Half Marriage (1929)

A young couple marries in secret. Judy's afraid her parents won't approve of Dick and she'll lose her generous allowance. Her parents bring her home from the city where she's been studying ... See full summary »

Director:

William J. Cowen

Writers:

George Kibbe Turner (by), Jane Murfin (screen play)

Stars:

Olive Borden, Morgan Farley, Ken Murray

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Olive Borden	...	Judy Paige
Morgan Farley	...	Dickie Carroll
Ken Murray	...	Charles Turner
Ann Greenway	...	Ann Turner
Anderson Lawler	...	Tom Stribbling
Sally Blane	...	Sally
Hedda Hopper	...	Mrs. Page
Richard Tucker	...	Mr. Page

Storyline

A young couple marries in secret. Judy's afraid her parents won't approve of Dick and she'll lose her generous allowance. Her parents bring her home from the city where she's been studying art and encourage the attentions of Tom, a persistent suitor. Judy and her jealous husband have an argument that leads her back to the city, a drunken, amorous Tom, and tragedy.

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Plot Keywords:

accidental death | elopement | architect | party | drunkenness | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 1929 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

68 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"After the Clouds Roll By"
(uncredited)
Music by Oscar Levant
Lyrics by Sidney Clare
Sung by Ann Greenway
Variations played as part of the score

User Reviews

A Slice of Flapper Life

Okay, so this film would never win any awards, but for the viewer today, it offers a rather interesting example of a film made during the transition to sound period. Viewers get to see a couple of roaring 20's party scenes, great flapper attire, hear a 20's style torch singer, and see a fabulous art-deco style apartment, and that almost makes it worthwhile.

The plot is simple: Two young people marry in secret because her rich family would disapprove of her "poor" up-and-coming boyfriend. However, keeping the marriage a secret leads to interesting complications.

Olive Borden, who plays "Judy" is a cute flapper who with her modern, 1929 morality, insists that slipping across the border to get married on the sly is being done all the time. She suggests to her young hubby-to-be she sell a bracelet from Daddy to finance their housekeeping, and tells "Dickie" that they can even move into her already paid for apartment, since the semester at the art school she attends is over and her roommates are packing to leave. You get the idea that although Judy is a modern young girl, she's still got a bit of the old morality left in her, and I liked that about her character. Dick, on the other hand, is a much more conservative man--insisting they should marry only when he can afford to be the provider.

This movie is an interesting transitional film that deserves a look by people willing to remember that this film was made over 70 years ago. Watch it for the art-deco sets, and the stylish flapperesque clothing worn by the ladies. Catch Hedda Hopper as Judy's snobbish mother and forgive the somewhat predictable ending. I enjoyed this movie.