fan bemoaned the fact that while White and the chorus girls had worn as little as permitted by the censors on screen, the scantily clad scenes were only filmed in long shots.
White started out as a secretary and script supervisor, and her good looks led her to being cast as a flapper, and eventually the leading roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1928). White was involved in a love triangle that flared into a scandal and effectively ended her career. Even long after her career had faded however she continued to receive fan mail.
Overall the critics enjoyed Show Girl, although they thought the book was better. The usually more snarky Educational Screen (December 1928) wrote, “Some gorgeous sets and costumes, dancing and swift action make just fair entertainment.” Motion Picture News (Nov 10, 1928) described the film as one for the masses, and Variety complained that apart from a few songs and some applause effects, there wasn’t enough use of sound.
Although the critics thought Alice White “wasn’t so good in her part,” audiences loved her. As reported in Motion Picture Magazine (Dec 1928), one fan bemoaned the fact that while White and the chorus girls had worn as little as permitted by the censors on screen, the scantily clad scenes were only filmed in long shots.
White started out as a secretary and script supervisor, and her good looks led her to being cast as a flapper, and eventually the leading roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1928). White was involved in a love triangle that flared into a scandal and effectively ended her career. Even long after her career had faded however she continued to receive fan mail.
Overall the critics enjoyed Show Girl, although they thought the book was better. The usually more snarky Educational Screen (December 1928) wrote, “Some gorgeous sets and costumes, dancing and swift action make just fair entertainment.” Motion Picture News (Nov 10, 1928) described the film as one for the masses, and Variety complained that apart from a few songs and some applause effects, there wasn’t enough use of sound.
"Gorgeous sets and costumes" Screenland, Oct 1928
The “gorgeous sets and costumers” were designed by Max Rée, and White was lucky enough to wear 22 different costumes throughout the film. Danish-born Rée worked on Broadway and in Hollywood, and he went on to win an Oscar for Best Art Direction of Cimarron (1931). His other credits include Dixiana (1930), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935), and Carnegie Hall (1947). A wonderful summary (including pictures) of his work can be found here.
The score included the film’s theme song, “Show Girl,”“Buy, Buy for Baby” and “She’s One Sweet Show Girl.” The excellent Vitaphone Varieties blog features the latter two, and the music is bright and fun. The music team, Irving Ceasar and Joseph Meyer, were already big names by 1928, and went on to even greater success.
Irving Caesar worked on Broadway contributing lyrics and music to over forty productions including No, No Nanette (1925) and George White’s Scandals (1931) and various revues. Over the course of his career he composed over 700 songs including “Swanee” and “Tea for Two.” He was an early member of ASCAP, and a founding member of the Songwriters Guild of America.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer who worked extensively on Broadway. Shows include Big Boy (1925), Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 (1934) and Shuffle Along (1952). His most well-known songs include “If You Knew Susie,” "A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You," and “California, Here I Come.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.
The rest of the creative team were just as accomplished.
Alfred Santell was a prolific and well regarded director. Over the course of his three decade career he worked for most of the major studios, and directed over 90 films including Daddy Long Legs (1931), Winterset (1936), The Hairy Ape (1944), and That Brennan Girl (1946).
James T. O'Donohue wrote scripts primarily during the silent era.
George Marion was a prolific writer who worked in Hollywood for over twenty years. His other credits include Sweetie (1929), The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Too Many Girls (1940).
Edward Grossman was a composer and teacher, who had also trained to be a lawyer. He composed mainly for piano, and was active in several synagogues and Jewish organizations.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer for stage and screen. His hit songs include “California Here I Come,” “If You Knew Susie,” “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie,” and “Singing a Song to the Stars.”
Ted Ward was a well-regarded composer who was nominated for seven Academy Awards – twice for Best Original Song, “Always and Always” from Mannequin (1939) and “Pennies for Peppino” from Flying with Music (1943); and five times for Best Scoring, Cheers for Miss Bishop (1942), Tanks a Million (1942), All-American Co-Ed (1942), and Phantom of the Opera (1944). Over the course of his career Ward worked for MGM, United Artists, and Universal.
After starting out as a vaudeville dancer, Seymour Felix became a well-known Broadway dance director. He contributed choreography for over thirty films including Sunnyside Up (1929), Everybody Sing (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Dancing in the Dark (1949), and the television series Our Miss Brooks (1955).
For the most part, the cast of Show Girl went on to substantial acting careers.
Mexican born Donald Reed appeared in over forty films over fifteen years.
Lee Moran was an incredibly prolific actor, writer and director, predominantly during the silent era. He started out in vaudeville, and along with writing partner Earle Lyons created popular situational humor comedies. In a career spanning over twenty years, Moran appeared in nearly five hundred films, directed over a hundred, and wrote ninety-one scripts.
Starting out in silent film, Charles Delaney was an actor whose career spanned over five decades. He appeared predominantly in action and Western films.
Richard Tucker appeared in close to three hundred films, including The Jazz Singer (1927), Lucky Boy (1928), My Man (1928), Puttin on the Ritz (1930), and Stepping Out (1931). He was reportedly the first official member oF the Screen Actors Guild.
Named as a WAMPAS Baby star in 1928, Photoplay (January 1929) described Gwen Lee as “beautiful and attractive and a splendid dancer.“ Lee appeared in over sixty films including Lucky Boy (1928), and Untamed (1929). According to IMDb, Lee’s star faded after an unfortunate synchronization issue in Untamed led to her voice appearing “switched“ with her male co-star.
Scottish born James Finlayson was a highly popular and well-regarded comedic actor. He worked as an actor in the UK before moving to the US and working in vaudeville. An original Keystone Kop, Finlayson appeared in many Laurel and Hardy films.
Irish born Kate Price started out as a stage actress, and went on to appear in nearly three hundred films.
Russian born Bernard Randall emigrated to the USA as a child. He started out in vaudeville and was soon acting in film. He went on to appear in over thirty films and television shows.
The score included the film’s theme song, “Show Girl,”“Buy, Buy for Baby” and “She’s One Sweet Show Girl.” The excellent Vitaphone Varieties blog features the latter two, and the music is bright and fun. The music team, Irving Ceasar and Joseph Meyer, were already big names by 1928, and went on to even greater success.
Irving Caesar worked on Broadway contributing lyrics and music to over forty productions including No, No Nanette (1925) and George White’s Scandals (1931) and various revues. Over the course of his career he composed over 700 songs including “Swanee” and “Tea for Two.” He was an early member of ASCAP, and a founding member of the Songwriters Guild of America.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer who worked extensively on Broadway. Shows include Big Boy (1925), Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 (1934) and Shuffle Along (1952). His most well-known songs include “If You Knew Susie,” "A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You," and “California, Here I Come.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.
The rest of the creative team were just as accomplished.
Alfred Santell was a prolific and well regarded director. Over the course of his three decade career he worked for most of the major studios, and directed over 90 films including Daddy Long Legs (1931), Winterset (1936), The Hairy Ape (1944), and That Brennan Girl (1946).
James T. O'Donohue wrote scripts primarily during the silent era.
George Marion was a prolific writer who worked in Hollywood for over twenty years. His other credits include Sweetie (1929), The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Too Many Girls (1940).
Edward Grossman was a composer and teacher, who had also trained to be a lawyer. He composed mainly for piano, and was active in several synagogues and Jewish organizations.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer for stage and screen. His hit songs include “California Here I Come,” “If You Knew Susie,” “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie,” and “Singing a Song to the Stars.”
Ted Ward was a well-regarded composer who was nominated for seven Academy Awards – twice for Best Original Song, “Always and Always” from Mannequin (1939) and “Pennies for Peppino” from Flying with Music (1943); and five times for Best Scoring, Cheers for Miss Bishop (1942), Tanks a Million (1942), All-American Co-Ed (1942), and Phantom of the Opera (1944). Over the course of his career Ward worked for MGM, United Artists, and Universal.
After starting out as a vaudeville dancer, Seymour Felix became a well-known Broadway dance director. He contributed choreography for over thirty films including Sunnyside Up (1929), Everybody Sing (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Dancing in the Dark (1949), and the television series Our Miss Brooks (1955).
For the most part, the cast of Show Girl went on to substantial acting careers.
Mexican born Donald Reed appeared in over forty films over fifteen years.
Lee Moran was an incredibly prolific actor, writer and director, predominantly during the silent era. He started out in vaudeville, and along with writing partner Earle Lyons created popular situational humor comedies. In a career spanning over twenty years, Moran appeared in nearly five hundred films, directed over a hundred, and wrote ninety-one scripts.
Starting out in silent film, Charles Delaney was an actor whose career spanned over five decades. He appeared predominantly in action and Western films.
Richard Tucker appeared in close to three hundred films, including The Jazz Singer (1927), Lucky Boy (1928), My Man (1928), Puttin on the Ritz (1930), and Stepping Out (1931). He was reportedly the first official member oF the Screen Actors Guild.
Named as a WAMPAS Baby star in 1928, Photoplay (January 1929) described Gwen Lee as “beautiful and attractive and a splendid dancer.“ Lee appeared in over sixty films including Lucky Boy (1928), and Untamed (1929). According to IMDb, Lee’s star faded after an unfortunate synchronization issue in Untamed led to her voice appearing “switched“ with her male co-star.
Scottish born James Finlayson was a highly popular and well-regarded comedic actor. He worked as an actor in the UK before moving to the US and working in vaudeville. An original Keystone Kop, Finlayson appeared in many Laurel and Hardy films.
Irish born Kate Price started out as a stage actress, and went on to appear in nearly three hundred films.
Russian born Bernard Randall emigrated to the USA as a child. He started out in vaudeville and was soon acting in film. He went on to appear in over thirty films and television shows.
Photoplay, April 1929
Long considered a lost film, a silent version was found in Milan and screened at the Italian Podenone Silent Film Festival (Giornate del Cinema Muto) in 2015. The sound version is scheduled to play at this year’s festival and if anyone wants to spot me a ticket to the festival (and a plane ticket to Italy), I’ll happily accept!
Reading the plot notes and advertising for Show Girl, I had dismissed it as another fluffy backstage musical comedy. After reading through Podenone’s program notes however, I really want to see this film.
The notes describe Show Girl as “socially historic and deliciously cynical” and “exemplary for its pace and economy.” The protagonist, Dixie Dugan is characterized as “the new “New Woman” – the post-Flapper, symbolizing the final days of the Roaring Twenties… while her predecessors were “smoking, drinking, never thinking…” Dixie calculates, cooly. She has big ambitions and knows how to use her looks and her sexuality to achieve them.” It would be so refreshing to see a film from this era where at least one woman has agency in her world!
A second film based on the same material, Show Girl in Hollywood, was released in 1930.
The next post will be back to 1929, and in the meantime I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears open for a New York screening.
Reading the plot notes and advertising for Show Girl, I had dismissed it as another fluffy backstage musical comedy. After reading through Podenone’s program notes however, I really want to see this film.
The notes describe Show Girl as “socially historic and deliciously cynical” and “exemplary for its pace and economy.” The protagonist, Dixie Dugan is characterized as “the new “New Woman” – the post-Flapper, symbolizing the final days of the Roaring Twenties… while her predecessors were “smoking, drinking, never thinking…” Dixie calculates, cooly. She has big ambitions and knows how to use her looks and her sexuality to achieve them.” It would be so refreshing to see a film from this era where at least one woman has agency in her world!
A second film based on the same material, Show Girl in Hollywood, was released in 1930.
The next post will be back to 1929, and in the meantime I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears open for a New York screening.
- Published on
Program for "My Man". Click image for link.
Date of Release: Dec 15, 1928
Studio: Warner Bros
Director: Archie Mayo
Screenplay: Robert Lord, Mark Canfield, Joe Jackson, James A. Starr
Music: James Hanley, Harry Carroll, Grant Clarke, Mort Dixon, Leo Edwards, Fred Fisher, Oscar Levant, Ballard MacDonald, Blanche Merrill, Channing Pollock, Billy Rose
Leading Actors: Fanny Brice, Guinn Williams, Edna Murphy, Andrés de Segurola, Richard Tucker, Billy Seay, Arthur Hoyt, Ann Brody, Clarissa Selwynn
The Internet Is Really Great
As I near the end of films released in 1929, I’m catching up on a few films I’ve missed from the list. When I first started this project (way back when in 2010), I skipped over films that were lost, or weren’t publicly available. It’s remarkable how much information has been digitized and made available through the internet in the intervening five years.
The Internet Archive is a particularly fascinating place. With a little searching, old issues of film trade mags such as Variety, Film Daily, and PhotoPlay are all available freely online. Even more astonishingly, entire soundtracks of lost films such as My Man have been made available.
A Lost Film
My Man is famously considered a lost film. Wikipedia and IMDB claim, without references, that three of eleven reels still exist at the Associated Artists Productions (AAP) library, however no such library seems to exist. AAP and Warner Bros are now owned by Time Warner (not to be confused with Time Warner Cable), and I have been unable to find information on where or how to access their archives.
The UCLA Film and Television Archive and the Library of Congress, the two largest moving image archives in the USA, do not hold copies of the existing reels.
As My Man was released by Warner Bros, I attempted to track down the reels through them. The Warner Bros. Archives are held at the University of Southern California, but are primarily paper archives, and no film reels are kept in the collection.
Warner Bros now offers Warner Archive Instant, an online subscription-based streaming service for “classic TV and hard-to-find movies” that works similarly to Netflix or HBOGo. My best guess is that Time Warner (who also own Turner Classics and HBO) are holding the entire collection privately in order to be able to release films on their streaming services at a profit. While streaming makes content available to the wider public, not all films are available, and some are only available for a limited time.
Studio: Warner Bros
Director: Archie Mayo
Screenplay: Robert Lord, Mark Canfield, Joe Jackson, James A. Starr
Music: James Hanley, Harry Carroll, Grant Clarke, Mort Dixon, Leo Edwards, Fred Fisher, Oscar Levant, Ballard MacDonald, Blanche Merrill, Channing Pollock, Billy Rose
Leading Actors: Fanny Brice, Guinn Williams, Edna Murphy, Andrés de Segurola, Richard Tucker, Billy Seay, Arthur Hoyt, Ann Brody, Clarissa Selwynn
The Internet Is Really Great
As I near the end of films released in 1929, I’m catching up on a few films I’ve missed from the list. When I first started this project (way back when in 2010), I skipped over films that were lost, or weren’t publicly available. It’s remarkable how much information has been digitized and made available through the internet in the intervening five years.
The Internet Archive is a particularly fascinating place. With a little searching, old issues of film trade mags such as Variety, Film Daily, and PhotoPlay are all available freely online. Even more astonishingly, entire soundtracks of lost films such as My Man have been made available.
A Lost Film
My Man is famously considered a lost film. Wikipedia and IMDB claim, without references, that three of eleven reels still exist at the Associated Artists Productions (AAP) library, however no such library seems to exist. AAP and Warner Bros are now owned by Time Warner (not to be confused with Time Warner Cable), and I have been unable to find information on where or how to access their archives.
The UCLA Film and Television Archive and the Library of Congress, the two largest moving image archives in the USA, do not hold copies of the existing reels.
As My Man was released by Warner Bros, I attempted to track down the reels through them. The Warner Bros. Archives are held at the University of Southern California, but are primarily paper archives, and no film reels are kept in the collection.
Warner Bros now offers Warner Archive Instant, an online subscription-based streaming service for “classic TV and hard-to-find movies” that works similarly to Netflix or HBOGo. My best guess is that Time Warner (who also own Turner Classics and HBO) are holding the entire collection privately in order to be able to release films on their streaming services at a profit. While streaming makes content available to the wider public, not all films are available, and some are only available for a limited time.
Tantilizing stills from "My Man" book released by Photoplay in 1928. Click image for link.
Fragments and Sound Reels
Although the films reels are lost, stills and Vitaphone disks have survived. The English version of Photoplay released a photographic special feature to coincide with the film's release in England. It contains stills from the film, and copies of the book are available from the Fanny Brice Collection, Ebay and Abe Books.
One amazing soul has made the soundtrack available on the Internet Archive. It is not easy to ascertain where this person uploaded the soundtrack from (or with what permissions), but I'm so glad they have. With its awful dialogue and pleasant underscore, the soundtrack is quite amusing to listen to. For the most part, the stilted dialogue segues unnaturally into songs with lines like, “Hey Fanny! Sing us that song you did yesterday!” repeated before every song.
Although the films reels are lost, stills and Vitaphone disks have survived. The English version of Photoplay released a photographic special feature to coincide with the film's release in England. It contains stills from the film, and copies of the book are available from the Fanny Brice Collection, Ebay and Abe Books.
One amazing soul has made the soundtrack available on the Internet Archive. It is not easy to ascertain where this person uploaded the soundtrack from (or with what permissions), but I'm so glad they have. With its awful dialogue and pleasant underscore, the soundtrack is quite amusing to listen to. For the most part, the stilted dialogue segues unnaturally into songs with lines like, “Hey Fanny! Sing us that song you did yesterday!” repeated before every song.
Fanny Brice with a koala. From Photoplay Magazine (Dec, 1928) - click image for link. Photoplay incorrectly calls the koala "a bear" (it's a marsupial). Brice reportedly brought the poor creature to the set of "My Man" and "caused a panic."
Leading Lady - Fanny Brice
My Man was a star vehicle for Broadway star Fanny Brice. She was already well known for her performances in the Ziegfeld Follies, and her signature songs, including “My Man,” “I’d Rather Be Blue Over You,” and “Second-Hand Rosie” all appeared in the film. Although clearly enamored with Fanny Brice’s comedic and singing talent, both Variety and The New York Times were critical of her “Jewishness.” This didn’t stop Brice from being one of the biggest stage stars of her day, and her life was later portrayed in the Barbara Streisand star vehicles, Funny Girl and Funny Lady. A hauntingly beautiful recording of the title song, recorded in 1921 is available at the Library of Congress, and on YouTube. Unfortunately, the film version is not quite as touching as this rendition.
Cast and Crew
Apart from Guinn Williams, who went on to a healthy career in westerns, the rest of the cast faded from Hollywood as talkies gained momentum. Director Archie Mayo and screenwriter Robert Lord, continued to work extensively in Hollywood in genres other than musicals.
Most note-worthy from the cast and crew, apart from Fanny Brice, was screenwriter Mark Canfield, better known as Darryl F. Zanuck. Zanuck left Warner Bros in 1933, co-founded 20th Century Pictures and went on to become one of the greatest producers in Hollywood with over 200 movies to his name.
Music
The musical numbers received universal praise from the critics. Despite the song “I’m an Indian,” a painful reminder of America’s overtly racist past, the music throughout is light-hearted and fun. It’s easy to see why the songs were already audience favorites, and the film’s advertising plays on the their popularity. The score was composed by a large team of established musicians who all went on to become highly successful songwriters for stage and screen. Most of the My Man composers were eventually inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Critical Reception
Although My Man claimed to be a “tense drama, full of tragedy and comedy,” Brice was clearly its only drawcard. Even then, some advertisements encouraged audiences to see the film even if their cinema was not yet equipped for sound. In January 1929, Variety reported that the censors had cut whole sections of dialogue from the film, but “titles bridged the gaps with a certain measure of success, few any the wiser.”
Produced during the awkward transition between silent films and talkies, My Man was not a strong example of the early movie musical. The film was criticized for being too long, and the predictable plot, centered around the trials and tribulations of an aspiring actress working in a costume house, was derided as inane.
The NY Times was critical of the clunky use of sound, and the film’s long length (though at 99 minutes, I wonder what those poor critics would have thought of later musicals which run for over three hours).
Variety called My Man technically “good and smart,” but also lamented its length, and the poor execution of technical elements including sound, scenic composition, and the fact that Brice was likely to only be a “one picture star.”
Finale
Despite the lukewarm critical praise, My Man turned a profit for Warner Bros, and ensured the studio would continue to invest in talking pictures.
My Man was a star vehicle for Broadway star Fanny Brice. She was already well known for her performances in the Ziegfeld Follies, and her signature songs, including “My Man,” “I’d Rather Be Blue Over You,” and “Second-Hand Rosie” all appeared in the film. Although clearly enamored with Fanny Brice’s comedic and singing talent, both Variety and The New York Times were critical of her “Jewishness.” This didn’t stop Brice from being one of the biggest stage stars of her day, and her life was later portrayed in the Barbara Streisand star vehicles, Funny Girl and Funny Lady. A hauntingly beautiful recording of the title song, recorded in 1921 is available at the Library of Congress, and on YouTube. Unfortunately, the film version is not quite as touching as this rendition.
Cast and Crew
Apart from Guinn Williams, who went on to a healthy career in westerns, the rest of the cast faded from Hollywood as talkies gained momentum. Director Archie Mayo and screenwriter Robert Lord, continued to work extensively in Hollywood in genres other than musicals.
Most note-worthy from the cast and crew, apart from Fanny Brice, was screenwriter Mark Canfield, better known as Darryl F. Zanuck. Zanuck left Warner Bros in 1933, co-founded 20th Century Pictures and went on to become one of the greatest producers in Hollywood with over 200 movies to his name.
Music
The musical numbers received universal praise from the critics. Despite the song “I’m an Indian,” a painful reminder of America’s overtly racist past, the music throughout is light-hearted and fun. It’s easy to see why the songs were already audience favorites, and the film’s advertising plays on the their popularity. The score was composed by a large team of established musicians who all went on to become highly successful songwriters for stage and screen. Most of the My Man composers were eventually inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Critical Reception
Although My Man claimed to be a “tense drama, full of tragedy and comedy,” Brice was clearly its only drawcard. Even then, some advertisements encouraged audiences to see the film even if their cinema was not yet equipped for sound. In January 1929, Variety reported that the censors had cut whole sections of dialogue from the film, but “titles bridged the gaps with a certain measure of success, few any the wiser.”
Produced during the awkward transition between silent films and talkies, My Man was not a strong example of the early movie musical. The film was criticized for being too long, and the predictable plot, centered around the trials and tribulations of an aspiring actress working in a costume house, was derided as inane.
The NY Times was critical of the clunky use of sound, and the film’s long length (though at 99 minutes, I wonder what those poor critics would have thought of later musicals which run for over three hours).
Variety called My Man technically “good and smart,” but also lamented its length, and the poor execution of technical elements including sound, scenic composition, and the fact that Brice was likely to only be a “one picture star.”
Finale
Despite the lukewarm critical praise, My Man turned a profit for Warner Bros, and ensured the studio would continue to invest in talking pictures.
- Published on
The first film on the AFI’s list is My Man, starring Fanny Brice, Unfortunately, My Man does not seem to be available, and may be one of the treasure trove of early sound films now lost to the world. Our next film does however follow on nicely from The Jazz Singer.
While the first commercially successful talkie, The Jazz Singer, was undoubtedly a hit, it did not eclipse the successes of the silent film, and the skeptics openly wondered if the talking picture business would ever catch on. Within a year, Warner Bros would release their second talking picture. Enter The Singing Fool. The film was written as a star vehicle for the already immensely popular Al Jolson who, to quote Peter Lehman from his book Close Viewings: An Anthology of New Film Criticism, “was more than just a singer or an actor - he was an experience.” Like it’s predecessor, The Singing Fool, provided a medium in which to introduce an eager public to new songs, including “I’m Sitting on top of the World,” “Rainbow on my shoulder,” and “Sonny Boy.” In short, audiences LOVED it. Within a month of opening, the film had broken over 70 box office records across the United States, and it remained Hollywood’s most financially successful film until Gone with the Wind premiered in 1939.
Finances aside, The Singing Fool is a great piece of cinema. From the outset, it feels more sophisticated than its predecessor The Jazz Singer. Although the film still employs silent film devices, the majority of The Singing Fool makes use of Vitaphone synchronised sound. According to Lehman, this combination was a conscious decision to keep regular movie goers happy, as well as to attract new patrons, however I feel this more reflects the growing confidence of the studio, and creatives, in utilising the new sound technology.
The camera becomes the story-teller, using images to showing the story rather than telling it through title cards. The score also helps to tell the story, with less dirge-like filler music. A great example of this occurs in the opening scenes, where the music shifts from traditional swirling orchestral accompaniment to a lively quick-step tune which follows four well-dressed punters climbing the stairs to Blackie Joe’s club, focusing on two female pairs of stockinged legs and shiny shoes. We get a sense of the excitement of going to Blackie Joe’s, and the glamour and fun of the entertainment industry, which is of course shown in all its harsh reality by the end of the film.
Despite the occasional tendency to sentimentality, there is a wonderful sense of comedy throughout The Singing Fool that has not been lost to time. The cheating and womanising characters at Blackie Joe’s, the woman who cries profusely during Al Stone’s first number, and the inebriated couple in the phone booth on New Year’s Eve are just a few examples of light-hearted humour. This comedy does well to contrast the tragedy of the story.
Most of the songs are set as performance pieces, however, they also tell us what the main character, namely Al Stone, (played by Jolson), is thinking. Al sings “It All Depends on You” in an attempt to woo the mean Molly, his long-time heart’s devotion. Through song, Al tells us that it is Molly who will determine his happiness. Without realising, Al’s own lyrics forbode the unhappiness that she will cause him. Moments later, inspired by Molly’s positive reaction to the song, Al sings “I’m Sitting on top of the world”. He is so happy, that only song can truly convey how he is feeling. Cut to a few year’s later, married and with a young child, Al sings “Rainbow Around my shoulder”. The uptempo song demonstrates to the audience that Al is really very happy! The main song of the film, “Sonny Boy” is performed several times. A few times as gentle personal quiet moments between father and son, and in the last instance in an emotional performance to a packed house of eager fans. Al's young son, Sonny Boy, played by the utterly adorable Davey Lee, is a real highlight of the film, with his sweet angelic face, and spot on timing.
The characters are well developed. From the outset we see Al Stone is a good guy. He is funny and likable, and his quirky entrance, framed by a line of chorus girls, reinforces the audience anticipation and satisfaction of seeing their favourite star on the screen. The audience’s appreciation of Al is mirrored in the pretty cigarette girl, kind, softly-spoken, and like her name, full of grace. Molly, Al’s love interest, is vain and superficial. She is only interested in appearances, and moving up in the world, highlighted by our first glimpses of Molly being her legs in the dressing room mirror. We gain further insight into Molly’s aims through the great line, “I’m not interested in waiters, except when they’re serving me”. We instantly dislike Molly, a feeling heightened by her philandering ways behind the back of our spirited Al, and her final moments with Al are touching and vindicating.
As Peter Lehman has written, “song, the star, a gripping story and the attraction of sound, all enveloped within a continuous narrative form so familiar to movie fans made The Singing Fool the biggest attraction of its day”. These elements help to ensure that The Singing Fool remains a brilliant film today.
While the first commercially successful talkie, The Jazz Singer, was undoubtedly a hit, it did not eclipse the successes of the silent film, and the skeptics openly wondered if the talking picture business would ever catch on. Within a year, Warner Bros would release their second talking picture. Enter The Singing Fool. The film was written as a star vehicle for the already immensely popular Al Jolson who, to quote Peter Lehman from his book Close Viewings: An Anthology of New Film Criticism, “was more than just a singer or an actor - he was an experience.” Like it’s predecessor, The Singing Fool, provided a medium in which to introduce an eager public to new songs, including “I’m Sitting on top of the World,” “Rainbow on my shoulder,” and “Sonny Boy.” In short, audiences LOVED it. Within a month of opening, the film had broken over 70 box office records across the United States, and it remained Hollywood’s most financially successful film until Gone with the Wind premiered in 1939.
Finances aside, The Singing Fool is a great piece of cinema. From the outset, it feels more sophisticated than its predecessor The Jazz Singer. Although the film still employs silent film devices, the majority of The Singing Fool makes use of Vitaphone synchronised sound. According to Lehman, this combination was a conscious decision to keep regular movie goers happy, as well as to attract new patrons, however I feel this more reflects the growing confidence of the studio, and creatives, in utilising the new sound technology.
The camera becomes the story-teller, using images to showing the story rather than telling it through title cards. The score also helps to tell the story, with less dirge-like filler music. A great example of this occurs in the opening scenes, where the music shifts from traditional swirling orchestral accompaniment to a lively quick-step tune which follows four well-dressed punters climbing the stairs to Blackie Joe’s club, focusing on two female pairs of stockinged legs and shiny shoes. We get a sense of the excitement of going to Blackie Joe’s, and the glamour and fun of the entertainment industry, which is of course shown in all its harsh reality by the end of the film.
Despite the occasional tendency to sentimentality, there is a wonderful sense of comedy throughout The Singing Fool that has not been lost to time. The cheating and womanising characters at Blackie Joe’s, the woman who cries profusely during Al Stone’s first number, and the inebriated couple in the phone booth on New Year’s Eve are just a few examples of light-hearted humour. This comedy does well to contrast the tragedy of the story.
Most of the songs are set as performance pieces, however, they also tell us what the main character, namely Al Stone, (played by Jolson), is thinking. Al sings “It All Depends on You” in an attempt to woo the mean Molly, his long-time heart’s devotion. Through song, Al tells us that it is Molly who will determine his happiness. Without realising, Al’s own lyrics forbode the unhappiness that she will cause him. Moments later, inspired by Molly’s positive reaction to the song, Al sings “I’m Sitting on top of the world”. He is so happy, that only song can truly convey how he is feeling. Cut to a few year’s later, married and with a young child, Al sings “Rainbow Around my shoulder”. The uptempo song demonstrates to the audience that Al is really very happy! The main song of the film, “Sonny Boy” is performed several times. A few times as gentle personal quiet moments between father and son, and in the last instance in an emotional performance to a packed house of eager fans. Al's young son, Sonny Boy, played by the utterly adorable Davey Lee, is a real highlight of the film, with his sweet angelic face, and spot on timing.
The characters are well developed. From the outset we see Al Stone is a good guy. He is funny and likable, and his quirky entrance, framed by a line of chorus girls, reinforces the audience anticipation and satisfaction of seeing their favourite star on the screen. The audience’s appreciation of Al is mirrored in the pretty cigarette girl, kind, softly-spoken, and like her name, full of grace. Molly, Al’s love interest, is vain and superficial. She is only interested in appearances, and moving up in the world, highlighted by our first glimpses of Molly being her legs in the dressing room mirror. We gain further insight into Molly’s aims through the great line, “I’m not interested in waiters, except when they’re serving me”. We instantly dislike Molly, a feeling heightened by her philandering ways behind the back of our spirited Al, and her final moments with Al are touching and vindicating.
As Peter Lehman has written, “song, the star, a gripping story and the attraction of sound, all enveloped within a continuous narrative form so familiar to movie fans made The Singing Fool the biggest attraction of its day”. These elements help to ensure that The Singing Fool remains a brilliant film today.