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One of the biggest flops of 1929.
Movie still from "Melody Lane" as featured in Screenland, October 1929
Date of Release: July 15,1929
Studio: Universal
Director: Robert F. Hill
Screenplay: J. G. Hawks, Robert F. Hill
Music: Charles E. King, Eddie Leonard, Grace Stern, Jack Stern
Leading Actors: Eddie Leonard (Des Dupree), Josephine Dunn (Dolores Dupree), Rose Coe (Constance Dupree), George E. Stone (Danny Kay), Huntley Gordon (Juan Rinaldi), Jane La Verne (Constance Dupree), Blanche Carter (Nurse), Jake Kern (Orchestra leader), Monte Carter (Stage manager)
Melody Lane was based on the play The Understander by Jo Swerling (who later wrote the book for Guys and Dolls, and additional scenes for It’s a Wonderful Life). The film was meant to be a star vehicle for Eddie Leonard and was one of the biggest flops of 1929.
The film did not go quietly. At the Capitol Theatre in Miami, manager Harold A. Kopplin organized for a drum and bugle corps to play down the street. Universal provided free tickets to hundreds of children in New York City through the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. Eddie Leonard, accompanied by back-up dancers and musicians, made personal appearances at the Globe Theatre. Still, Melody Lane bombed at the box office. Even with reduced price tickets, audiences stayed away and Melody Lane closed within two weeks of opening.
Melody Lane was universally panned by the critics. Cine-Mundial (October 1929) described the film as boring and The Educational Screen (October 1929) called it a “very ordinary story.”
The reviewers resoundingly hated Eddie Leonard’s performance, claiming that he looked uncomfortable and inexperienced in front of the camera. The script told an almost identical story to The Singing Fool, and the critics agreed that Al Jolson did it far better. They panned Leonard's acting, and several reviews mentioned that the “superannuated” star was too old for the role.
Studio: Universal
Director: Robert F. Hill
Screenplay: J. G. Hawks, Robert F. Hill
Music: Charles E. King, Eddie Leonard, Grace Stern, Jack Stern
Leading Actors: Eddie Leonard (Des Dupree), Josephine Dunn (Dolores Dupree), Rose Coe (Constance Dupree), George E. Stone (Danny Kay), Huntley Gordon (Juan Rinaldi), Jane La Verne (Constance Dupree), Blanche Carter (Nurse), Jake Kern (Orchestra leader), Monte Carter (Stage manager)
Melody Lane was based on the play The Understander by Jo Swerling (who later wrote the book for Guys and Dolls, and additional scenes for It’s a Wonderful Life). The film was meant to be a star vehicle for Eddie Leonard and was one of the biggest flops of 1929.
The film did not go quietly. At the Capitol Theatre in Miami, manager Harold A. Kopplin organized for a drum and bugle corps to play down the street. Universal provided free tickets to hundreds of children in New York City through the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. Eddie Leonard, accompanied by back-up dancers and musicians, made personal appearances at the Globe Theatre. Still, Melody Lane bombed at the box office. Even with reduced price tickets, audiences stayed away and Melody Lane closed within two weeks of opening.
Melody Lane was universally panned by the critics. Cine-Mundial (October 1929) described the film as boring and The Educational Screen (October 1929) called it a “very ordinary story.”
The reviewers resoundingly hated Eddie Leonard’s performance, claiming that he looked uncomfortable and inexperienced in front of the camera. The script told an almost identical story to The Singing Fool, and the critics agreed that Al Jolson did it far better. They panned Leonard's acting, and several reviews mentioned that the “superannuated” star was too old for the role.
Drum and bugle corps at the Capitol Theatre, Miami - Motion Picture News, Sept 28, 1929
Josephine Dunn and Georgie Stone received more favorable reviews, but even they could not escape the awful predictability of the script and poor direction. Josephine Dunn started performing on Broadway at 15, and two years later was cast in her first film. She went on to appear in over forty films including The Singing Fool (1928), Red Hot Rhythm (1929), Madonna of the Streets (1930), and One Hour with You (1932).
Polish-born George E. Stone started out in silent film and went on to appear in over 150 films and television shows. His credits include Little Caesar (1931), Cimarron (1931), 42nd Street (1933), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Guys and Dolls (1955) and Some Like it Hot (1959).
Melody Lane featured several songs, most of which were from Eddie Leonard’s act, including “Ida Sweet as Apple Cider,” “Roly Boly Eyes,” “Beautiful,” “Didn’t It Rain,” “I’m On My Way,” “Sugar Cane Around My Door,” “The Song of the Islands,” and the film’s theme song “Lovable.” The majority of critics didn’t bother to mention the music, though Picture Play Magazine (October 1929) stated Eddie Leonard’s songs “illustrate the public taste of long ago, and his sedate stepping is also a reminder of the time when jazz was unheard of.”
Variety (July 17, 1929) made mention of the implausibility of an orchestra suddenly start accompanying a singer out of nowhere, even if the orchestra is visible on screen. The reviewer stated that in other films where this “theatrical license” has succeeded, the actor’s “personality or story were dominant.” It is fascinating to see how the central conceit of musicals as we know them – characters bursting out into song and dance – took a while to catch on. For this reason, I’m curious to see if Melody Lane really was as awful as the critics claimed it to be, or, if perhaps it was too modern for its day.
Either way, Eddie Leonard was clearly not destined to be a star of the silver screen. He had been a prominent vaudeville and early Broadway composer and performer, famous for his black face minstrel performances. Leonard only appeared in one more feature film, If I Had My Way (1940), as a minor character.
As for Melody Lane, the film is considered lost, though one reel survives at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
Polish-born George E. Stone started out in silent film and went on to appear in over 150 films and television shows. His credits include Little Caesar (1931), Cimarron (1931), 42nd Street (1933), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Guys and Dolls (1955) and Some Like it Hot (1959).
Melody Lane featured several songs, most of which were from Eddie Leonard’s act, including “Ida Sweet as Apple Cider,” “Roly Boly Eyes,” “Beautiful,” “Didn’t It Rain,” “I’m On My Way,” “Sugar Cane Around My Door,” “The Song of the Islands,” and the film’s theme song “Lovable.” The majority of critics didn’t bother to mention the music, though Picture Play Magazine (October 1929) stated Eddie Leonard’s songs “illustrate the public taste of long ago, and his sedate stepping is also a reminder of the time when jazz was unheard of.”
Variety (July 17, 1929) made mention of the implausibility of an orchestra suddenly start accompanying a singer out of nowhere, even if the orchestra is visible on screen. The reviewer stated that in other films where this “theatrical license” has succeeded, the actor’s “personality or story were dominant.” It is fascinating to see how the central conceit of musicals as we know them – characters bursting out into song and dance – took a while to catch on. For this reason, I’m curious to see if Melody Lane really was as awful as the critics claimed it to be, or, if perhaps it was too modern for its day.
Either way, Eddie Leonard was clearly not destined to be a star of the silver screen. He had been a prominent vaudeville and early Broadway composer and performer, famous for his black face minstrel performances. Leonard only appeared in one more feature film, If I Had My Way (1940), as a minor character.
As for Melody Lane, the film is considered lost, though one reel survives at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
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Date of Release: July 7, 1929
Studio: Universal
Director: Nat Ross
Screenplay: John B. Clymer, Pierre Couderc, Leonard Fields, Albert De Mond
Music: Dave Silverstein, Lee Zahler
Leading Actors: George Lewis (Bob Wilson), Eddie Phillips (“Flash" Thomas), Dorothy Gulliver (Dorothy May), Churchill Ross (Jimmie Reed), Hayden Stevenson (Coach Jones), Sumner Getchell (Fat)
College Love was the first of three “college film musicals” released in 1929 (the other two were Paramount’s Sweetie, and MGM’s So This is College). The film was a feature length, all-talking version of a series of popular silent shorts released by Universal, The Collegians. The film sought to capitalize on the popularity of the series, talkie fever, and what film historian Edwin M. Bradley states was the national obsession with collegiate football in the 1920s.
It was difficult to decide whether or not to include this film in the list. None of the online databases (AFI, IMDb) list it as a musical, but it receives a line of mention in both Barrios’ A Song in the Dark and Bradley’s The First Hollywood Musicals. Unlike other films of the day, it was not heavily promoted in the trade magazines, however the ads that do exist make heavy use of images of music and dance, suggesting that, even if the movie was low on song and dance, marketing it as "all singing and all dancing" had perceived appeal.
Studio: Universal
Director: Nat Ross
Screenplay: John B. Clymer, Pierre Couderc, Leonard Fields, Albert De Mond
Music: Dave Silverstein, Lee Zahler
Leading Actors: George Lewis (Bob Wilson), Eddie Phillips (“Flash" Thomas), Dorothy Gulliver (Dorothy May), Churchill Ross (Jimmie Reed), Hayden Stevenson (Coach Jones), Sumner Getchell (Fat)
College Love was the first of three “college film musicals” released in 1929 (the other two were Paramount’s Sweetie, and MGM’s So This is College). The film was a feature length, all-talking version of a series of popular silent shorts released by Universal, The Collegians. The film sought to capitalize on the popularity of the series, talkie fever, and what film historian Edwin M. Bradley states was the national obsession with collegiate football in the 1920s.
It was difficult to decide whether or not to include this film in the list. None of the online databases (AFI, IMDb) list it as a musical, but it receives a line of mention in both Barrios’ A Song in the Dark and Bradley’s The First Hollywood Musicals. Unlike other films of the day, it was not heavily promoted in the trade magazines, however the ads that do exist make heavy use of images of music and dance, suggesting that, even if the movie was low on song and dance, marketing it as "all singing and all dancing" had perceived appeal.
Universal's focus in the summer of 1929 was on Show Boat, and as a result, College Life was not heavily promoted in print media. It is often only advertised as part of Universal’s catalogue, and very few pictorial adverts can be found in the trade magazines.
The pictorial adverts that do exist heavily promote the musical aspects of the film, with cartoon images of musicians playing saxophones and drums, and people dancing. An ad in the Exhibitor’s Herald World (Aug 10, 1929), describes College Love as "the 100% singing and talking sensation!” In a herald from the Wellington Talkies (currently available on Ebay), the film is advertised with the words “Youth! Beauty! Jazz!”
The pictorial adverts that do exist heavily promote the musical aspects of the film, with cartoon images of musicians playing saxophones and drums, and people dancing. An ad in the Exhibitor’s Herald World (Aug 10, 1929), describes College Love as "the 100% singing and talking sensation!” In a herald from the Wellington Talkies (currently available on Ebay), the film is advertised with the words “Youth! Beauty! Jazz!”
While print adverts were few in number, Universal did attempt some unusual forms of advertising. The Exhibitors Herald World (Aug 10, 1929) reported that Universal had bought several radio stations to broadcast music and dialogue from new films. The first was Station KRLD in Dallas, Texas, which was scheduled to broadcast the score and dialogue of College Love in its entirety. As College Love is a lost film, it would be interesting to see if any of the stations bought by Universal still hold archival copies of the sound discs.
Another form of advertising were "ballyhoo stunts," events in towns and cities designed to attract attention and promote upcoming features. Exhibitors Herald World (Aug 10, 1929) reported that a car decked out with signage for College Love drove around Milwaukee for two days and "attracted a lot of attention." The stunt seems to have worked, as the Hollywood Filmograph reported that the film broke "house records in Milwaukee theaters."
A second event occurred in Oregon, with Exhibitors Herald World (Sept 28, 1929) reporting that in Grants Pass the picture house had run a "flivver parade" (slang term for a small car, imagine what we call a "vintage car" today) sponsored by Ford Motors and other local businesses. The parade "was a wow, with resulting good business at the Rivoli."
The stunts were not quite enough however, and the film flopped at the box office, often closing within a week or two wherever it opened.
Another form of advertising were "ballyhoo stunts," events in towns and cities designed to attract attention and promote upcoming features. Exhibitors Herald World (Aug 10, 1929) reported that a car decked out with signage for College Love drove around Milwaukee for two days and "attracted a lot of attention." The stunt seems to have worked, as the Hollywood Filmograph reported that the film broke "house records in Milwaukee theaters."
A second event occurred in Oregon, with Exhibitors Herald World (Sept 28, 1929) reporting that in Grants Pass the picture house had run a "flivver parade" (slang term for a small car, imagine what we call a "vintage car" today) sponsored by Ford Motors and other local businesses. The parade "was a wow, with resulting good business at the Rivoli."
The stunts were not quite enough however, and the film flopped at the box office, often closing within a week or two wherever it opened.
The overwhelming consensus among the reviewers was that College Love was utterly inane. The critics derided the acting as mediocre, the sound as lackluster, and the plot ridiculous. Despite all this, nearly every critic noted that College Love was good fun, and worth it for the football scenes alone (the use of real life footage from a college football game was highly praised, and used in the same way in So This Is College). Film magazine The Education Screen (October 1929) had an amusing review system which rated College Love as "stupid" for "intelligent adults," and "harmless" for "youth (aged 15-20).”
College Love appears to be an example of a silent film that couldn’t make the leap to talkies. Just about all of its creative team, with the exception of Leonard Fields (who went on to write, produce, and direct several films throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, including King Kelly of the U.S.A (1934), and Manhattan Love Song (1934)), were active in Hollywood only during the silent era.
College Love appears to be an example of a silent film that couldn’t make the leap to talkies. Just about all of its creative team, with the exception of Leonard Fields (who went on to write, produce, and direct several films throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, including King Kelly of the U.S.A (1934), and Manhattan Love Song (1934)), were active in Hollywood only during the silent era.
It is a similar story for the actors. With the exception of George Lewis and Dorothy Gulliver, the cast of College Love were actors who had their heyday during the silent film era. Mexican-born George Lewis was a prolific actor who made hundreds of appearances on film and television in a career spanning over four decades. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Don Alejandro de la Vega in Disney's Zorro series.
Dorothy Gulliver was an immensely popular silent movie star. According to her obituary in The Independent, although she successfully transitioned to talkies, Gulliver did not continue on an upward trajectory as she was not signed with a studio. She eventually married Jack Proctor, and his violent and abusive ways prevented her from making a comeback, despite much interest from Hollywood. Over the course of her long, yet staggered career, Gulliver appeared in over 90 films and television shows including the early silent shorts The Collegians, and subsequent films such as The Galloping The Ghost (1931) and Faces (1968).
Dorothy Gulliver was an immensely popular silent movie star. According to her obituary in The Independent, although she successfully transitioned to talkies, Gulliver did not continue on an upward trajectory as she was not signed with a studio. She eventually married Jack Proctor, and his violent and abusive ways prevented her from making a comeback, despite much interest from Hollywood. Over the course of her long, yet staggered career, Gulliver appeared in over 90 films and television shows including the early silent shorts The Collegians, and subsequent films such as The Galloping The Ghost (1931) and Faces (1968).
The music occasionally rated a positive review, but no hit songs were generated from the film. It was the first film marking a partnership with Shapiro Bernstein Inc. and Universal, where Shapiro Bernstein Inc. would write and publish music for all upcoming Universal films. Songs for College Love, written by Lee Zahler and Dave Silverstein, included "It's You," "Oh, How We Love Our College," and "Crazy Medley.”
The music team had more enduring success than the other creatives on College Love.
Lee Zahler was a tremendously prolific composer, and music director, whose career spanned over thirty years. He wrote the music for Columbia's Batman and Phantom serials in the 1940s, and was the director of music at Columbia for almost ten years. Composer and writer Dave Silverstein eventually became a staff writer for Fox.
College Love is considered a lost film. Based on the reviews, and lackluster creative team, it seems we are better off enjoying the other 1929 college football musicals, Sweetie or So This Is College instead!
The music team had more enduring success than the other creatives on College Love.
Lee Zahler was a tremendously prolific composer, and music director, whose career spanned over thirty years. He wrote the music for Columbia's Batman and Phantom serials in the 1940s, and was the director of music at Columbia for almost ten years. Composer and writer Dave Silverstein eventually became a staff writer for Fox.
College Love is considered a lost film. Based on the reviews, and lackluster creative team, it seems we are better off enjoying the other 1929 college football musicals, Sweetie or So This Is College instead!
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A fascinating movie that is at once brilliant and banal, technically spectacular, and completely overdone.
Date of Release: May 27, 1929
Studio: Universal
Director: Paul Fejos
Screenplay: Philip Dunning and George Abbott (original play), Edward T. Lowe Jr. (adaptation), Charles Furthman (dialogue)
Music: Con Conrad, Archie Gottler, Sidney Mitchell, Howard Jackson (orchestrations)
Choreographer: Maurice L. Kusell
Leading Actors: Glenn Tryon (Roy Lane), Evelyn Brent (Pearl), Merna Kennedy (Billie Moore), Thomas E. Jackson (Dan McCorn), Robert Ellis (Steve Crandall), Otis Harlan (‘Porky’ Thompson), Paul Porcasi (Nick Verdis), Marion Lord (Lil Rice), Fritz Feld (Mose Levett), Leslie Fenton (‘Scar’ Edwards), Arthur Housman (Dolph), George Davis (Joe), Betty Francisco (Mazie), Edyth Flynn (Ruby), Florence Dudley (Ann), Ruby McCoy (Grace), Gus Arnheim (Orchestra Leader)
Broadway has been made available to the general public as a special feature on Criterion’s DVD release of the 1928 silent film by the same director, Lonesome. Although more of a “drama with songs” than a musical, Broadway is a fascinating and surprisingly watchable film.
The original play of the same name, by Philip Dunning and George Abbott, opened in 1926 was a huge hit on Broadway and ran for 603 performances. Philip Dunning worked as an actor, writer, director, and producer for over twenty years, often in collaboration with George Abbott. He wrote predominantly for the stage, and several of his plays were adapted into film. The plays Broadway (1926) and 20th Century (1932) which Dunning wrote and produced respectively, were his most successful projects.
George Abbott is a name that will make many appearances in this blog (if I can ever get past 1929!). Masterworks Broadway describes Abbott as “One of the most important and admired men in the entire history of Broadway – indeed, some have said that he WAS the history of Broadway…” With over 100 Broadway credits to his name, including some of the most well-known and cherished shows of the 20th century (including Damn Yankees, Wonderful Town, The Pajama Game, Flora and the Red Menace, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), and over forty film credits (including All Quiet on the Western Front, and film versions of his musicals), Abbott was a tour de force. Broadway was his first big hit after several years struggling as an actor in New York. He went on to earn many awards including 7 Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an Oscar nomination. He died at the age of 107.
Like the play, the film Broadway is a gangster drama set in a New York cabaret club. The backstage setting provides a quirky backdrop for the shady bootlegging criminals, but does not add anything to the plot.
As reported by Variety, Universal paid $200,000 for the screen rights, and the film became a production of many firsts. It was the first million dollar talkie, the first to film with a crane, the first to use tungsten lamps in filming (tungsten lamps create a warm light which is most similar to natural daylight, and allows for colors to be accurately captured on film), and the first to use (poor) Spanish dubbing when it played in Spanish-speaking countries.
The critics were divided between those who had seen the stage show, and those who had not. Critics who had seen the stage show found the movie to be overdone. The film sets were too grandiose, the chorus girls too numerous, and the flashy camera angles too distracting for the plot and dialogue. The critics who had not seen the stage show were far more generous in their praise, calling the film “high quality,” “impressive,” and “nerve-gripping.”
Overall, critics resoundingly praised the technical brilliance of the film and Fejos’ direction.
In an attempt to make the movie even more exciting than the hit play, director Paul Fejos decided to up the scale, setting the story in an impossibly lavish club, and filming with a specially manufactured 50ft crane.
Studio: Universal
Director: Paul Fejos
Screenplay: Philip Dunning and George Abbott (original play), Edward T. Lowe Jr. (adaptation), Charles Furthman (dialogue)
Music: Con Conrad, Archie Gottler, Sidney Mitchell, Howard Jackson (orchestrations)
Choreographer: Maurice L. Kusell
Leading Actors: Glenn Tryon (Roy Lane), Evelyn Brent (Pearl), Merna Kennedy (Billie Moore), Thomas E. Jackson (Dan McCorn), Robert Ellis (Steve Crandall), Otis Harlan (‘Porky’ Thompson), Paul Porcasi (Nick Verdis), Marion Lord (Lil Rice), Fritz Feld (Mose Levett), Leslie Fenton (‘Scar’ Edwards), Arthur Housman (Dolph), George Davis (Joe), Betty Francisco (Mazie), Edyth Flynn (Ruby), Florence Dudley (Ann), Ruby McCoy (Grace), Gus Arnheim (Orchestra Leader)
Broadway has been made available to the general public as a special feature on Criterion’s DVD release of the 1928 silent film by the same director, Lonesome. Although more of a “drama with songs” than a musical, Broadway is a fascinating and surprisingly watchable film.
The original play of the same name, by Philip Dunning and George Abbott, opened in 1926 was a huge hit on Broadway and ran for 603 performances. Philip Dunning worked as an actor, writer, director, and producer for over twenty years, often in collaboration with George Abbott. He wrote predominantly for the stage, and several of his plays were adapted into film. The plays Broadway (1926) and 20th Century (1932) which Dunning wrote and produced respectively, were his most successful projects.
George Abbott is a name that will make many appearances in this blog (if I can ever get past 1929!). Masterworks Broadway describes Abbott as “One of the most important and admired men in the entire history of Broadway – indeed, some have said that he WAS the history of Broadway…” With over 100 Broadway credits to his name, including some of the most well-known and cherished shows of the 20th century (including Damn Yankees, Wonderful Town, The Pajama Game, Flora and the Red Menace, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum), and over forty film credits (including All Quiet on the Western Front, and film versions of his musicals), Abbott was a tour de force. Broadway was his first big hit after several years struggling as an actor in New York. He went on to earn many awards including 7 Tony Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an Oscar nomination. He died at the age of 107.
Like the play, the film Broadway is a gangster drama set in a New York cabaret club. The backstage setting provides a quirky backdrop for the shady bootlegging criminals, but does not add anything to the plot.
As reported by Variety, Universal paid $200,000 for the screen rights, and the film became a production of many firsts. It was the first million dollar talkie, the first to film with a crane, the first to use tungsten lamps in filming (tungsten lamps create a warm light which is most similar to natural daylight, and allows for colors to be accurately captured on film), and the first to use (poor) Spanish dubbing when it played in Spanish-speaking countries.
The critics were divided between those who had seen the stage show, and those who had not. Critics who had seen the stage show found the movie to be overdone. The film sets were too grandiose, the chorus girls too numerous, and the flashy camera angles too distracting for the plot and dialogue. The critics who had not seen the stage show were far more generous in their praise, calling the film “high quality,” “impressive,” and “nerve-gripping.”
Overall, critics resoundingly praised the technical brilliance of the film and Fejos’ direction.
In an attempt to make the movie even more exciting than the hit play, director Paul Fejos decided to up the scale, setting the story in an impossibly lavish club, and filming with a specially manufactured 50ft crane.
According to a wonderful interview with Hal Mohr (included as a special on the DVD), the crane was self-propelled and had its own generator. It could hold two cameras and up to six people, and was so large that a special studio had to be built to accommodate it. Film critic Dave Kehr states that crane remained in use for decades, and became known as the “Broadway crane”.
The crane is a fascinating element of Broadway. The fluid shots, and the incredible set built to capitalize on the specially-created technology, are no doubt well done, but they don’t add anything to the film. It’s all show and no substance.
Visually, Broadway is a far cry from other talkies of this period. With cinematography by Hal Mohr, who would later go on to win two Academy Awards (A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) and The Phantom of the Opera (1943)), the scenes are beautifully shot, and carefully composed — even those not filmed with the infamous crane. The camera angles are dynamic, with rapid shifts between perspectives, mid-shots and close-ups. The visual composition is aided by beautiful costumes, designed by Johanna Mathieson.
The visual feast is evident from the opening scene, where a giant muscle man seems to be standing right on top of Times Square, laughing and sloshing champagne. The image is surreal, and doesn’t appear again until the end of the film. The aerial shots of the lights of Broadway, imposed over images of bands playing, hoofers dancing, and festive parties, make for a dynamic and exciting opening sequence.
The first few scenes are distinct for their use of sound. When the club owner, Nick (played by Paul Porcasi, reprising his stage role), heads backstage and closes the door, the music becomes softer. No time is wasted setting up musical numbers or explaining why people are holding instruments. All the musical numbers take place in the club, and people sing and dance because they are performing. Although the sound is occasionally low quality, the dialogue and use of sound effects are surprisingly natural.
The script is strong, and a far cry from the other musicals of this period. It is refreshing to watch something with a bit of grit and genuine drama. The pace slows somewhat once the dialogue starts, yet the dialogue is witty and snappy.
Like the crane, the musical numbers are gorgeous but superfluous. The first song, “Hittin’ the Ceiling” is a fun uptempo jazz number. The set manages to overwhelm the thirty odd chorus girls, dressed as matching Manhattan buildings with fabulous black tutus and outrageous headpieces. The subsequent numbers, “Let’s Play Whoopee,” “Chicken or Egg,” have a similar feel, and almost identical choreography.
Maurice L. Kusell was a choreographer and teacher, and was reportedly “one of the first to use 100 to 300 dancers or more in intricate dance steps and stagings.” His other credits include Puttin’ On the Ritz and Be Yourself (1930). Kusell’s skill is evident in Broadway, and the tap dancing during “Chicken and Egg” is particularly well-done.
The technicolor finale, a reprise of “Hittin’ the Ceiling” is disappointing. The sound and visuals are muddy, and the choreography, costumes, and music are carbon copies of what we have seen before.
The crane is a fascinating element of Broadway. The fluid shots, and the incredible set built to capitalize on the specially-created technology, are no doubt well done, but they don’t add anything to the film. It’s all show and no substance.
Visually, Broadway is a far cry from other talkies of this period. With cinematography by Hal Mohr, who would later go on to win two Academy Awards (A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935) and The Phantom of the Opera (1943)), the scenes are beautifully shot, and carefully composed — even those not filmed with the infamous crane. The camera angles are dynamic, with rapid shifts between perspectives, mid-shots and close-ups. The visual composition is aided by beautiful costumes, designed by Johanna Mathieson.
The visual feast is evident from the opening scene, where a giant muscle man seems to be standing right on top of Times Square, laughing and sloshing champagne. The image is surreal, and doesn’t appear again until the end of the film. The aerial shots of the lights of Broadway, imposed over images of bands playing, hoofers dancing, and festive parties, make for a dynamic and exciting opening sequence.
The first few scenes are distinct for their use of sound. When the club owner, Nick (played by Paul Porcasi, reprising his stage role), heads backstage and closes the door, the music becomes softer. No time is wasted setting up musical numbers or explaining why people are holding instruments. All the musical numbers take place in the club, and people sing and dance because they are performing. Although the sound is occasionally low quality, the dialogue and use of sound effects are surprisingly natural.
The script is strong, and a far cry from the other musicals of this period. It is refreshing to watch something with a bit of grit and genuine drama. The pace slows somewhat once the dialogue starts, yet the dialogue is witty and snappy.
Like the crane, the musical numbers are gorgeous but superfluous. The first song, “Hittin’ the Ceiling” is a fun uptempo jazz number. The set manages to overwhelm the thirty odd chorus girls, dressed as matching Manhattan buildings with fabulous black tutus and outrageous headpieces. The subsequent numbers, “Let’s Play Whoopee,” “Chicken or Egg,” have a similar feel, and almost identical choreography.
Maurice L. Kusell was a choreographer and teacher, and was reportedly “one of the first to use 100 to 300 dancers or more in intricate dance steps and stagings.” His other credits include Puttin’ On the Ritz and Be Yourself (1930). Kusell’s skill is evident in Broadway, and the tap dancing during “Chicken and Egg” is particularly well-done.
The technicolor finale, a reprise of “Hittin’ the Ceiling” is disappointing. The sound and visuals are muddy, and the choreography, costumes, and music are carbon copies of what we have seen before.
The production numbers are a mere distraction to the more dramatic events happening backstage and the camera often (frustratingly) leaves to find the action elsewhere mid-dance. The numbers do not add to the plot or provide insight into the characters’ motives, and, aside from their technical ingenuity, the film would be stronger if they were cut.
Broadway would also have benefited from a stronger male lead. Glen Tryon as the aspiring hoofer who has "got personality" is sadly without charisma. Tryon acted predominantly during the silent era for various studios including Hal Roach, and, later, Universal. His performance in director Paul Fejos’ more acclaimed Lonesome is described as the performance of his career. According to Tryon's biographer, Richard M Roberts, after the introduction of talkies, Tryon “had the sense to move behind the camera,” and found success as a comedy writer and producer.
Broadway would also have benefited from a stronger male lead. Glen Tryon as the aspiring hoofer who has "got personality" is sadly without charisma. Tryon acted predominantly during the silent era for various studios including Hal Roach, and, later, Universal. His performance in director Paul Fejos’ more acclaimed Lonesome is described as the performance of his career. According to Tryon's biographer, Richard M Roberts, after the introduction of talkies, Tryon “had the sense to move behind the camera,” and found success as a comedy writer and producer.
Aside from the spectacular visuals, the strength of the film lies in a few stand-out performances. Evelyn Brent is brilliant as the put-out chorus girl, Pearl. Her character is driven by real needs and wants, and her scowl (for which she was famous) is utterly killer. George Davis, as the silent ever-suffering butler Joe, possesses excellent comic timing, and steals all the scenes he is in.
One of my favorite elements of Broadway are the sassy chorus girls. They are rude, backstabbing and mean, and unafraid to say what they think. Women who drive the comedy and the plot are a refreshing break from the sappy women who need men to be happy.
Director Fejos only spent a few years in Hollywood, leaving the United States, and eventually commercial film-making altogether, as he felt creatively constricted by the Hollywood system. His brilliant and innovative vision is strongly evident in Broadway, and we are lucky that Criterion has made the film available.
One of my favorite elements of Broadway are the sassy chorus girls. They are rude, backstabbing and mean, and unafraid to say what they think. Women who drive the comedy and the plot are a refreshing break from the sappy women who need men to be happy.
Director Fejos only spent a few years in Hollywood, leaving the United States, and eventually commercial film-making altogether, as he felt creatively constricted by the Hollywood system. His brilliant and innovative vision is strongly evident in Broadway, and we are lucky that Criterion has made the film available.
- Published on
The 1929 film version of Show Boat is the first of three movie musicals based on Edna Ferber’s best-selling novel. It is the least popular of the film versions, and separate to the ground-breaking Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II musical.
Date of Release: April 17, 1929
Studio: Universal
Director: Harry Pollard
Screenplay: Charles Kenyon, Edward J. Montagne, Harry Pollard, Tom Reed
Music: Gene Austin, Joseph Cherniavsky, Leo Friedman, Oscar Hammerstein II, Gene Jefferson, Jerome Kern, William H. Myddleton, Maceo Pinkard, Billy Rose, Nathaniel Shilkret, P. G. Wodehouse
Lead Players:
Prologue: Otis Harlan, Helen Morgan, Jules Bledsoe, Tess "Aunt Jemima" Gardella, The Jubilee Singers, Carl Laemmle, Florenz Ziegfeld
Main Feature: Laura La Plante, Joseph Schildkraut, Otis Harlan, Emily Fitzroy, Alma Rubens, Elsie Bartlett, Jack McDonald, Jane La Verne, Neely Edwards, Theodore Lorch, Stepin Fetchit, Gertrude Howard, Ralph Yearsley, George Chesebro, Harry Holden, Max Asher, Jim Coleman, Carl Herlinger, The Billbrew Chorus
Date of Release: April 17, 1929
Studio: Universal
Director: Harry Pollard
Screenplay: Charles Kenyon, Edward J. Montagne, Harry Pollard, Tom Reed
Music: Gene Austin, Joseph Cherniavsky, Leo Friedman, Oscar Hammerstein II, Gene Jefferson, Jerome Kern, William H. Myddleton, Maceo Pinkard, Billy Rose, Nathaniel Shilkret, P. G. Wodehouse
Lead Players:
Prologue: Otis Harlan, Helen Morgan, Jules Bledsoe, Tess "Aunt Jemima" Gardella, The Jubilee Singers, Carl Laemmle, Florenz Ziegfeld
Main Feature: Laura La Plante, Joseph Schildkraut, Otis Harlan, Emily Fitzroy, Alma Rubens, Elsie Bartlett, Jack McDonald, Jane La Verne, Neely Edwards, Theodore Lorch, Stepin Fetchit, Gertrude Howard, Ralph Yearsley, George Chesebro, Harry Holden, Max Asher, Jim Coleman, Carl Herlinger, The Billbrew Chorus
The novel Show Boat, written by Edna Ferber, was published in 1926. Following on the heels of Ferber’s Pulitzer winner novel So Big, Show Boat became a best-seller, and held the number one spot on the Best Seller’s List for twelve weeks.
Ferber was a highly prolific and influential writer who, in her lifetime, published twelve novels, twelve short story collections, nine plays, and two autobiographies. She was praised for her ability to capture the stories and lives of American people, and the American spirit. Ferber is a fascinating writer, and deserves far more space than I can give her here, (the Jewish Women’s Archive has an excellent account of her life and work).
The novel tells the inter-generational story of life aboard a show boat on the Mississippi River between 1850 and 1920. In response to the novel, the New York Times described Ferber as “one of those who are reviving first-rate story-telling.”
Within a year, the film rights had been granted to Universal, and the stage rights to Florenz Ziegfeld. Universal began production on the film as a silent picture. Whilst the movie was in production, Ziegfeld’s stage show opened on Broadway and became a smash hit.
Ferber was a highly prolific and influential writer who, in her lifetime, published twelve novels, twelve short story collections, nine plays, and two autobiographies. She was praised for her ability to capture the stories and lives of American people, and the American spirit. Ferber is a fascinating writer, and deserves far more space than I can give her here, (the Jewish Women’s Archive has an excellent account of her life and work).
The novel tells the inter-generational story of life aboard a show boat on the Mississippi River between 1850 and 1920. In response to the novel, the New York Times described Ferber as “one of those who are reviving first-rate story-telling.”
Within a year, the film rights had been granted to Universal, and the stage rights to Florenz Ziegfeld. Universal began production on the film as a silent picture. Whilst the movie was in production, Ziegfeld’s stage show opened on Broadway and became a smash hit.
Ziegfeld’s Broadway musical, Show Boat, opened in 1927 and revolutionized Broadway. With book and music by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, Show Boat was the first “integrated musical” — whereby plot, character, song and dance were developments of each other and came together to tell a whole story.
A break from the fluff and light humor of traditional Broadway shows, Show Boat was revolutionary for its heavy themes, realistically depicting the lives of everyday people, and for featuring actors of color in prominent roles. Show Boat is now considered the first American musical, where musical theater departs from operetta and vaudeville revues. Two movie versions of the Broadway show were made in 1936, and in 1951.
Universal’s film had virtually nothing to do with Ziegfeld’s popular production, however Universal exploited Ziegfeld’s name to sell tickets, and reportedly paid $200,000 for the rights to use the popular score in their film. Variety claimed that “the publicity of the Ziegfeld name” in conjunction with the film was worth more than the film itself. Variety predicted several times that the film was “not expected to affect the pace [box office] of Zieggy’s (sic) production…” To further capitalize on the Broadway show's notoriety, Universal filmed a short sound prologue featuring stars from the original Broadway cast singing songs from the show.
After a lengthy production period, much negotiation between Ziegfeld and Universal, and several re-shoots, the first movie version of Show Boat finally opened in April 1929. The staggered openings around the country were beset with problems. In Washington, Universal faced union troubles when a theatre refused to screen the film without Universal covering the cost of an orchestra in the pit. Union troubles also affected the signage outside the Globe Theater in New York when, just prior to opening, the sheet metal workers and sign painters held a strike over agreements for hanging electrical signs over Broadway theaters.
According to Edwin M. Bradley, unlike the other movie studios, Universal did not have its own chain of theaters, and relied on independent theaters to screen its films. As a result, Universal did all it could to promote Show Boat. In the lead up to the New York opening, Variety reported the presence of a truck equipped with a large phonograph and horn creating a “ballyhoo” down Broadway and blaring the film’s score for all to hear.
A break from the fluff and light humor of traditional Broadway shows, Show Boat was revolutionary for its heavy themes, realistically depicting the lives of everyday people, and for featuring actors of color in prominent roles. Show Boat is now considered the first American musical, where musical theater departs from operetta and vaudeville revues. Two movie versions of the Broadway show were made in 1936, and in 1951.
Universal’s film had virtually nothing to do with Ziegfeld’s popular production, however Universal exploited Ziegfeld’s name to sell tickets, and reportedly paid $200,000 for the rights to use the popular score in their film. Variety claimed that “the publicity of the Ziegfeld name” in conjunction with the film was worth more than the film itself. Variety predicted several times that the film was “not expected to affect the pace [box office] of Zieggy’s (sic) production…” To further capitalize on the Broadway show's notoriety, Universal filmed a short sound prologue featuring stars from the original Broadway cast singing songs from the show.
After a lengthy production period, much negotiation between Ziegfeld and Universal, and several re-shoots, the first movie version of Show Boat finally opened in April 1929. The staggered openings around the country were beset with problems. In Washington, Universal faced union troubles when a theatre refused to screen the film without Universal covering the cost of an orchestra in the pit. Union troubles also affected the signage outside the Globe Theater in New York when, just prior to opening, the sheet metal workers and sign painters held a strike over agreements for hanging electrical signs over Broadway theaters.
According to Edwin M. Bradley, unlike the other movie studios, Universal did not have its own chain of theaters, and relied on independent theaters to screen its films. As a result, Universal did all it could to promote Show Boat. In the lead up to the New York opening, Variety reported the presence of a truck equipped with a large phonograph and horn creating a “ballyhoo” down Broadway and blaring the film’s score for all to hear.
Universal's Show Boat received mixed reviews.Variety (April 24, 1929) said the film “by itself is an excellent picture when 25 minutes shall have been cut” and lamented the “dragginess… through prolonged scenes.” Photoplay (June 1929) wrote that “The weakness…lies in the obvious direction of Harry Pollard,” and overall described the adaptation as lackluster compared to the book.
Mordaunt Hall in his review for the New York Times (April 21, 1929) stated that Show Boat “benefits particularly by the melodies from Florenz Ziegfeld’s stage production,” and that “Fortunately for the picture, it ends with a series of the captivating melodies, which result in one leaving the theatre pardoning some of the boring periods.” He was also critical of the film’s length, and described the story as “frequently maudlin”.
Mordaunt Hall in his review for the New York Times (April 21, 1929) stated that Show Boat “benefits particularly by the melodies from Florenz Ziegfeld’s stage production,” and that “Fortunately for the picture, it ends with a series of the captivating melodies, which result in one leaving the theatre pardoning some of the boring periods.” He was also critical of the film’s length, and described the story as “frequently maudlin”.
Overall, the critics were unimpressed with the performances by the lead actors. Interestingly, lead actor Laura La Plante was dubbed by Eva Olivotti — who according to Photoplay “did it very well, indeed”. In 1929, Photoplay ran an article by Mark Larkin about Hollywood’s open secret of “voice doubling.” The article provided detailed information about which films had dubbed the singing (and instrument playing), and explained that although dubbing was a common practise, it was predicted that dubbing would soon be unnecessary as more film actors learnt to sing and play instruments.
Some of the contemporary reviews are hard to read today, thanks to the racist overtones in the way critics described actors of color — “Bledsoe’s voice registers beautifully and has an appealing quality that is bound to get over with any type of audience.” This racism is also evident in the filmmakers’ decision to remove the presence of interracial marriage, prominent in the novel, from the movie plot.
The prologue also received mixed reviews. Variety described the prologue as “not so nifty in sounding or photography.” Film Daily meanwhile praised the prologue, calling it “One of the best things in its class that has yet been presented in sound shorts.” Mordaunt Hall was similarly praiseworthy, stating that the prologue “starts things in an inspiring fashion.” Film historian Richard Barrios holds a less than favorable opinion of the prologue, stating that “What survives of the prologue is... problematic, historically significant but ultimately, inevitably, beside the point.”
With a drawcard title, Show Boat did relatively well at the box office, though not well enough to cover costs.
According to Bradley, the first movie version of Show Boat was considered lost until Miles Kreuger, historian and musical theater aficionado, tracked down copies for a tribute at MoMA to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show's opening on Broadway. The restoration involved film reels found in the MGM Archive and, of all places, the Danish Film Archive.
An incomplete VHS copy, transferred from deteriorating reels, is held at the Film and Television Archive at UCLA. The film was aired on Turner Classic Movies in 2009, and, to date, I have not been able to source a legal DVD copy available to purchase.
The clip below contains footage reportedly from 1929. I think the footage is more likely to be from rehearsals in 1927, which according to the Film Study Center at MoMA, was filmed as part of an early sound on film experiment.
Some of the contemporary reviews are hard to read today, thanks to the racist overtones in the way critics described actors of color — “Bledsoe’s voice registers beautifully and has an appealing quality that is bound to get over with any type of audience.” This racism is also evident in the filmmakers’ decision to remove the presence of interracial marriage, prominent in the novel, from the movie plot.
The prologue also received mixed reviews. Variety described the prologue as “not so nifty in sounding or photography.” Film Daily meanwhile praised the prologue, calling it “One of the best things in its class that has yet been presented in sound shorts.” Mordaunt Hall was similarly praiseworthy, stating that the prologue “starts things in an inspiring fashion.” Film historian Richard Barrios holds a less than favorable opinion of the prologue, stating that “What survives of the prologue is... problematic, historically significant but ultimately, inevitably, beside the point.”
With a drawcard title, Show Boat did relatively well at the box office, though not well enough to cover costs.
According to Bradley, the first movie version of Show Boat was considered lost until Miles Kreuger, historian and musical theater aficionado, tracked down copies for a tribute at MoMA to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the show's opening on Broadway. The restoration involved film reels found in the MGM Archive and, of all places, the Danish Film Archive.
An incomplete VHS copy, transferred from deteriorating reels, is held at the Film and Television Archive at UCLA. The film was aired on Turner Classic Movies in 2009, and, to date, I have not been able to source a legal DVD copy available to purchase.
The clip below contains footage reportedly from 1929. I think the footage is more likely to be from rehearsals in 1927, which according to the Film Study Center at MoMA, was filmed as part of an early sound on film experiment.
I would love to see a copy of the 1929 film, especially the prologue, and compare the footage. It is a treat to have access to early Broadway in this way!