Directed: Harry Beaumont

Year: 1929

Nominated: Best Film,  Best Director – Harry Beaumont, Best Actress – Bessie Love

Won: Best Film

Plot in 25 Words: Sisters want to become Broadway stars. One sister’s man chooses the other, more attractive sister. The plain sister’s career is more successful, but she’s alone.

In My Opinion: Quite a depressing film bit i enjoyed it. Bessie Love stars as Hank, a talented singer/dancer keen to have a double act with her less street-wise sister, Queenie. Whether Anita Page was uncomfortable talking in a movie or she was playing the part as timid and a bit slow, the part of Queenie came across perfectly. Slightly naive and playing more on her looks then her talent. And it works. Hank’s boyfriend Eddie gets them a small part in a Broadway show but the directors cuts them, eventually using Queenie but not Hank.

Queenie soon falls for a playboy both Eddie and Hank disapprove of. This doesn’t stop Queenie and she keep seeing him to the gradual heartbreak of Eddie. Upon realising her man and her sister are in love, she tries to save face by claiming she never really loved Eddie. As he leaves to be with Queenie she breaks down. hysterical, and decides to leave the city.

Some time later Queenie and Eddie are married, Hank is uncomfortable being around them, and leaves. She is distraught and alone.

Not the cheeriest of films but some parts were just wonderful. The rehearsal sequences were quite something, and I really hope stage productions back then were that fantastic. Some of the set pieces looked amazing.

My only problem with the music was that it was ever so slightly out of sync with the picture. I’m unsure whether that was due to poor technology or just a poor version that I watched.

Apparently this film was first produced with a few technicolour scenes but none survived, and only the black and white version remains. Some cinemas didn’t have the sound equipment to show such a film so a silent version was also released. I’d be very interested to see that version, to see if the absence of the talking/singing/fighting changes the tone of the film.

Star Performer: Bessie Love as Hank. She did a brilliant tap number and cried hysterically perfectly.

Overall: I enjoyed it. There were a couple of good musical numbers (and I do adore a good musical number!) and Bessie Love’s performance was brilliant. How can you not enjoy a film that uses ‘blonde baboon’ and ‘peanut’ as genuine insults in an argument!