I have only seen Marion Davies in two films "The Bachelor Father" and "Going Hollywood". I will reserve my opinion of her talents until I see some of her silent films. In this film the standouts are the memorable songs (all of them now Bing Crosby standards), Bing's completely natural and easy going manner, Ned Sparkes (of course) and Marion's very clunky dancing.
As one of the reviewers says it did seem to be a shorter film than intended. One of my favourite Crosby songs "After Sundown" not only was not sung all the way through, it was mostly sung as a "voice over" while Bing and Marion wined and dined. "Beautiful Girls" - Bing sang as he packed to go to Hollywood - I was expecting a big production number - I was disappointed but at least they were included.
Sylvia Bruce (Marion Davies) is a teacher at Briarcroft Girls Boarding School. She longs to break free of the restrictions at this very strict college - "no music is permitted". One night when listening to Bill Williams (Bing Crosby) sing "Our Big Love Scene" - "Don't waste the night in wishing" - she decides to do what the song says, follow her heart and goes to Bill to tell him what he means to her.
Bill is also going to Hollywood. There is a big production number. Busby Berkeley had many imitators but no one reached his excellence. This number was filmed in a clumsy way but with great gusto.
Sylvia has to get past Bill's current love Lili (Fifi D'Orsay) but manages to secure a job with her as a French speaking maid (she had been a French teacher at Briarcroft). After one fight too many she quits and quickly teams up with Jill (Patsy Kelly) and finds a job as a dancer!!!!! in Bill's new movie. The wonderful Ned Sparks is the director and the scenes between him and Fifi D'Orsay are hilarious.
"We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines" is introduced as a dream that Sylvia is having. It is odd - it starts off sophisticated, then suddenly they are dressed up in Edwardian clothes. At the end they are farm hands dancing an awful dance with dancing scarecrows. (It is a beautiful song!!!)
The three Radio Rogues do a radio skit - they sing songs in the style and voice of popular singers of the day. They are really good. They sing "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" - Kate Smith, "You Call it Madness (But I Call it Love)" - Russ Columbo, "Remember Me - Morton Downey and "My Time is Your Time" - Rudy Vallee.
Lili's temperament is holding up production and she then quits. Meanwhile Sylvia entertains the crew with an imitation of Lili singing "Cinderella's Fella". Stuart Erwin plays the producer who steps in and hires Sylvia as the lead (with her wonderful dancing talent!!!) To give Miss Davies her due I think she played the role excellently. Some of the lines she had to say - I don't think she sounded like a "stalker" but in another actress's hands the character may have come across as being "kooky".
Bill romances Sylvia but she thinks she hears him in Lili's apartment (Lili is only listening to a record). Lili then finds him in a bar and plies him with liquour so he will not be able to make the studio the next day. He sings "Temptation" to Lili, looking so handsome!!! It ends very quickly - all the cast is on the stage to film "Our Big Love Scene" when Bill (singing of course ) comes through the door takes Sylvia in his arms and kisses her.
I highly recommend this film.
As one of the reviewers says it did seem to be a shorter film than intended. One of my favourite Crosby songs "After Sundown" not only was not sung all the way through, it was mostly sung as a "voice over" while Bing and Marion wined and dined. "Beautiful Girls" - Bing sang as he packed to go to Hollywood - I was expecting a big production number - I was disappointed but at least they were included.
Sylvia Bruce (Marion Davies) is a teacher at Briarcroft Girls Boarding School. She longs to break free of the restrictions at this very strict college - "no music is permitted". One night when listening to Bill Williams (Bing Crosby) sing "Our Big Love Scene" - "Don't waste the night in wishing" - she decides to do what the song says, follow her heart and goes to Bill to tell him what he means to her.
Bill is also going to Hollywood. There is a big production number. Busby Berkeley had many imitators but no one reached his excellence. This number was filmed in a clumsy way but with great gusto.
Sylvia has to get past Bill's current love Lili (Fifi D'Orsay) but manages to secure a job with her as a French speaking maid (she had been a French teacher at Briarcroft). After one fight too many she quits and quickly teams up with Jill (Patsy Kelly) and finds a job as a dancer!!!!! in Bill's new movie. The wonderful Ned Sparks is the director and the scenes between him and Fifi D'Orsay are hilarious.
"We'll Make Hay While the Sun Shines" is introduced as a dream that Sylvia is having. It is odd - it starts off sophisticated, then suddenly they are dressed up in Edwardian clothes. At the end they are farm hands dancing an awful dance with dancing scarecrows. (It is a beautiful song!!!)
The three Radio Rogues do a radio skit - they sing songs in the style and voice of popular singers of the day. They are really good. They sing "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" - Kate Smith, "You Call it Madness (But I Call it Love)" - Russ Columbo, "Remember Me - Morton Downey and "My Time is Your Time" - Rudy Vallee.
Lili's temperament is holding up production and she then quits. Meanwhile Sylvia entertains the crew with an imitation of Lili singing "Cinderella's Fella". Stuart Erwin plays the producer who steps in and hires Sylvia as the lead (with her wonderful dancing talent!!!) To give Miss Davies her due I think she played the role excellently. Some of the lines she had to say - I don't think she sounded like a "stalker" but in another actress's hands the character may have come across as being "kooky".
Bill romances Sylvia but she thinks she hears him in Lili's apartment (Lili is only listening to a record). Lili then finds him in a bar and plies him with liquour so he will not be able to make the studio the next day. He sings "Temptation" to Lili, looking so handsome!!! It ends very quickly - all the cast is on the stage to film "Our Big Love Scene" when Bill (singing of course ) comes through the door takes Sylvia in his arms and kisses her.
I highly recommend this film.