Lucky Star (1929)

User Rating:

8.2/10   

Director:

Frank Borzage

Writers:

John Hunter Booth (dialogue)
H.H. Caldwell (titles)

Release Date:

18 August 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Mary, a poor farm girl, meets Tim just as word comes that war has been declared. Tim enlists in the army and goes to the battlefields of Europe...

Plot Keywords:

WWI

Cast

Janet Gaynor	...	Mary Tucker
Charles Farrell	...	Timothy Osborn
Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams	...	Sgt. Martin Wrenn
Paul Fix	...	Joe
Hedwiga Reicher	...	Mrs. Tucker
Gloria Grey	...	Mary Smith
Hector Sarno	...	Pop Fry (as Hector V. Sarno)

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System) (talking sequences) | Silent

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

According the Netherlands Film Museum, which restored "Lucky Star", the film was originally a part talkie, with some dialog and effects, but the soundtrack has been lost.

You Are My Lucky Star...

Lucky Star begins in a small town and focuses on a small tomboy (Janet Gaynor). She spends her time carting various goods around town to make money for her family and brings some milk to a work site for sale. There she causes trouble between two of the men, one named Martin who believes she tried to cheat him out of his money (Guinn Williams) and the other, Tim, who defends her innocence (Charles Farrell). Suddenly, the quaint sentiment is broken by the announcement of WWI and then scatter off to enlist. A few years later, we see the town after the war. Tim has lost the ability to use his legs and is confined to a wheelchair. Martin is a man about town who uses his stint in the war for his own personal gain. The tomboy is a bit older now, but still as mischievous as before. She befriends Tim, who by this time is very lonely, and the two form a strong bond. However, Martin sees how beautiful the girl has become and goes about wooing her mother for her hand in marriage.

A heartfelt movie with a great cast, Lucky Star is one of those movies that should be released on DVD. It is talked about often among cinephiles but is rarely seen. The copy I saw was a terrible print with an ill-fitting soundtrack; if it was good in spite of those things, just think of how wonderful it could be with a clear print and a great soundtrack! Unfortunately, most of Frank Borzage's beautiful cinematography was lost in the haze of the damaged print, but it was no doubt an asset to the film. The outdoor scenes show a picturesque town with almost fantastical homes. It adds to the charm of the love story.