- Published on
Gloria Swanson’s first talkie.
Screenland, Oct 1929
Date of Release: Sept 9, 1929
Studio: Gloria Productions, distributed by United Artists
Director: Edmund Goulding
Screenplay: Edmund Goulding
Music: Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis, Sigmund Spaeth, Enrico Toseli, Josiah Zoro
Leading Actors: Gloria Swanson (Marion Donnell), Robert Ames (Jack Merrick), Purnell Pratt (Hector Ferguson), Henry B. Walthall (Fuller), Wally Albright Jr. (Jackie), William Holden (John Merrick, Sr.), Blanche Frederici (Miss Potter), Kay Hammond (Catherine "Flip" Merrick), Mary Forbes (Mrs. Ferguson), Marcelle Corday (Blanche)
Studio: Gloria Productions, distributed by United Artists
Director: Edmund Goulding
Screenplay: Edmund Goulding
Music: Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis, Sigmund Spaeth, Enrico Toseli, Josiah Zoro
Leading Actors: Gloria Swanson (Marion Donnell), Robert Ames (Jack Merrick), Purnell Pratt (Hector Ferguson), Henry B. Walthall (Fuller), Wally Albright Jr. (Jackie), William Holden (John Merrick, Sr.), Blanche Frederici (Miss Potter), Kay Hammond (Catherine "Flip" Merrick), Mary Forbes (Mrs. Ferguson), Marcelle Corday (Blanche)
The Trespasser is the first movie musical of 1929 to be co-produced by a woman, the first to premier in London, the first to conduct a transatlantic radio transmission of an American performer, and silent film star Gloria Swanson's first talkie.
Swanson was the epitome of silent era Hollywood. Glamorous, wealthy, married multiple times, and constantly in the press. She was one of the greatest film stars of her day and was known not only for her beautiful looks, but her incredible talent as an actor.
Famous Players-Lasky and Cecile B DeMille had made Swanson a star, but at a terrible personal cost. Swanson left the studio when its restrictive morality clause led her to an unwanted abortion. Soon after leaving Famous Players-Lasky, Swanson started her own production company, Gloria Productions. United Artists offered to distribute her films, allowing her the freedom to produce her own films, on her own terms. She was assisted by Joseph Kennedy (father of John F. Kennedy), who took care of the financial side of things, whilst Swanson took care of the creative.
Although Joseph Kennedy claimed The Trespasser was one of the first talkies to have an original script, the film is loosely based on the story of Madame Butterfly.
Swanson was the epitome of silent era Hollywood. Glamorous, wealthy, married multiple times, and constantly in the press. She was one of the greatest film stars of her day and was known not only for her beautiful looks, but her incredible talent as an actor.
Famous Players-Lasky and Cecile B DeMille had made Swanson a star, but at a terrible personal cost. Swanson left the studio when its restrictive morality clause led her to an unwanted abortion. Soon after leaving Famous Players-Lasky, Swanson started her own production company, Gloria Productions. United Artists offered to distribute her films, allowing her the freedom to produce her own films, on her own terms. She was assisted by Joseph Kennedy (father of John F. Kennedy), who took care of the financial side of things, whilst Swanson took care of the creative.
Although Joseph Kennedy claimed The Trespasser was one of the first talkies to have an original script, the film is loosely based on the story of Madame Butterfly.
The Film Daily (Oct 9, 1929)
Screenland (Oct 1929)
Marion Donnell (Gloria Swanson) is a stenographer and deeply in love with Jack Merrick (Robert Ames), the son of a millionaire. They elope, and honeymoon by the lake. Jack’s father, John Merrick Sr. does not approve and tells Jack to give up the girl. Marion tells her father-in-law to stop interfering but Jack proves a spineless husband, and Marion leaves him.
A year and a half later, Marion is back working as a stenographer and is now a single mother. Her stern British nanny, Miss Potter (Blanche Frederici), reminds Marion of all the unpaid bills that are piling up.
Marion has a breakdown. Taking pity, her boss Hector Ferguson (Purnell Pratt), sets her up in luxury, and the pair engage in a less-than-secret affair. Marion is happy, and has a close relationship with her sweet son, Jackie (Wally Albright Jr.).
Ferguson suddenly falls ill, and on his death bed requests Marion to come to his side. Upon meeting Ferguson’s wife, Marion realizes at what a great cost her happiness has come.
Meanwhile, Jack has re-married to a woman chosen by his father, Catherine “Flip” Merrick (Kay Hammond). Following a terrible car accident, Flip is now in a wheelchair.
Fearing Jackie will be tainted by the scandal of being the son of a mistress, Marion calls Jack to ask for help. Upon learning he is a father, Jack is delighted and swears to return to Marion. John Merrick Sr. is less thrilled, but relieved he finally has an heir to his fortune. He threatens to take Marion to court to get custody of his only heir.
Flip, who plays dumb but is savvy to the whole situation, arrives at Marion’s house and offers to leave Jack so that he and Marion can be together at last. Torn between the love for her son, and her desire to what is best for him, Marion decides to give the boy to Jack and Flip. She returns the $500,000 Ferguson has bequeathed to her in his will, and disappears from Chicago.
Later again, John Merrick Sr. is attempting to send a wire and has to repeat the message over and over. We learn that Flip has died the year before, and Jackie is growing and growing. Unable to get sense out of the operator, John Merrick Sr. passes the phone to Jack. Of course the operator at the other end is a sobbing Marion. Thrilled to have found Marion, Jack and Jackie rush to her side and the family is at last happily reunited.
A year and a half later, Marion is back working as a stenographer and is now a single mother. Her stern British nanny, Miss Potter (Blanche Frederici), reminds Marion of all the unpaid bills that are piling up.
Marion has a breakdown. Taking pity, her boss Hector Ferguson (Purnell Pratt), sets her up in luxury, and the pair engage in a less-than-secret affair. Marion is happy, and has a close relationship with her sweet son, Jackie (Wally Albright Jr.).
Ferguson suddenly falls ill, and on his death bed requests Marion to come to his side. Upon meeting Ferguson’s wife, Marion realizes at what a great cost her happiness has come.
Meanwhile, Jack has re-married to a woman chosen by his father, Catherine “Flip” Merrick (Kay Hammond). Following a terrible car accident, Flip is now in a wheelchair.
Fearing Jackie will be tainted by the scandal of being the son of a mistress, Marion calls Jack to ask for help. Upon learning he is a father, Jack is delighted and swears to return to Marion. John Merrick Sr. is less thrilled, but relieved he finally has an heir to his fortune. He threatens to take Marion to court to get custody of his only heir.
Flip, who plays dumb but is savvy to the whole situation, arrives at Marion’s house and offers to leave Jack so that he and Marion can be together at last. Torn between the love for her son, and her desire to what is best for him, Marion decides to give the boy to Jack and Flip. She returns the $500,000 Ferguson has bequeathed to her in his will, and disappears from Chicago.
Later again, John Merrick Sr. is attempting to send a wire and has to repeat the message over and over. We learn that Flip has died the year before, and Jackie is growing and growing. Unable to get sense out of the operator, John Merrick Sr. passes the phone to Jack. Of course the operator at the other end is a sobbing Marion. Thrilled to have found Marion, Jack and Jackie rush to her side and the family is at last happily reunited.
The Film Daily (Oct 9, 1929)
Due to scheduling conflicts in New York, The Trespasser had its official premier in London. Held at the New Gallery Kinema, the event was described by The Film Daily (Sept 11, 1929) as “one of the most brilliant premieres” in London history. According to Exhibitors Herald World (Sept 21, 1929), the premier attracted over 5000 people. After the opening, Variety (Sept 18) reported people were waiting in line “day and night” to see the film, and The Film Daily (Sept 16, 1929) announced that the run was anticipated to bring in $2,000,000, smashing box office records.
In conjunction with the London opening, Gloria Swanson performed the theme song, “Love” (also known as “Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere”). The song was recorded on RCA Photophone, and simultaneously relayed live by short wave to the United States - the first live transatlantic transmission by an American performer. According to Exhibitors Herald World (Sept 14, 1929), the unprecedented event required over 100 engineers stationed in four cities, London and Chelmsford in the UK, and Long Island and Manhattan in the USA. The Film Daily (Sept 9, 1929) called it “A great stunt…and [it was] hailed by RVA as a real scientific achievement.”
In the weeks following the London premier, The Trespasser had its American premier in Detroit and San Francisco. As it had in London, the film received rave reviews, and played to packed out houses.
Following an invite-only screening at the Embassy Theatre on October 3, The Trespasser officially opened in New York at the Rialto on November 1. The Film Daily (Nov 6, 1929) stated that “everybody in New York was trying to break in” to the opening. Swanson’s talkie debut was such a success that it became the first film at the Rialto to offer late night or “early morning” screenings, with 1.30am showings throughout the week, and 3am on Sundays.
The film broke the Rialto box office records, grossing $65,158 in its first week alone. The previous record holder had been The Wolf of Wall Street, which grossed approximately $58,000. Despite a previously set Rialto rule “that no picture can remain…for over six weeks,” The Trespasser ran for a total of seven, and delayed the opening of The Virginian for several weeks.
The Trespasser continued its unrivaled success around the country, and internationally. According to John Reid in Movies Magnificent, it was one of the top ten grossing films of 1930 in Australia.
Although considered lost for many years, the complete discs of The Trespasser were uncovered by the diligent work of the Vitaphone Project, and restored. The film is now available on DVD and on YouTube. And thank goodness it is.
In conjunction with the London opening, Gloria Swanson performed the theme song, “Love” (also known as “Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere”). The song was recorded on RCA Photophone, and simultaneously relayed live by short wave to the United States - the first live transatlantic transmission by an American performer. According to Exhibitors Herald World (Sept 14, 1929), the unprecedented event required over 100 engineers stationed in four cities, London and Chelmsford in the UK, and Long Island and Manhattan in the USA. The Film Daily (Sept 9, 1929) called it “A great stunt…and [it was] hailed by RVA as a real scientific achievement.”
In the weeks following the London premier, The Trespasser had its American premier in Detroit and San Francisco. As it had in London, the film received rave reviews, and played to packed out houses.
Following an invite-only screening at the Embassy Theatre on October 3, The Trespasser officially opened in New York at the Rialto on November 1. The Film Daily (Nov 6, 1929) stated that “everybody in New York was trying to break in” to the opening. Swanson’s talkie debut was such a success that it became the first film at the Rialto to offer late night or “early morning” screenings, with 1.30am showings throughout the week, and 3am on Sundays.
The film broke the Rialto box office records, grossing $65,158 in its first week alone. The previous record holder had been The Wolf of Wall Street, which grossed approximately $58,000. Despite a previously set Rialto rule “that no picture can remain…for over six weeks,” The Trespasser ran for a total of seven, and delayed the opening of The Virginian for several weeks.
The Trespasser continued its unrivaled success around the country, and internationally. According to John Reid in Movies Magnificent, it was one of the top ten grossing films of 1930 in Australia.
Although considered lost for many years, the complete discs of The Trespasser were uncovered by the diligent work of the Vitaphone Project, and restored. The film is now available on DVD and on YouTube. And thank goodness it is.
Motion Picture News (Oct 3, 1929)
The Trespasser is an astonishing film, and it’s easy to see why the critics were unreserved with their praise. Although light on songs, The Trespasser demonstrates that musicals do not need to be light and fluffy, or set backstage, to make effective use of music. The film features beautiful cinematography, wonderful story-telling, and thrilling performances by the whole cast.
Aside from the terrific performances, much can be attributed to director Edmund Goulding. English born, Goulding was somewhat of a Renaissance man. Not only was he a director, he was also a writer, composer, producer, actor, and sportsman. He directed films in a wide range of genres, working with some of the most highly regarded Hollywood actors including Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Nancy Carroll, Ginger Rogers, and Bette Davis.
Goulding worked for all the major studios, and directed forty-one films – three of which were nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture (Grand Hotel won in 1932). He also wrote The Broadway Melody, one of the better musicals of 1929, which won Best Picture in 1930.
According to his biography, Edmund Goulding’s Dark Victory: Hollywood’s Genius Bad Boy, Goulding's infamous bisexuality and promiscuous lifestyle, along with his "sensitive" direction of women, led to him being labelled as a “woman’s director.” The prejudice behind this label may have been the reason Goulding was himself never nominated for an Academy Award.
Where other early talkies look like awkward stage plays, filmed front-on with little variation in camera angles, The Trespasser is wonderfully cinematic. As reported in Motion Picture News, (July 20, 1929), The Trespasser was filmed with up to ten cameras. The actors were filmed “as they moved back and forth through four and five adjoining sets, instead of having to wait for new camera and microphone set-ups for shooting each scene separately.” The use of sound is also far ahead of its counterparts.
There is little music in The Trespasser and a complete absence of underscoring. The theme song, “Love” is repeated twice; whilst Marion is on her honeymoon, and when she has come home from the opera. In the first instance Marion sings snippets of the song in the bathroom. Her singing is not a performance, but an expression of her happiness. Later, after coming home from the opera, Ferguson implores Marion to sing for him. She starts the pianola, and gives a beautiful rendition of the whole song. Swanson’s voice, much praised by the critics, is a delightful lyric soprano. The songs work to show the warmth and humanness in Marion, as well as being a thrill for audiences who had never heard her speak or sing.
The music was composed by Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis, and Sigmund Spaeth.
Elsie Janis started out as a child performer and went on to become a highly celebrated and adored vaudeville and Broadway star. She was a talented comedian and impersonator, writer and composer, writing for stage and screen. Janis performed all over the US, in London and in Paris, and toured extensively during the First World War. Thanks to her popularity with the troops, she became known as the “Sweetheart of the AEF” (American Expeditionary Force). Janis appeared in several silent feature films and Vitaphone shorts, but following the death of her mother (with whom she was very close) in 1932, Janis chose to retire from the spotlight.
Sigmund Spaeth was an immensely prolific musician, musicologist, and teacher who became known as “The Tune Detective.” He wrote several books on the history and origins of popular songs, and hosted a popular NBC radio program, Keys to Happiness, which provided piano instruction. Spaeth’s compositions can be heard in a few early talkies, including Show Boat (1929), The Trespasser (1929), and Big Boy (1930).
Aside from the terrific performances, much can be attributed to director Edmund Goulding. English born, Goulding was somewhat of a Renaissance man. Not only was he a director, he was also a writer, composer, producer, actor, and sportsman. He directed films in a wide range of genres, working with some of the most highly regarded Hollywood actors including Joan Crawford, Henry Fonda, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Nancy Carroll, Ginger Rogers, and Bette Davis.
Goulding worked for all the major studios, and directed forty-one films – three of which were nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture (Grand Hotel won in 1932). He also wrote The Broadway Melody, one of the better musicals of 1929, which won Best Picture in 1930.
According to his biography, Edmund Goulding’s Dark Victory: Hollywood’s Genius Bad Boy, Goulding's infamous bisexuality and promiscuous lifestyle, along with his "sensitive" direction of women, led to him being labelled as a “woman’s director.” The prejudice behind this label may have been the reason Goulding was himself never nominated for an Academy Award.
Where other early talkies look like awkward stage plays, filmed front-on with little variation in camera angles, The Trespasser is wonderfully cinematic. As reported in Motion Picture News, (July 20, 1929), The Trespasser was filmed with up to ten cameras. The actors were filmed “as they moved back and forth through four and five adjoining sets, instead of having to wait for new camera and microphone set-ups for shooting each scene separately.” The use of sound is also far ahead of its counterparts.
There is little music in The Trespasser and a complete absence of underscoring. The theme song, “Love” is repeated twice; whilst Marion is on her honeymoon, and when she has come home from the opera. In the first instance Marion sings snippets of the song in the bathroom. Her singing is not a performance, but an expression of her happiness. Later, after coming home from the opera, Ferguson implores Marion to sing for him. She starts the pianola, and gives a beautiful rendition of the whole song. Swanson’s voice, much praised by the critics, is a delightful lyric soprano. The songs work to show the warmth and humanness in Marion, as well as being a thrill for audiences who had never heard her speak or sing.
The music was composed by Edmund Goulding, Elsie Janis, and Sigmund Spaeth.
Elsie Janis started out as a child performer and went on to become a highly celebrated and adored vaudeville and Broadway star. She was a talented comedian and impersonator, writer and composer, writing for stage and screen. Janis performed all over the US, in London and in Paris, and toured extensively during the First World War. Thanks to her popularity with the troops, she became known as the “Sweetheart of the AEF” (American Expeditionary Force). Janis appeared in several silent feature films and Vitaphone shorts, but following the death of her mother (with whom she was very close) in 1932, Janis chose to retire from the spotlight.
Sigmund Spaeth was an immensely prolific musician, musicologist, and teacher who became known as “The Tune Detective.” He wrote several books on the history and origins of popular songs, and hosted a popular NBC radio program, Keys to Happiness, which provided piano instruction. Spaeth’s compositions can be heard in a few early talkies, including Show Boat (1929), The Trespasser (1929), and Big Boy (1930).
The undeniable highlight of The Trespasser is, of course, Gloria Swanson. Several trade magazines made use of the alliterative and figurative “Glorious Gloria” in their headlines and reviews. It’s easy to see why. Swanson is utterly glorious in the role of Marion Donnell. Her performance of the hard-working, devoted mother is powerful and heart-wrenching, and her ability to portray raw emotion without falling into melodrama or cliché is truly astonishing to watch. Not surprisingly, Swanson was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, though Norma Shearer took the award for her performance in The Divorcee.
Mordaunt Hall was just about the only reviewer to make mention of the supporting cast, dishing out high praise to each cast member. Their performances are just as powerful as Swanson’s and deserve a mention.
Torn between his loyalty to his new wife, and his strong father, Robert Ames delivers a sincere performance as Jack. Ames was a successful stage and screen actor, and in an early stage appearance, performed in a production of the The Great Divide. He appeared in nearly thirty films, successfully transitioning to talkies. His career was tragically cut short when he died unexpectedly (possibly from alcohol withdrawal) at the age of 42 in 1931.
Purnell Pratt is charming as Marion’s older boss. He appeared in the earlier 1929 musicals On with the Show! and Is Everybody Happy?, Pratt was a prolific actor who worked on stage and screen. He worked on Broadway for nearly thirty years, and appeared in over 100 films.
Blanche Frederici is brilliant as the English nurse, Miss Potter, and I was surprised to learn she was not actually English. Frederici was a stage and screen actor, famous for playing tight lipped characters. She appeared in over sixty films, both silent and talkies, and performed on Broadway and around the United States.
Following the huge success of The Trespasser, several critics’ claimed that Swanson’s career was just beginning. Unfortunately, her star faded throughout the 1930s. She appeared in a few poorly received films, went on to perform on stage. Swanson's performance as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard in 1950 was heralded as an incredible comeback. Over the course of her career, Swanson appeared in over seventy films, on television and on Broadway.
Swanson's New York Times obituary in 1983 described Swanson as “perhaps the most glittering goddess of Hollywood’s golden youth in the 1920s.”
The Trespasser is an astonishing testament to her abilities.
Mordaunt Hall was just about the only reviewer to make mention of the supporting cast, dishing out high praise to each cast member. Their performances are just as powerful as Swanson’s and deserve a mention.
Torn between his loyalty to his new wife, and his strong father, Robert Ames delivers a sincere performance as Jack. Ames was a successful stage and screen actor, and in an early stage appearance, performed in a production of the The Great Divide. He appeared in nearly thirty films, successfully transitioning to talkies. His career was tragically cut short when he died unexpectedly (possibly from alcohol withdrawal) at the age of 42 in 1931.
Purnell Pratt is charming as Marion’s older boss. He appeared in the earlier 1929 musicals On with the Show! and Is Everybody Happy?, Pratt was a prolific actor who worked on stage and screen. He worked on Broadway for nearly thirty years, and appeared in over 100 films.
Blanche Frederici is brilliant as the English nurse, Miss Potter, and I was surprised to learn she was not actually English. Frederici was a stage and screen actor, famous for playing tight lipped characters. She appeared in over sixty films, both silent and talkies, and performed on Broadway and around the United States.
Following the huge success of The Trespasser, several critics’ claimed that Swanson’s career was just beginning. Unfortunately, her star faded throughout the 1930s. She appeared in a few poorly received films, went on to perform on stage. Swanson's performance as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard in 1950 was heralded as an incredible comeback. Over the course of her career, Swanson appeared in over seventy films, on television and on Broadway.
Swanson's New York Times obituary in 1983 described Swanson as “perhaps the most glittering goddess of Hollywood’s golden youth in the 1920s.”
The Trespasser is an astonishing testament to her abilities.
- Published on
A couple-swapping comedy featuring a concert pianist.
A still featured in Picture Play Magazine, October 1929
Date of Release: June 29, 1929
Studio: Paramount Famous Lasky Corp
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Screenplay: Louise Long, Melville Baker, Richard H. Digges Jr.
Music: Leo Robin, Victor Schertzinger
Leading Actors: Adolphe Menjou (Paul de Remy), Fay Compton (Marie de Remy), Miriam Seegar (Delphine Martin), John Miljan (Dr. Martin), Joan Standing (Miss Weller), Robert Wayne (Levisohn), Russ Powell (Joe), Billie Bennett (Jane), Jacques Vanaire (Valet)
Studio: Paramount Famous Lasky Corp
Director: Victor Schertzinger
Screenplay: Louise Long, Melville Baker, Richard H. Digges Jr.
Music: Leo Robin, Victor Schertzinger
Leading Actors: Adolphe Menjou (Paul de Remy), Fay Compton (Marie de Remy), Miriam Seegar (Delphine Martin), John Miljan (Dr. Martin), Joan Standing (Miss Weller), Robert Wayne (Levisohn), Russ Powell (Joe), Billie Bennett (Jane), Jacques Vanaire (Valet)
Fashions in Love was the film version of Hermann Bahr’s highly acclaimed play The Concert. The play opened on Broadway in 1910 and played 264 performances.
As described by Variety, the plot centered around a “temperamental musician, the idol of women who gets way with anything but depends on his wife for everything.” The pianist organizes a “private concert,” or weekend away, with his new girlfriend, only to discover his wife, and girlfriend’s husband, are along for the ride. To the surprise of the pianist, the jilted pair declare their love. Eventually all return happily to their spouses.
The storyline received mixed reviews, but the critics loved Fashions in Love. The Educational Screen (September 1929) called it “A worthy screening of the stage original,” while Motion Picture News stated, it “brings the laughs in good measure."
The reviewers unanimously agreed that Adolphe Manjou had triumphed in his first talkie. The Film Daily stated “Menjou scores a personal triumph, and comes through… with flying colors and lots to spare.” The Educational Screen and Picture Play Magazine both declared the performance to be one his best.
Menjou started out as an extra and went on to become a highly celebrated dapper leading man of silent and sound films. He appeared in nearly 150 films and in 1931 was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Actor in a Leading Role) for The Front Page (1931). His autobiography, It Took Nine Tailors, was published in 1948. Manjou's film credits include A Farewell to Arms (1932), Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935), The Goldwyn Follies (1938), and Pollyanna (1960).
The other leads, Fay Compton, Miriam Seegar, and John Miljan, generally received positive reviews. English-born Fay Compton came from a theatrical family and was herself a prominent stage and screen actress. She performed in both contemporary and classic plays and appeared in over 80 films and television shows. Compton’s screen credits include Strauss’ Great Waltz (1934), The Life and Adventures if Nicholas Nickleby (1947), Laughter in Paradise (1951), Othello (1952), various series featuring plays for television, and I Start Counting (1970).
English-born Miriam Seegar started out as a stage actress and appeared in 17 Hollywood films. She retired in 1933 after marriage. She was one of the last surviving silent film stars when she died at the age of 103 in 2011.
John Miljan was a highly prolific actor with a successful career playing villains. He appeared in over 200 films and television shows, and his credits include Innocents of Paris (1929), Untamed (1929), Devil-May-Care (1929), Show Girl in Hollywood (1930), The Ghost Walks (1934), and The Ten Commandments (1956).
Director Victor Schertzinger also received critical praise. He was a multi-talented and highly prolific musician, composer, director and writer. After an illustrious start as a child prodigy on the violin, Schertzinger went on to become an influential Hollywood player. Reportedly one of the first people to compose a score for film, he also wrote dozens of songs including “Tangerine,” “Dream Lover,” “Paris,” and “Marquita.” Schertzinger directed 90 films including Paramount on Parade (1930), The Mikado (1939), and Road to Zanzibar (1941).
Unusually for this period the leading script writer was a woman, Louise Long. She wrote 18 screenplays between 1926 and 1933, and appeared in three films. Unfortunately, there is scant information about her currently available.
The critics did not mention the music, except for the fact that it was poorly recorded. Fashions in Love featured two songs, “Delphine” and “I Still Believe in You” by Schertzinger and Leo Robin.
Fashions in Love opened to strong houses, but the numbers quickly dwindled.
Although not lost, the reels currently held at UCLA are significantly damaged and not watchable.
As described by Variety, the plot centered around a “temperamental musician, the idol of women who gets way with anything but depends on his wife for everything.” The pianist organizes a “private concert,” or weekend away, with his new girlfriend, only to discover his wife, and girlfriend’s husband, are along for the ride. To the surprise of the pianist, the jilted pair declare their love. Eventually all return happily to their spouses.
The storyline received mixed reviews, but the critics loved Fashions in Love. The Educational Screen (September 1929) called it “A worthy screening of the stage original,” while Motion Picture News stated, it “brings the laughs in good measure."
The reviewers unanimously agreed that Adolphe Manjou had triumphed in his first talkie. The Film Daily stated “Menjou scores a personal triumph, and comes through… with flying colors and lots to spare.” The Educational Screen and Picture Play Magazine both declared the performance to be one his best.
Menjou started out as an extra and went on to become a highly celebrated dapper leading man of silent and sound films. He appeared in nearly 150 films and in 1931 was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Actor in a Leading Role) for The Front Page (1931). His autobiography, It Took Nine Tailors, was published in 1948. Manjou's film credits include A Farewell to Arms (1932), Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935), The Goldwyn Follies (1938), and Pollyanna (1960).
The other leads, Fay Compton, Miriam Seegar, and John Miljan, generally received positive reviews. English-born Fay Compton came from a theatrical family and was herself a prominent stage and screen actress. She performed in both contemporary and classic plays and appeared in over 80 films and television shows. Compton’s screen credits include Strauss’ Great Waltz (1934), The Life and Adventures if Nicholas Nickleby (1947), Laughter in Paradise (1951), Othello (1952), various series featuring plays for television, and I Start Counting (1970).
English-born Miriam Seegar started out as a stage actress and appeared in 17 Hollywood films. She retired in 1933 after marriage. She was one of the last surviving silent film stars when she died at the age of 103 in 2011.
John Miljan was a highly prolific actor with a successful career playing villains. He appeared in over 200 films and television shows, and his credits include Innocents of Paris (1929), Untamed (1929), Devil-May-Care (1929), Show Girl in Hollywood (1930), The Ghost Walks (1934), and The Ten Commandments (1956).
Director Victor Schertzinger also received critical praise. He was a multi-talented and highly prolific musician, composer, director and writer. After an illustrious start as a child prodigy on the violin, Schertzinger went on to become an influential Hollywood player. Reportedly one of the first people to compose a score for film, he also wrote dozens of songs including “Tangerine,” “Dream Lover,” “Paris,” and “Marquita.” Schertzinger directed 90 films including Paramount on Parade (1930), The Mikado (1939), and Road to Zanzibar (1941).
Unusually for this period the leading script writer was a woman, Louise Long. She wrote 18 screenplays between 1926 and 1933, and appeared in three films. Unfortunately, there is scant information about her currently available.
The critics did not mention the music, except for the fact that it was poorly recorded. Fashions in Love featured two songs, “Delphine” and “I Still Believe in You” by Schertzinger and Leo Robin.
Fashions in Love opened to strong houses, but the numbers quickly dwindled.
Although not lost, the reels currently held at UCLA are significantly damaged and not watchable.
- Published on
Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 is important for being the first revue-style musical released to the public. It received mix reviews but did well at the box office. It is now a lost film.
Date of Release: May 26, 1929
Studio: Fox
Director: David Butler, Marcel Silver
Screenplay: David Butler, William K. Wells
Music: Con Conrad, Archie Gottler, Sidney D. Mitchell
Choreographer: Fanchon and Marco
Leading Actors: John Breeden (George Shelby), Lola Lane (Lila Beaumont), De Witt Jennings (Jay Darrell), Sharon Lynn, (Ann Foster), Arthur Stone (Al Leaton), Stepin Fetchit (Swifty), Warren Hymer (Martin), Archie Gottler (Stage manager), Arthur Kay (Orchestra leader), Mario Dominici, (Le Maire), Vina Gale, Arthur Springer, Helen Hunt, Charles Huff, Harriet Griffith, John Griffith (Adagio dancers), Sue Carol, Dixie Lee, Melva Cornell, Paula Langlen, Carolynne Snowden, Jeanette Dancey, David Percy, David Rollins, Bob Burns, Frank Richardson, Henry M. Mollandin, Frank La Mont
Studio: Fox
Director: David Butler, Marcel Silver
Screenplay: David Butler, William K. Wells
Music: Con Conrad, Archie Gottler, Sidney D. Mitchell
Choreographer: Fanchon and Marco
Leading Actors: John Breeden (George Shelby), Lola Lane (Lila Beaumont), De Witt Jennings (Jay Darrell), Sharon Lynn, (Ann Foster), Arthur Stone (Al Leaton), Stepin Fetchit (Swifty), Warren Hymer (Martin), Archie Gottler (Stage manager), Arthur Kay (Orchestra leader), Mario Dominici, (Le Maire), Vina Gale, Arthur Springer, Helen Hunt, Charles Huff, Harriet Griffith, John Griffith (Adagio dancers), Sue Carol, Dixie Lee, Melva Cornell, Paula Langlen, Carolynne Snowden, Jeanette Dancey, David Percy, David Rollins, Bob Burns, Frank Richardson, Henry M. Mollandin, Frank La Mont
Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 is a lost film. According to Vitaphone Varieties, the only known surviving copy of the film was lost in a catastrophic fire in 1937. There is a listing for the film at the Library of Congress, however it is only for a record as listed in Jack Raymond’s Show Music on Record (a listing of recordings from American shows). After contacting the Library of Congress, I discovered that they do hold 35mm nitrate of censor cuts from the film, however nitrate elements are not available for viewing.
DIRECTOR TROUBLE
Fox Movietone Follies was initially directed by Marcel Silver, who also directed Married in Hollywood, another lost film from 1929. In the late 1920s, he directed many of Fox’s “Varieties,” sound shorts featuring vaudeville acts filmed in Hollywood.
After Fox executives began to panic at the escalating production costs, lack of plot, and lengthy production period, director David Butler was bought in to finish the film. He did so in a matter of weeks. Raised in a show business family, Butler directed over eighty films and television shows in a career spanning over fifty years, including the delightful Sunny Side Up, (1929), The Little Colonel (1935), Calamity Jane (1953), and Leave it to Beaver (1957).
DIRECTOR TROUBLE
Fox Movietone Follies was initially directed by Marcel Silver, who also directed Married in Hollywood, another lost film from 1929. In the late 1920s, he directed many of Fox’s “Varieties,” sound shorts featuring vaudeville acts filmed in Hollywood.
After Fox executives began to panic at the escalating production costs, lack of plot, and lengthy production period, director David Butler was bought in to finish the film. He did so in a matter of weeks. Raised in a show business family, Butler directed over eighty films and television shows in a career spanning over fifty years, including the delightful Sunny Side Up, (1929), The Little Colonel (1935), Calamity Jane (1953), and Leave it to Beaver (1957).
advert in Motion Picture News, June 1929
BOX OFFICE DRAW
Following the extended production process, and frequent reports in The Film Daily about high profile changes in the creative team and casting, Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 finally opened in May 1929. Advertising included the distribution of 5000 fake movie tickets celebrating the fact that the movie was cheaper than seeing the actual Follies.
The film cost about $800,000 to make, and only bought in $381,000 at the box office. Although a financial loss for Fox, the film was a popular draw and, and according to Motion Picture Daily, consistently sold out around the country.
Following the extended production process, and frequent reports in The Film Daily about high profile changes in the creative team and casting, Fox Movietone Follies of 1929 finally opened in May 1929. Advertising included the distribution of 5000 fake movie tickets celebrating the fact that the movie was cheaper than seeing the actual Follies.
The film cost about $800,000 to make, and only bought in $381,000 at the box office. Although a financial loss for Fox, the film was a popular draw and, and according to Motion Picture Daily, consistently sold out around the country.
LOVELY LEGS!
The reviewers were skeptical of this new style of movie revue. They criticized the fluffy and “flimsy” plot, but praised the chorus of beautiful women, and their lovely legs. Photoplay wrote,
The reviewers were skeptical of this new style of movie revue. They criticized the fluffy and “flimsy” plot, but praised the chorus of beautiful women, and their lovely legs. Photoplay wrote,
Glorified girls! Legs! Abbreviated costumes! Everything!…The music is the best part of it… The big dance breaks are breathtaking, but there is not enough variety.”
The reviewer felt that “synthetic follies aren’t quite like the real thing,” and that star personalities were really needed to lift the film.
Mordaunt Hall wrote in The New York Times, “In one of the initial episodes, one receives a conception of the chorus girls, with eyes and feet filling the screen.” He praised the leads, Sue Carol and Lola Lane, as “capable and unusually attractive.”
According to Film Daily, the film contained “The necessary ingredients” for a good revue, “catchy music, plenty of pretty girls and keen limbs; snappy tempo; attractive sets; a dash of comedy. Fox Movietone Follies has ‘em and that’s exactly what makes the picture what it is.”
Mordaunt Hall wrote in The New York Times, “In one of the initial episodes, one receives a conception of the chorus girls, with eyes and feet filling the screen.” He praised the leads, Sue Carol and Lola Lane, as “capable and unusually attractive.”
According to Film Daily, the film contained “The necessary ingredients” for a good revue, “catchy music, plenty of pretty girls and keen limbs; snappy tempo; attractive sets; a dash of comedy. Fox Movietone Follies has ‘em and that’s exactly what makes the picture what it is.”
Sheet music for "Breakaway"
CATCHY MUSIC
The reviews unanimously declared that the music was catchy and fun, and bound to get the audience dancing. Several songs from the film including “That’s You, Baby,” “Breakaway,” “Walking with Susie,” “Big City Blues” became best-selling hits. Photoplay wrote, in its new record review section, “you can dance to this!”
The music team were all highly successful and prolific composers. Working primarily for Fox in the 1930s and 1940s, Sidney Mitchell had a successful partnership with Lew Pollack. Mitchell wrote the lyrics for "At the Codfish Ball," "Sugar," and the Oscar nominated "A Melody from the Sky."
Starting out as a piano accompanist for silent film, Conrad went on to perform, write, and produce for the Broadway stage. His songs were recorded by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Eddie Cantor, and Eubie Blake, and went on to become huge hits. Conrad eventually moved to Hollywood, and continued to write hit songs for the budding talkie industry. He won the first Oscar for Best Song for "The Continental," featured in The Gay Divorcee (1934), and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Conrad's music continues to be featured in film and television, including "Palesteena,” You Call It Madness (But I Call It Love)," and "Ma, She's Making Eyes at Me."
Another silent film accompanist, Archie Gottler went on to write for the Ziegfeld Follies and Broadway Brevities in the 1920s. After composing innovative scores for silent films, he continued working in Hollywood as a successful composer and director. As a director. Gottler is best known for Woman Haters, the first of the Three Stooges comedies. His famous songs include “America, I Love You,” “Easter Sunday on Parade," and “Wine, Women and Song.”
The reviews unanimously declared that the music was catchy and fun, and bound to get the audience dancing. Several songs from the film including “That’s You, Baby,” “Breakaway,” “Walking with Susie,” “Big City Blues” became best-selling hits. Photoplay wrote, in its new record review section, “you can dance to this!”
The music team were all highly successful and prolific composers. Working primarily for Fox in the 1930s and 1940s, Sidney Mitchell had a successful partnership with Lew Pollack. Mitchell wrote the lyrics for "At the Codfish Ball," "Sugar," and the Oscar nominated "A Melody from the Sky."
Starting out as a piano accompanist for silent film, Conrad went on to perform, write, and produce for the Broadway stage. His songs were recorded by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Eddie Cantor, and Eubie Blake, and went on to become huge hits. Conrad eventually moved to Hollywood, and continued to write hit songs for the budding talkie industry. He won the first Oscar for Best Song for "The Continental," featured in The Gay Divorcee (1934), and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Conrad's music continues to be featured in film and television, including "Palesteena,” You Call It Madness (But I Call It Love)," and "Ma, She's Making Eyes at Me."
Another silent film accompanist, Archie Gottler went on to write for the Ziegfeld Follies and Broadway Brevities in the 1920s. After composing innovative scores for silent films, he continued working in Hollywood as a successful composer and director. As a director. Gottler is best known for Woman Haters, the first of the Three Stooges comedies. His famous songs include “America, I Love You,” “Easter Sunday on Parade," and “Wine, Women and Song.”
MULTICOLOR DANCES!
Despite the song and dance routines being filmed in groundbreaking multicolor, which according to historian Richard Barrios “was based on shades of red-orange and blue, which gave it a softer and cooler look than its rival,” the choreography did not receive much mention in any of the reviews.
Unusually for this period, the choreographers are credited in Fox Movietone Follies. For this film, the musical numbers were staged by brother and sister team, Fanchon and Marco. Fanchon & Marco Inc, also known as F&M, was a highly successful family-run production company and talent school based in LA. The company created elaborate stage shows and film segments featuring large numbers of talented chorus girls. According to the Fanchon and Marco website, notable students who trained with Miss Fanchon and her brother, Marco Fanchon, include “Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Shirley Temple, Ginger Rogers, Dorothy Lamour, Cyd Charisse, Betty Grable, Joan Crawford, Will Rogers and May West.” The site is well worth checking out for production shots of F&M’s elaborate sets and staging.
Even with the use of multicolor, the critics failed to be impressed by the elaborate numbers. Barrios states that “Trick photography was used on an energetic group of black singers/dancers performing “Walking with Susie”; and a faux undersea ballet, “Pearl of Old Japan”... yet neither was terribly dazzling.”
Despite the song and dance routines being filmed in groundbreaking multicolor, which according to historian Richard Barrios “was based on shades of red-orange and blue, which gave it a softer and cooler look than its rival,” the choreography did not receive much mention in any of the reviews.
Unusually for this period, the choreographers are credited in Fox Movietone Follies. For this film, the musical numbers were staged by brother and sister team, Fanchon and Marco. Fanchon & Marco Inc, also known as F&M, was a highly successful family-run production company and talent school based in LA. The company created elaborate stage shows and film segments featuring large numbers of talented chorus girls. According to the Fanchon and Marco website, notable students who trained with Miss Fanchon and her brother, Marco Fanchon, include “Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Shirley Temple, Ginger Rogers, Dorothy Lamour, Cyd Charisse, Betty Grable, Joan Crawford, Will Rogers and May West.” The site is well worth checking out for production shots of F&M’s elaborate sets and staging.
Even with the use of multicolor, the critics failed to be impressed by the elaborate numbers. Barrios states that “Trick photography was used on an energetic group of black singers/dancers performing “Walking with Susie”; and a faux undersea ballet, “Pearl of Old Japan”... yet neither was terribly dazzling.”
Photoplay, May 1929
LACK OF STARS
Variety lamented the lack of stars in the cast. With a few notable exceptions (listed below), very few of the credited cast members went on to any sort of performance career beyond a few film appearances.
Along with her sisters, Lola Lane was one of the leading ladies of the 1930s. Born Dorothy Mullican, Lane started out playing piano for silent films. After reportedly being discovered singing in a flower shop, Lane toured the vaudeville circuit and eventually moved to New York where she starred in revues alongside George Jessel. Lane was spotted by a talent scout and moved to Hollywood in 1929. She appeared in over forty films, usually playing tough women. Lane was the inspiration behind the Superman character, Lois Lane.
Stepin Fetchit, or Lincoln Perry, was a highly successful, and controversial, comedian and actor. He was the first African American actor to receive a featured screen credit, and the first to become a millionaire. Although widely criticized for his derogatory portrayals of "lazy" African American characters, Perry was later celebrated for opening the doors in Hollywood to African American actors. An excellent bio and breakdown of his career and legacy can be found here and here.
Sue Carol was a successful actress for over 10 years before starting her own talent agency, the Sue Carol Agency. The critics loved her in Fox Movietone Follies, and she received universally favorable reviews.
Dixie Lee is now known as Bing Crosby's wife, however she was very much a celebrated star in her own right, even if she was adored for her good looks rather than any remarkable acting abilities. Lee appeared on recordings "A Fine Romance" and "The Way You Look Tonight."
Paula Langlen was a stage actress who also went by the nickname of "Skipit," reportedly due to her flighty demeanor during her first Broadway audition. She appeared in Gilbert and Sullivan productions on Broadway, and in several films. One critic described her as "sprite-like" and "charming."
Carolynne Snowden was a highly acclaimed African American dancer who appeared in over twenty films, mostly during the silent era. She was a headliner at the Cotton Club in Harlem, and toured the US with her own troupe. At the height of her success in Hollywood, she had her own dressing room on the MGM lot, and a five-year contract. Snowden often appeared opposite Lincoln Perry, and appeared in The Jazz Singer as a maid. She is credited as being one of the first successful African American film actresses who paved the way for actresses of color on the big screen.
Frank Richardson was a child performer who was known as "The Wonder Boy Tenor". He had success as a black-face performer in vaudeville, and his act, "The Joy Boy of Song," was filmed as a short for Vitaphone. He appeared in Sunny Side Up and "Happy Days" (1929). A detailed biography can be found here.
Variety lamented the lack of stars in the cast. With a few notable exceptions (listed below), very few of the credited cast members went on to any sort of performance career beyond a few film appearances.
Along with her sisters, Lola Lane was one of the leading ladies of the 1930s. Born Dorothy Mullican, Lane started out playing piano for silent films. After reportedly being discovered singing in a flower shop, Lane toured the vaudeville circuit and eventually moved to New York where she starred in revues alongside George Jessel. Lane was spotted by a talent scout and moved to Hollywood in 1929. She appeared in over forty films, usually playing tough women. Lane was the inspiration behind the Superman character, Lois Lane.
Stepin Fetchit, or Lincoln Perry, was a highly successful, and controversial, comedian and actor. He was the first African American actor to receive a featured screen credit, and the first to become a millionaire. Although widely criticized for his derogatory portrayals of "lazy" African American characters, Perry was later celebrated for opening the doors in Hollywood to African American actors. An excellent bio and breakdown of his career and legacy can be found here and here.
Sue Carol was a successful actress for over 10 years before starting her own talent agency, the Sue Carol Agency. The critics loved her in Fox Movietone Follies, and she received universally favorable reviews.
Dixie Lee is now known as Bing Crosby's wife, however she was very much a celebrated star in her own right, even if she was adored for her good looks rather than any remarkable acting abilities. Lee appeared on recordings "A Fine Romance" and "The Way You Look Tonight."
Paula Langlen was a stage actress who also went by the nickname of "Skipit," reportedly due to her flighty demeanor during her first Broadway audition. She appeared in Gilbert and Sullivan productions on Broadway, and in several films. One critic described her as "sprite-like" and "charming."
Carolynne Snowden was a highly acclaimed African American dancer who appeared in over twenty films, mostly during the silent era. She was a headliner at the Cotton Club in Harlem, and toured the US with her own troupe. At the height of her success in Hollywood, she had her own dressing room on the MGM lot, and a five-year contract. Snowden often appeared opposite Lincoln Perry, and appeared in The Jazz Singer as a maid. She is credited as being one of the first successful African American film actresses who paved the way for actresses of color on the big screen.
Frank Richardson was a child performer who was known as "The Wonder Boy Tenor". He had success as a black-face performer in vaudeville, and his act, "The Joy Boy of Song," was filmed as a short for Vitaphone. He appeared in Sunny Side Up and "Happy Days" (1929). A detailed biography can be found here.
Photoplay 1929. Composer Archie Gottler supposedly teaching dance steps to the chorus girls
A TASTER
Variety and Express both correctly predicted that Fox Movietone Follies was a taste of the more extravagant talkies, and musicals, to come.
Barrios wroe that Fox Movietone Follies “typified Fox’s approach to musicals for years to come: bland and banal, lacking star and staying power, bungling good ideas with an interminable reliance on formula.”
Perhaps it is for the best that this film remains lost.
Variety and Express both correctly predicted that Fox Movietone Follies was a taste of the more extravagant talkies, and musicals, to come.
Barrios wroe that Fox Movietone Follies “typified Fox’s approach to musicals for years to come: bland and banal, lacking star and staying power, bungling good ideas with an interminable reliance on formula.”
Perhaps it is for the best that this film remains lost.
- 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
Date of Release: Oct 26, 1929
Studio: MGM
Director: Nick Grinde
Leading Actors: Benny Rubin, Patricia Brox, Pietro Gentile, Myrtle McLaughlin
Apart from the AFI Catalogue listing, there is very little information currently available on The General. A different film from the 1926 Buster Keaton silent flick, The General appears to be a short, or “junior feature”, with a listed film length of just fifteen minutes.
Director Nick Grinde barely rates a mention in Barrios’ excellent history of early musical films A Song in the Dark, and the film is absent completely from the book. Grinde went on to direct 58 films, including Ronald Regan’s first film The Man they Could Not Hang. He was the co-writer on Laurel and Hardy’s Babes in Toyland.
The General may be a victim to MGM’s abysmal historical record. Over the years, MGM has literally thrown away files, film reels, props, and costumes. According to David J Hogan in his 2014 book on The Wizard of Oz, MGM hired people to “clean away the clutter”. If original set pieces from the land of Oz weren’t precious, then a 15 minute obscure short had zero chance of survival. In the 1970s, MGM auctioned off much of the costume store, and during MGM’s takeover by Turner in the late 1980s, miscommunication and thoughtless record keeping led to warehouses of archival material being discarded or destroyed. Even today, MGM does not have a fully centralized or comprehensive archive, though content is available at various libraries in the United States. For the studio most closely associated with movie musicals, this is utterly devastating.
It is believed that of all films made before 1950, over half are irretrievably lost. Just within the last five years, more and more efforts have been made to not only preserve what is left of early films, but to make them accessible to a wide audience. Warner Bros has a particularly impressive catalogue available to the public, and YouTube abounds in clips posted by vitaphone and talkie fans.
History is a fascinating and fickle thing. Without records, or access to verbal history, whole stories, and in this case, films are lost forever. For a whole host of reasons, including education, entertainment, and understanding, it’s up to us to preserve our past. In the meantime, I will be yelling like Leo the Lion (pictured above) at the tragedy of MGM's lost past.
Studio: MGM
Director: Nick Grinde
Leading Actors: Benny Rubin, Patricia Brox, Pietro Gentile, Myrtle McLaughlin
Apart from the AFI Catalogue listing, there is very little information currently available on The General. A different film from the 1926 Buster Keaton silent flick, The General appears to be a short, or “junior feature”, with a listed film length of just fifteen minutes.
Director Nick Grinde barely rates a mention in Barrios’ excellent history of early musical films A Song in the Dark, and the film is absent completely from the book. Grinde went on to direct 58 films, including Ronald Regan’s first film The Man they Could Not Hang. He was the co-writer on Laurel and Hardy’s Babes in Toyland.
The General may be a victim to MGM’s abysmal historical record. Over the years, MGM has literally thrown away files, film reels, props, and costumes. According to David J Hogan in his 2014 book on The Wizard of Oz, MGM hired people to “clean away the clutter”. If original set pieces from the land of Oz weren’t precious, then a 15 minute obscure short had zero chance of survival. In the 1970s, MGM auctioned off much of the costume store, and during MGM’s takeover by Turner in the late 1980s, miscommunication and thoughtless record keeping led to warehouses of archival material being discarded or destroyed. Even today, MGM does not have a fully centralized or comprehensive archive, though content is available at various libraries in the United States. For the studio most closely associated with movie musicals, this is utterly devastating.
It is believed that of all films made before 1950, over half are irretrievably lost. Just within the last five years, more and more efforts have been made to not only preserve what is left of early films, but to make them accessible to a wide audience. Warner Bros has a particularly impressive catalogue available to the public, and YouTube abounds in clips posted by vitaphone and talkie fans.
History is a fascinating and fickle thing. Without records, or access to verbal history, whole stories, and in this case, films are lost forever. For a whole host of reasons, including education, entertainment, and understanding, it’s up to us to preserve our past. In the meantime, I will be yelling like Leo the Lion (pictured above) at the tragedy of MGM's lost past.
- Published on
After nearly a year off from this self-imposed project (of which you can read about the genesis here), what an apt title to be kicking off proceedings with. I actually watched On With the Show nearly a year ago at the UCLA Archives. Interestingly, in the intervening year, this film has now been digitized, and is available from the Warner Bros Archive store. Historic preservation excitement aside, On With the Show isn't an entirely memorable film. Perhaps the effort of walking across the sprawling UCLA campus, the heat, and a long bus ride back to Hollywood erased my memory. Or it just wasn't that brilliant.
The film is described on director Alan Crosland's IMDb biography as "creaky", and a "real flop." My year-old notes tend to agree. As the above clip shows, On With the Show features amazingly elaborate sets, stunning costumes, and wonderfully detailed chorus numbers. It really is a shame that despite being Warner Bros' first film to be released in technicolor, no color plates survive, because other than these wonderfully lavish numbers, On With the Show does not have a lot to commend it. The plot, based on a play, centres around the onstage and backstage trials and tribulations of a Broadway Revue, and while song and dance features quite a lot, the numbers are all about the show within a show, not intended to propel the plot forward or give insight to characters' feelings. The intervening dialogue is stilted, lead actors Arthur Lake and Betty Compson are painful to watch (a feeling generally shared by critics), and with continued use of title cards, it all still has the air of a silent film being converted to a talkie.
In his wonderful book, A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film, Richard Barrios states that watching these old films is a long slog with precious little of any interest, and one can sit waiting, waiting. Then, suddenly, there's something unexpected - a performance or song, an exchange of sharp dialogue, some surprising camera work, a fleeting glimmer of improved technique. Then it's possible to gain a sense of why audiences were delighted.That is precisely what sitting through On With the Show is all about. You sit and sit and feel kind of bored. And then you have these deliciously decadent ensemble numbers, or the fabulous Ethel Waters singing "Am I Blue," or some snappy editing showing the juxtaposition of onstage v. backstage antics, and you just feel like it's all going to get better! Richard Barrios believes we need to look at these old films on their own merits. But honestly, as a modern day lass, it is only knowing that these early movie musicals lead to something much more watchable that makes sitting through jumpy footage and patchy writing worthwhile. It is fascinating discovering that the creation of the movie musical genre took time and practise, and it took "creaky" efforts to make movie musical magic happen.
As they say, despite these early painful efforts, the show must go on!
The film is described on director Alan Crosland's IMDb biography as "creaky", and a "real flop." My year-old notes tend to agree. As the above clip shows, On With the Show features amazingly elaborate sets, stunning costumes, and wonderfully detailed chorus numbers. It really is a shame that despite being Warner Bros' first film to be released in technicolor, no color plates survive, because other than these wonderfully lavish numbers, On With the Show does not have a lot to commend it. The plot, based on a play, centres around the onstage and backstage trials and tribulations of a Broadway Revue, and while song and dance features quite a lot, the numbers are all about the show within a show, not intended to propel the plot forward or give insight to characters' feelings. The intervening dialogue is stilted, lead actors Arthur Lake and Betty Compson are painful to watch (a feeling generally shared by critics), and with continued use of title cards, it all still has the air of a silent film being converted to a talkie.
In his wonderful book, A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film, Richard Barrios states that watching these old films is a long slog with precious little of any interest, and one can sit waiting, waiting. Then, suddenly, there's something unexpected - a performance or song, an exchange of sharp dialogue, some surprising camera work, a fleeting glimmer of improved technique. Then it's possible to gain a sense of why audiences were delighted.That is precisely what sitting through On With the Show is all about. You sit and sit and feel kind of bored. And then you have these deliciously decadent ensemble numbers, or the fabulous Ethel Waters singing "Am I Blue," or some snappy editing showing the juxtaposition of onstage v. backstage antics, and you just feel like it's all going to get better! Richard Barrios believes we need to look at these old films on their own merits. But honestly, as a modern day lass, it is only knowing that these early movie musicals lead to something much more watchable that makes sitting through jumpy footage and patchy writing worthwhile. It is fascinating discovering that the creation of the movie musical genre took time and practise, and it took "creaky" efforts to make movie musical magic happen.
As they say, despite these early painful efforts, the show must go on!
- Published on
Chronologically speaking, I am skipping a few films by jumping to The Broadway Melody. In between I have missed Syncopation, Fox Movietone Follies of 1929, and Innocents of Paris. All these films are potentially lost, and in a recent book Hollywood Musicals Year by Year (3rd Edition), do not even receive a mention. This is the frustration of living on the wrong side of the planet to the movie archives, and the limits of historical research. Not everything is available online, and not everything is even preserved!
The Broadway Melody of 1929 marks a leap in the style of the movie musical. It is the first 100% sound movie musical, the first musical to win Best Picture at the Oscar’s, and it is considered the first movie musical to use an integrated score. The score contains now well-known pieces such as “You Were Meant For Me”, “Wedding of the Painted Doll”, and of course, the title song “Broadway Melody”. It was the first movie musical, and indeed first talkie, for MGM, and already we can see the slick style, gorgeous costumes, and memorable tunes which later make MGM the leading producer of movie musicals. It was advertised as the first “ALL TALKING! AL SINGNG! ALL DANCING!” film, and by all accounts, audiences flocked to see it and loved it.
As a modern day viewer, I loved watching this film. Like all the other films watched thus far, the story focuses around backstage drama and the desire to be on Broadway. We have divas, flamboyant costume designers, tempers, glitz and glamour, and plenty of humour. The performances are lively and spirited. Unlike its predecessors, The Broadway Melody is not a star vehicle, and each actor shines in their role. Bessie Love as the determined Hank is gorgeous, and she was deservedly nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance. Charles King, an established Vaudeville and Broadway actor, as Eddie is charming, and Jed Prouty as Uncle Jed is endearing.
Historians point out that this is the first film to use an integrated score, however this only occurs once in the film. Most musical numbers are performances within the story, such as Eddie performing his new number for Mr Zanfield, and the Broadway revues, and the front on camera shots, as though filming a Broadway stage, reflect this. Almost an hour into the proceedings Eddie and Queenie are in a heated conversation and Eddie bursts into the song “You Were Meant for Me”, sharing his feelings for Queenie. This use of integrated song works well, however stands out because it is the only number used in such a way in the film. With music by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed, the other aforementioned tunes throughout the film are gorgeous. Arthur Freed will keep popping up as we travel down this yellow brick road of movie musical history, as the producer of many MGM movie musicals including The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, Easter Parade, Meet Me in St Louis and On the Town to name just a few.
Two musical numbers from the show within the show, the Zanfield Revue, “Wedding of the Painted Doll” (apparently originally filmed in two-tone technicolour, but this footage has since been destroyed or lost), and “The Boy Friend” appear to be inserted into the film simply for the sake of having some sparkly song and dance numbers. They are lavish and beautiful, but do not progress the plot or give us insight to the characters. The dance numbers feature plenty of chorus girls in short shorts and stunning costumes and it is escapist entertainment at its best. My favourite dance number is a short tap routine on pointe. There is something unpolished and raw about the filming of the routine, and the performance itself, and it is exciting and pleasing to watch.
The plot drags slightly, and at times feels a little unbelievable, but the story is touching and full of heart. A fun film, and one that I feel really sets the ball rolling for the movie musical genre. Exciting times ahead!
The Broadway Melody of 1929 marks a leap in the style of the movie musical. It is the first 100% sound movie musical, the first musical to win Best Picture at the Oscar’s, and it is considered the first movie musical to use an integrated score. The score contains now well-known pieces such as “You Were Meant For Me”, “Wedding of the Painted Doll”, and of course, the title song “Broadway Melody”. It was the first movie musical, and indeed first talkie, for MGM, and already we can see the slick style, gorgeous costumes, and memorable tunes which later make MGM the leading producer of movie musicals. It was advertised as the first “ALL TALKING! AL SINGNG! ALL DANCING!” film, and by all accounts, audiences flocked to see it and loved it.
As a modern day viewer, I loved watching this film. Like all the other films watched thus far, the story focuses around backstage drama and the desire to be on Broadway. We have divas, flamboyant costume designers, tempers, glitz and glamour, and plenty of humour. The performances are lively and spirited. Unlike its predecessors, The Broadway Melody is not a star vehicle, and each actor shines in their role. Bessie Love as the determined Hank is gorgeous, and she was deservedly nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her performance. Charles King, an established Vaudeville and Broadway actor, as Eddie is charming, and Jed Prouty as Uncle Jed is endearing.
Historians point out that this is the first film to use an integrated score, however this only occurs once in the film. Most musical numbers are performances within the story, such as Eddie performing his new number for Mr Zanfield, and the Broadway revues, and the front on camera shots, as though filming a Broadway stage, reflect this. Almost an hour into the proceedings Eddie and Queenie are in a heated conversation and Eddie bursts into the song “You Were Meant for Me”, sharing his feelings for Queenie. This use of integrated song works well, however stands out because it is the only number used in such a way in the film. With music by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics by Arthur Freed, the other aforementioned tunes throughout the film are gorgeous. Arthur Freed will keep popping up as we travel down this yellow brick road of movie musical history, as the producer of many MGM movie musicals including The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, Easter Parade, Meet Me in St Louis and On the Town to name just a few.
Two musical numbers from the show within the show, the Zanfield Revue, “Wedding of the Painted Doll” (apparently originally filmed in two-tone technicolour, but this footage has since been destroyed or lost), and “The Boy Friend” appear to be inserted into the film simply for the sake of having some sparkly song and dance numbers. They are lavish and beautiful, but do not progress the plot or give us insight to the characters. The dance numbers feature plenty of chorus girls in short shorts and stunning costumes and it is escapist entertainment at its best. My favourite dance number is a short tap routine on pointe. There is something unpolished and raw about the filming of the routine, and the performance itself, and it is exciting and pleasing to watch.
The plot drags slightly, and at times feels a little unbelievable, but the story is touching and full of heart. A fun film, and one that I feel really sets the ball rolling for the movie musical genre. Exciting times ahead!
- Published on
Well, we've made it to 1929! And as mentioned in "The Next Four", although I can't actually watch the first four films 1929, I have done a little research into their history...
Despite being a commercial hit, Close Harmony survives only in 4 “quite shrunken” film reels at the UCLA Film and TV Archives. Close Harmony was directed by a duo, John Cromwell, a Broadway actor and later to become an established film director (and father of James Cromwell, better known as Farmer Hoggett inBabe, or George Sibley in that most fabulous of television series Six Feet Under), and Arthur Sutherland, an already established Hollywood director and actor. According to the book The First Hollywood Musicals, this kind of pairing of Hollywood and Broadway directors was common for Paramount movies at the time, with the belief that “the stage-trained half could concentrate on handling dialogue”.
Despite being a commercial hit, Close Harmony survives only in 4 “quite shrunken” film reels at the UCLA Film and TV Archives. Close Harmony was directed by a duo, John Cromwell, a Broadway actor and later to become an established film director (and father of James Cromwell, better known as Farmer Hoggett inBabe, or George Sibley in that most fabulous of television series Six Feet Under), and Arthur Sutherland, an already established Hollywood director and actor. According to the book The First Hollywood Musicals, this kind of pairing of Hollywood and Broadway directors was common for Paramount movies at the time, with the belief that “the stage-trained half could concentrate on handling dialogue”.
Close Harmony is another “vaudeville backstage hit”, because while talkies were taking off, it made sense to go to the other “talking” entertainment of the day, vaudeville and Broadway! The stars of the film were the beautiful Nancy Carroll and the dapper Charles “Buddy” Rogers. Both had recently starred in one of Paramount’s most successful silent films, and it was decided to showcase their musical talents in a talkie. Nancy Carroll was an established Broadway actress, and would go onto become a popular film actress. According to the IMDB, she received more fan mail than “any of her Hollywood peers of the same era”. I look forward to actually watching her perform in a later film for 1929, Sweetie. Charles “Buddy” Rogers was already an established film actor, having starred in the 1927 film Wings, the first film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards (of which you can read a modern day review by Matt Foster, an Aussie actor in New York who inspired this project with his blog “Matt vs. The Academy", and his attempt to watch every movie ever nominated for Best Picture). Rogers was also a talented musican, and is reported to have been able to play instruments from all sections of the orchestra!
As talkies really start to take off, and as mentioned in my post about Lucky Boy, we begin to see some artistic merit being displayed in the cinematography. Again according to The First Hollywood Musicals, “Cromwell and Sutherland exhibit some dexterirty with the camera, twice using lenghty shots that move the action from the dressing rooms to the Babylon stage area”.
Despite being a commercial success, it is possible that the film was not well received critically. The prominent film magazine of the day, Photoplay, claimed that Close Harmony was “the last word in talking pictures”! Oh critics, what do they really know?!
Close Harmony is a Paramount production, and if the musings of the Vitaphone Blog are anything to go by, it perhaps will not be available for public consumption for a while -
As talkies really start to take off, and as mentioned in my post about Lucky Boy, we begin to see some artistic merit being displayed in the cinematography. Again according to The First Hollywood Musicals, “Cromwell and Sutherland exhibit some dexterirty with the camera, twice using lenghty shots that move the action from the dressing rooms to the Babylon stage area”.
Despite being a commercial success, it is possible that the film was not well received critically. The prominent film magazine of the day, Photoplay, claimed that Close Harmony was “the last word in talking pictures”! Oh critics, what do they really know?!
Close Harmony is a Paramount production, and if the musings of the Vitaphone Blog are anything to go by, it perhaps will not be available for public consumption for a while -
Close Harmony is one of a large clutch of Paramount early talkies that survive and enjoy good health, yet remain largely unseen save for sporadic archive screenings. So it goes. Oh, for a boxed DVD set of Paramount's contribution to the early sound era!
I couldn’t agree more!
UPDATE: Review can be read here.
- Published on
The objective of archival policy in a democratic country cannot be the mere saving of paper; it must be nothing less than the enriching of the complete historical consciousness of the people as a whole...
— Robert C. Binkley, 1939
The thing about watching old movies is their availability. The next four films on the AFI List (Close Harmony, Syncopation, Fox Movietone Follies of 1929, and Innocents of Paris) are either lost entirely, or only available on "shrinking" film reels at the UCLA Film and TV Archives. As a history nerd, this worries me. It is a reminder of how fragile our tangible past really is. In this age of Google and YouTube, we presume that just about everything and anything is available on the interweb. Not so!
Coincidently, the UCLA Film and TV Archives held a symposium this week on this very topic: “Reimagining the Archives: Remapping and Remixing Traditional Models in the Digital Era”. Thanks to the magic of the interwebs in the modern day, I was able to track down some information on the symposium, and my inner history nerd was thrilled and delighted at what is going on in the land of digitising media, and making footage accessible. Rick Prelinger, a prominent archivist, (among many other titles) and founder of the Prelinger Archives (a collection of over 60,000 “ephemeral” films) in his Keynote Address for the symposiusm, discussed the relevance and role of archivists today. According to Prelinger, old collections are slowly but surely being digitised. He points to issues of physical space for housing old footage, costs in maintaining and digitising these old collections, and the traditional closed views of the archivists and their institutions as barriers to open and available moving footage archives. In Prelinger’s view, the archival process needs to be “Social. Public. Transparent. Collaborative and Decentralized.” Here, here! Speaking of the Symposium, I highly recommend having a look at this page of the symposium blog, which shows a very cool way in which technology, archives, and the general public can all interact.
With all the technology available today, it is exciting to think what can be done to preserve movie history. In terms of movie musical history, which in its early days also preserves on film pieces of vaudeville and early Broadway history, this is absolutely crucial!
Coming up next, some research into the next four films!
Coincidently, the UCLA Film and TV Archives held a symposium this week on this very topic: “Reimagining the Archives: Remapping and Remixing Traditional Models in the Digital Era”. Thanks to the magic of the interwebs in the modern day, I was able to track down some information on the symposium, and my inner history nerd was thrilled and delighted at what is going on in the land of digitising media, and making footage accessible. Rick Prelinger, a prominent archivist, (among many other titles) and founder of the Prelinger Archives (a collection of over 60,000 “ephemeral” films) in his Keynote Address for the symposiusm, discussed the relevance and role of archivists today. According to Prelinger, old collections are slowly but surely being digitised. He points to issues of physical space for housing old footage, costs in maintaining and digitising these old collections, and the traditional closed views of the archivists and their institutions as barriers to open and available moving footage archives. In Prelinger’s view, the archival process needs to be “Social. Public. Transparent. Collaborative and Decentralized.” Here, here! Speaking of the Symposium, I highly recommend having a look at this page of the symposium blog, which shows a very cool way in which technology, archives, and the general public can all interact.
With all the technology available today, it is exciting to think what can be done to preserve movie history. In terms of movie musical history, which in its early days also preserves on film pieces of vaudeville and early Broadway history, this is absolutely crucial!
Coming up next, some research into the next four films!