"Applause" (1929), directed by Rouben Mamoulian (who did the great "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"), is a corny but surprisingly effective musical about Kitty Darling, a burlesque showgirl who sends her young daughter April off to a convent to be raised properly. Now that April's a fully blossomed teenager, Kitty's disreputable boyfriend Hitch lusts after the possibility of getting her into the burlesque business and demands that Kitty stop sending money to the convent. April comes back to New York City and is shocked to see where her mother works. However she cannot deny that she loves her mother or that her mother's burlesque money supported her in the convent. April struggles against Hitch's wishes and finally gives in and becomes a showgirl. One night she meets a nice sailor on leave named Tony. They fall in love and Tony proposes marriage and a nice life on a farm back in Wisconsin. At the same time, Kitty loses her job--she's just too old to perform anymore. What will happen? Will it all turn out for the good in the end? "Applause" is important in that it is one of the first great American musicals.
Interestingly, I've always been told that "Gone with the Wind" was the taboo-breaking picture that first transgressed the profanity barrier, but our villain Hitch says "damn" twice in this film, not to mention the surprisingly overt sexuality of the burlesque house.
Interestingly, I've always been told that "Gone with the Wind" was the taboo-breaking picture that first transgressed the profanity barrier, but our villain Hitch says "damn" twice in this film, not to mention the surprisingly overt sexuality of the burlesque house.