Our Modern Maidens (1929)

A flapper charms a diplomat to procure her fiancé a career opportunity, while the fiancé starts a relationship with her best friend.

Director:

Jack Conway

Writers:

Josephine Lovett (story and continuity by), Marian Ainslee (titles)

Stars:

Joan Crawford, Rod La Rocque, Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Joan Crawford	...	Billie
Rod La Rocque	...	Abbott
Douglas Fairbanks Jr.	...	Gil
Anita Page	...	Kentucky
Edward J. Nugent	...	Reg (as Edward Nugent)
Josephine Dunn	...	Ginger
Albert Gran	...	B. Bickering Brown

Storyline

Young vivacious Billie uses her charms on influential businessman Glenn Abbott in hopes of getting her secret fiancée Gil a diplomatic appointment. Meanwhile Gil's affections meander to beautiful ingenue Kentucky, Billie's best friend. After securing Gil's appointment, Abbott is crushed to learn of Billie's impending marriage. What Billie didn't count on was Gil getting Kentucky pregnant. This throws her wedding day into scandal and creates turmoil in the lives of the youthful quartet.

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Plot Keywords:

wedding | scandal | diplomat | washington d.c. | u.s. capitol building | 

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Taglines:

Joan Crawford Who made you sit up and take notice in "Our Dancing Daughters" will make you gasp in "Our Modern Maidens" (Print Ad , Black River Democrat, Lowville, NY 2 January 1930)

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Genres:

Drama | Comedy

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 September 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amerikalı bakireler

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min

Sound Mix:

Silent Mono (Western Electric System) (musical score and sound effects)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joan Crawford married co-star Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in a well orchestrated publicity event for the film.

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Quotes

Billie Brown: How's that for advertising? It's my Dad's new radio idea!
Gil: Some jazz they're playing! Your Dad sure says it with a big brass band!
Billie Brown: That's his motto, Gil! Come on... let's dance!

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Connections

Follows Our Dancing Daughters (1928)

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Soundtracks

Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)
(1816) (uncredited))
Music by Gioachino Rossini
Played a bit on piccolo by Edward J. Nugent
Excerpts integrated into the music score

User Reviews

Excellent vehicle for Crawford and Anita Page

It's kind of a soap opera plot, rather daring, perhaps, for its time, but tame by today's standards.

Joan Crawford probably never looked better and, in my not very humble opinion, probably never, or at least seldom, gave a better performance. Her character Billie is in turn kittenish and seductive and cautious, ultimately doing what was the right thing for everyone.

Anita Page, who also never looked lovelier, is everyone's charming girl-next-door, pretty, cute, decent. She gives a superlative performance as the intriguingly named Kentucky.

This is not, probably, anybody's idea of a classic movie, but it is well worth seeing if only for the look at Joan Crawford in an early -- silent -- role. She looks great, gives a controlled performance, and is sans the harsh, overdone makeup of later years -- and padded shoulders.

Anita Page, who pioneered some of the early musicals, displays loveliness and talent and is, to be blunt, adorable.

Oh, there are some good male actors, too, but Crawford and Page are the real reasons to watch.