A burlesque star seeks to keep her convent-raised daughter away from her low-down life and abusive lover/stage manager.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 3 wins.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast
| Helen Morgan | ... |
Kitty Darling
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| Joan Peers | ... |
April Darling
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Fuller Mellish Jr. | ... |
Hitch Nelson
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Jack Cameron | ... |
Joe King
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| Henry Wadsworth | ... |
Tony
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Billie Bernard | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Phyliss Bolce | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Lotta Burnell | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Alice Clayton | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Florence Dickerson | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Viola Gallo | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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E. Graniss | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Mary Gertrude Haines | ... |
April as a child
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Madge McLaughlin | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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May Miller | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Sally Panzer | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Claire Rose | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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William S. Stephens | ... |
Gus Feinbaum
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A. Stewart | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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June Taylor | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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F. Thomas | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Estelle Valentine | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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Lois Winters | ... |
Beef Trust Chorus Girl
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William Browning | ... |
Undetermined Role (uncredited)
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| Dorothy Cumming | ... |
Mother Superior (uncredited)
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| Mack Gray | ... |
Slim's Brother (uncredited)
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Roy Hargrave | ... |
Slim Lamont (uncredited)
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Jack Singer | ... |
Dave Holt (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Rouben Mamoulian | ||
Written by
| Beth Brown | ... | (story) |
| Garrett Fort | ... | (adapted by) |
Produced by
| Monta Bell | ... | producer |
| Jesse L. Lasky | ... | producer (uncredited) |
| Walter Wanger | ... | producer (uncredited) |
Cinematography by
| George J. Folsey | ... | (as George Folsey) |
Editing by
| John Bassler | ... | (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Otto Brower | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
| Ray Cozine | ... | second assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Eric Rohman | ... | poster artist : Sweden (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| C.A. Tuthill | ... | sound mixer (uncredited) |
| Ernest Zatorsky | ... | sound recordist (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| George Hinners | ... | second camera (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Jesse L. Lasky | ... | presenter |
| Adolph Zukor | ... | presenter |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Paramount Pictures (1929) (United States) (theatrical)
- Paramount Film Service (1930) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Paramount British Pictures (1930) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Paramount Film Service (1930) (Australia) (theatrical)
- MCA/Universal Pictures (1958) (United States) (tv)
- Kino Video (2003) (United States) (DVD)
- Kino Video (2003) (United States) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association of America (acknowledgement)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
This early example of the "backstage" musical genre tells the story of Kitty Darling, a fading burlesque star who tries to save her convent-educated daughter April from following in Mom's footsteps. Written by Anonymous |
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| Taglines | Glamorous Kitty Darling, actress whose love affairs rocked two continents, is said to be the mother of a seventeen-year-old ex-convent girl! You'll know the truth when you see and hear.... (print ad - Lubbock Morning Avalanche - Lindsey Theatre - Lubbock, Texas - Jan. 21, 1930) See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The film is remarkable for its creative use of sound in such an early period - the first all-talking movie had come out only shortly before this, and most other directors were concerned simply with providing audible dialogue and little else. Mamoulian not only used complex background sound effect but also used them creatively and non-realistically in the case of Kitty's delirium. The technical aspect was very advanced for the time. The scene in which Kitty sings while her daughter prays was apparently the first time anyone had ever used two microphone at the same time. (This is generally noted about this scene, but in fact there would be no need for two mics. A much more likely candidate is an earlier scene in which Kitty is sitting on the floor surrounded by photos and papers and is singing: there is then a diagonal 'wipe' to a dialogue scene in another set, while the singing continues. This was probably filmed simultaneously with two cameras and would have needed two microphones.) He also made his staff move the large box in which the cameraman was enclosed during shots to provide tracking with sync sound - unheard of at the time. Most of the sound effects were created in the studio at the time filming of the action took place. The train moving off is plainly an artificial sound effect, and most of the traffic sound is horns and motors in the studio. Despite claims elsewhere that the scene in the railway station contains sync sound it doesn't - indeed the filming of that sequence was visibly done with a hand-cranked silent camera, the sound being created afterwards. The scene near the end in the subway station is indeed local sync sound, done quite extraordinary well considering the equipment available at the time. The music was all done live. The extended scene between April and the sailor in the café is all one extended shot because the band seen at the opening of the shot was actually playing in the studio at the same time - indeed the music almost swamps the dialogue. There is sophisticated use of the stage music early on, keeping it in the far background during dialogue in the dressing room - again, advanced use of sound for 1929. See more » |
| Goofs | When April comes backstage to see Kitty after returning home from the convent, the shot from outside the dressing room shows Kitty sitting at her mirror and then turning to see April in the doorway. In the next shot, from inside the dressing room, she once again is sitting at her mirror and once again turns to see April entering. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into American Pop (1981). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Alexander's Ragtime Band See more » |
| Quotes |
April Darling:
It's wonderful. Tony: You're wonderful. See more » |