The Girl Said No (1930)

Director:

Sam Wood

Writers:

A.P. Younger (story)
Sarah Y. Mason (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 March 1930 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

WISE-CRACKING! SMART-ALECK! LOVABLE! (original poster)

Plot:

Tom Ward is just back from College and the only thing that he seemed to learn is how to be obnoxious and loud...

Plot Keywords:

Secretary | Smart Aleck | Football Hero | Jerk | College

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

William Haines	...	Tom Ward
Leila Hyams	...	Mary Howe
Polly Moran	...	Polly
Marie Dressler	...	Hettie Brown
Ralph Bushman	...	J. Marvin McAndrews (as Francis X. Bushman Jr.)
Clara Blandick	...	Mrs. Ward
William Janney	...	Jimmie Ward
William V. Mong	...	Mr. Samuel A. Ward
Frank Coghlan Jr.	...	Eddie Ward (as Junior Coghlan)
Phyllis Crane	...	Alma Ward

Runtime:

USA:91 min (Turner library print) | 93 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

M-G-M also released this film as a silent version at 1,759.31 m.

Goofs:

Continuity: The film begins in broad daylight, then just after the car avoids being hit by the train at the railroad crossing, the car is in a minor fender-bender with a tree which appears to take place at night, then in the next scene when the car pulls up in front of the house, it's daylight again.

Soundtrack:

I Don't Want Your Kisses (If I Can't Have Your Love)

gags galore, but little laughter

This labored attempt at madcap comedy features William Haines as a reckless, hyperactive go- getter who drives everyone around him crazy when he comes home after college graduation and proceeds to paint the town crimson. Early on, he falls madly in love with a secretary (Leila Hyams) who works in the Wall Street firm of one of his father's colleagues and sets out to claim her for his own whether she likes it or not, making one outlandish attempt after another to wrest her from a rival (Francis X. Bushman, Jr.). This kind of devil-may-care behavior is more suited to the silent cinema; with spoken dialogue mixed in the slapstick sequences seem to go on forever. Such is the charm, skill and magnetism of Haines that he almost pulls it off, but he is working with thin material that is stretched way too far, and let's face it, his behavior is reprehensible. Marie Dressler lends a big blob of color as a dowager who becomes falling-down drunk after two sips of alcohol.