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The Barker

  • 1928
  • Passed
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
116
YOUR RATING
Dorothy Mackaill and Milton Sills in The Barker (1928)
Drama

A carnival barker wants his son to become a lawyer, but his son gets side-tracked into joining the carnival too.A carnival barker wants his son to become a lawyer, but his son gets side-tracked into joining the carnival too.A carnival barker wants his son to become a lawyer, but his son gets side-tracked into joining the carnival too.

  • Director
    • George Fitzmaurice
  • Writers
    • Kenyon Nicholson
    • Benjamin Glazer
    • Herman J. Mankiewicz
  • Stars
    • Milton Sills
    • Dorothy Mackaill
    • Betty Compson
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    116
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • George Fitzmaurice
    • Writers
      • Kenyon Nicholson
      • Benjamin Glazer
      • Herman J. Mankiewicz
    • Stars
      • Milton Sills
      • Dorothy Mackaill
      • Betty Compson
    • 4User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos18

    Douglas Fairbanks jr & Dorthy Mackaill "The Barker" 1928/ MPTV
    Douglas Fairbanks jr & Dorthy Mackaill "The Barker" 1928/ MPTV
    Milton Sills in The Barker (1928)
    Dorothy Mackaill in The Barker (1928)
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Dorothy Mackaill in The Barker (1928)
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Dorothy Mackaill in The Barker (1928)
    Betty Compson and Milton Sills in The Barker (1928)
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Dorothy Mackaill, and Milton Sills in The Barker (1928)
    Betty Compson and Dorothy Mackaill in The Barker (1928)
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Dorothy Mackaill in The Barker (1928)
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Milton Sills in The Barker (1928)
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Dorothy Mackaill in The Barker (1928)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Milton Sills
    Milton Sills
    • Nifty Miller
    Dorothy Mackaill
    Dorothy Mackaill
    • Lou
    Betty Compson
    Betty Compson
    • Carrie
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
    Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
    • Chris Miller
    Sylvia Ashton
    • Ma Benson
    George Cooper
    George Cooper
    • Hap Spissel
    S.S. Simon
    • Col. Gowdy
    One-Eye Connelly
    • Carny
    Tom Dugan
    Tom Dugan
    • Stuttering Spieler
    Louise Carver
    Louise Carver
    • Fortune Teller
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Cramer
    Richard Cramer
    • Carnival Bull
    • (uncredited)
    Bobby Dunn
    Bobby Dunn
    • Hamburger Concessionaire
    • (uncredited)
    Dick Gilbert
    Dick Gilbert
    • Sideshow Vendor
    • (uncredited)
    Pat Harmon
    Pat Harmon
    • Heckler
    • (uncredited)
    Bynunsky Hyman
    • Fire Eater
    • (uncredited)
    Gladden James
    Gladden James
    • Member of Hawaiian Trio
    • (uncredited)
    Charles Sullivan
    Charles Sullivan
    • Man in Audience
    • (uncredited)
    Pat West
    • Bartender
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • George Fitzmaurice
    • Writers
      • Kenyon Nicholson
      • Benjamin Glazer
      • Herman J. Mankiewicz
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Originally shot as a silent. Sound was added after completion.
    • Connections
      Version of Hoopla (1933)

    User reviews4

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Hey Rube!
    Didn't think I would like this one as much as I did. I don't really care for circus/carnival movies, although I thoroughly enjoyed "Nightmare Alley" and didn't think it could be topped. So I was pleasantly surprised by "The Barker", an earthy, sweaty character study of a troupe of traveling 'carnys'.

    An even bigger surprise was the towering performance of Milton Sills, a name I had only heard in movie reference books. His portrayal of Nifty Miller, a world-weary, morally unstable carnival barker nearly knocked me to the ground, to coin a phrase. His libidinous, self-indulgent world comes to a screeching halt with the arrival of his son,Chris, played by Douglas Fairbanks,Jr. who promptly falls in love with Bimbo-With-a-Heart Dorothy Mackaill. Naturally,complications arise but the whole movie comes to life when Sills, who as a reader above mentioned, looks like a slim Walter Matthau, is on the screen.

    This is a very unusual film in that it is part sound and part silent. I found it jarring to go from 'talkie'to dialogue cards without warning but I have since learned that the UCLA film Dept. has restored this 'part-talkie', and that most others of this kind have been lost entirely. In fact, The last few feet of the film were lost and a still shot has been put in its place while the sound continues. Also, unless I miss my guess, that is Herman Mankiewicz himself, who has a writer credit on this film, playing a ukelele in the trio accompanying Betty Compson in her Hawaiian dance numbers. Could be a Hollywood 'inside joke'.

    This one may be tough to come by but if you get the opportunity, don't miss it.
    helpful•12
    0
    • GManfred
    • Aug 13, 2009

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 9, 1928 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Step Right This Way
    • Production company
      • First National Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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    Dorothy Mackaill and Milton Sills in The Barker (1928)
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