User Reviews

When I looked at the main credits for this movie, I didn't expect much. Nat Levine producing for Republic? Ralph Staub directing? I certainly didn't expect this movie about mediocre songwriter Roger Pryor and washed-up star Grace Bradley falling in love and inspiring each other to success to be more than a cheap programmer, especially when the main supports are William Newell and the annoying Pert Kelton; it's not until I delved further into the cast list that I spotted Henry Kolker as a radio sponsor and Joyce Compton as the wife Pryor married on a toot in Tijuana that I saw anything to hope for.

Yet this cheaply done, cynical romantic comedy matches its subject so well, and Pryor and Bradley speak what would all too often be gushy lines simply, offers a good deal of charm to this this 53-minute B movie. Their characters' decency overcomes a few plot holes and a couple of decent songs fit the picture very well. While it's by no means a classic, it is an extremely engaging little flick.

"Sitting on the Moon" is a pretty good B-movie, so don't believe the notion that Bs were bad. They weren't...they were just intended as an inexpensive second film at a double-feature.

Danny West (Roger Pryor) is a successful songwriter, though he isn't exactly disciplined. However, when he sees that Polly Blair (Grace Bradley) is out of work, he cleans himself up and helps her on her feet. You see, Polly had been a big movie star but had fallen on hard times...and he's determined to help her. And, help her he does. But in the meantime, Danny gets himself into hot water and it's time for Polly to return the favor.

"Sitting on the Moon" is a solid and enjoyable film. The title refers to a song Danny wrote for Polly and the acting and writing are very nice. In addition, look for Pert Kelton as Polly's friend. Pert was the original Alice from "The Honeymooners"...before Audrey Meadows.

Fates are thrown upside down in seconds in this film. One minute your the top of the bill, the next you're nobody. And I mean, NOBODY: starving, neglected... seems these people never heard of investing your money wisely. Harshness of Hollywood? Probably, or at least a 30s attempt to dramatize the life in the glamour city. The result isn't the best possible, but this flick is very likable nevertheless. The music is much, much better than the film - potential A-level material. And it gets a good treatment, especially during the last song, as Grace Bradley starts out a Capella when the orchestra leader rushes out. I like Grace Bradley very much. She's very pretty without trying to appear precious or overly sweet. There's a modern quality in her, and her voice - both when she speaks and when she sings - is top quality. I wonder why she never became a real queen of the screen. Really enjoyable 54 minutes. Included in Classic Musicals 50 Movie Pack.

Nothing remarkable here. Nonetheless the programmer reflects quality Hollywood craftsmanship even at lowly Republic Pictures level. Floundering songwriter Pryor wants to help equally floundering songstress Bradley. Both are talented and together they show promise, she trilling his words and music. Trouble is both are blackballed in the industry through mix-ups. Thus they struggle to win their rightful place, and just as importantly, by remaining together.

Bradley was new to me, but she's quite winning in the role, projecting both sweetness and dedication. Too bad she retired early to become Hopalong's real life wife. The songs and staging are entertaining without being memorable, while Newell and Kelton supply occasional comic relief. Also, it's kind of nostalgic for us geezers to see how radio programs were put together during that era. Anyway, it's the kind of light entertainment that kept old time movie-goers coming back for more Hollywood escapism, even if it was at the bottom of a double-bill. So modern day viewers could do a lot worse.

This unfortunately is a dull musical set on the Republic Lot and made in 1936, that studio's second year of operation. It was produced by Nat Levine who from 1927-35 owned his own studio called Mascot Pictures. He was a very successful producer of serials and had been merged against his will with Monogram Pictures to form Republic Pictures. Everyone owed despotic Herbert J Yates money and he owned the film processing factory they all used: Consolidated film laboratories...so he foreclosed on the most successful small studios and got their expertise, libraries and crews. In this merger, Yates made Levine head of production at Republic. This film is one of their earliest collaborations. But it is boring. Impressively lavish and I suspect made on a fairly good budget for a B+ movie, it has two good songs, a lot of ugly people. some swing music attempts...but it is all old fashioned and ...well, boring. Levine left Republic when Yates offered him $1,000,000 for his share in the business. Within a year Levine blew it all at the racetrack and was broke. I wish Scorscese could make this story in the same way he covered Hughes in The AVIATOR. Levine was only 38 when he was washed up. He managed a cinema after that and died in the 80s. Incredible. Yates paid himself a million dollars each year for 25 years for running Republic. $20,000 a week in the 30s and 40s! Anyway, SITTING ON THE MOON is interesting only for some background Republic Studio locations and a lot of great art deco furniture. That's it. There's a great joke in that title, but I won't go there. ahem...

Republic Pictures released Sitting On The Moon in 1936 and it serves as a nice vehicle for stars Roger Pryor and Grace Bradley. Pryor is a composer of note and Bradley is a movie star of musical pictures whose been blacklisted around the town. Seems as though she committed Hollywood's unpardonable sin by walking out on a picture. But she still can sing and Pryor wants to help.

But it turns out he needs the help as he may be just slightly married. When the film opens a barely conscious Pryor is dropped off in the company of a beautiful blond in Joyce Compton by taxi driver George Cooper. Pryor was really hitting it last night and can't remember a thing. Later on Compton shows up to remind them they went to Mexico and got married. Then she proceeds to bleed him dry for 'support', make that 'hush money'.

Of course it all works out though nature and the plot do take an interesting roundabout view.

For a film from Republic it's not bad, but it could have used better production values and a better score.

I purchased this movie in a pack of musical DVDs and I'm tickled to have it because the star, Grace Bradley, is the wife of the cowboy star, Hopalong Cassidy (William Boyd, who died in the early 1970s). I've been looking for years for any movie that she was in. She is still alive and a very beautiful lady to be in her 90s. This movie was made around the time she and Bill Boyd married. She was interviewed in a documentary on Hopalong Cassidy and she is such a delight to watch. I've always wanted to see what she looked like when she was young, and she does not disappoint. I can see why Hoppy fell in love with her! Watch this movie just to see what "might have been" if she hadn't quit her career to marry Hoppy!

Good little 'B' musical with some pluses going for it, mainly Grace Bradley. Vivacious and very pretty, she brightens every scene she appears in. And she can sing, in addition to her other assets. Had never heard of this picture before, and as someone noted, it was most likely the bottom half of a double feature.

"Sitting On The Moon" just goes to show you; you never can tell where or when a good movie will pop up - even tiny Republic Studios could ring the bell once in a while. I especially liked the closing number, "Lost in My Dreams", a song never heard nowadays.