Glorifying the American Girl (1929)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Directors:

John W. Harkrider
Millard Webb

Writers:

J.P. McEvoy (story)
Millard Webb (story)

Release Date:

7 December 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Musical

Plot:

The rise of a showgirl, Gloria Hughes, culminating in a Ziegfeld extravaganza "Glorifying the American Girl".

Plot Keywords:

Blackface | Theater

Cast

Mary Eaton	...	Gloria Hughes
Dan Healy	...	Danny Miller
Kaye Renard	...	Mooney, Danny's Partner
Edward Crandall	...	Buddy Moore
Gloria Shea	...	Barbara, Heimer's Dept. Store Clerk (as Olive Shea)
Sarah Edwards	...	Mrs. Hughs, Gloria's Mom
Eddie Cantor	...	Himself (Revue Scenes)
Helen Morgan	...	Herself
Rudy Vallee	...	Himself (Revue Scenes)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Noah Beery	...	Himself
Irving Berlin	...	Himself
Billie Burke	...	Herself
Charles B. Dillingham	...	Himself
Texas Guinan	...	Herself
Otto Kahn	...	Himself (Big Shot Banker)
Ring Lardner	...	Himself
Jimmy Walker	...	Himself
Johnny Weissmuller	...	Adonis (segment "Loveland")
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.	...	Himself
Adolph Zukor	...	Himself

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (2-strip Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Broadway: The American Musical" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Hot Feet

A glimpse into the 20's plus a decent story as well

There are two levels to this film. First is your chance to get a glimpse of history. You get to see an example (brief) of what one of the Ziegfeld Follies was. In the process of that you get a chance to hear and see Rudy Vallee and Helen Morgan sing, and see one of Eddie Cantor's skits. You also get a feel for the pomp and extravagance of the follies. What a difference to today's entertainment. In a sense, the folllies were a preview of what became the variety shows on television. And, those shows are gone too. And the movie catches how interested the general public was when a show opened. There was no tv in 1929 so radio went on the air describing all of the people who were attending the opening.

The second level is a fairly decent and interesting story. A story of a young woman who wanted to achieve success. And, in her drive for that success, we see the life she leaves behind and the effect that has on people as she drives forward. Part of that drive comes from her mother who wanted to be a part of that success. It is interesting how she also tries to drive Mary Eaton into making the decisions that she wants made and how she tries to manipulate those decisions. The movie does get across that there is a price to pay for success.

An interesting movie and worth seeing for a glimpse into the late 20's.