Tanned Legs (1929)

Peggy and Bill are high society lovebirds, but their marriage plans are put on hold while Peggy spends most of her summer straightening out her wayward parents and her unlucky-in-love ... See full summary »

Director:

Marshall Neilan (uncredited)

Writer:

Thomas J. Geraghty (adaptation) (as Tom Geraghty)

Stars:

Arthur Lake, June Clyde, Dorothy Revier

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Arthur Lake	...	Bill
June Clyde	...	Peggy Reynolds
Dorothy Revier	...	Mrs. Lyons-King
Ann Pennington	...	Tootie
Albert Gran	...	Mr. Reynolds
Allen Kearns	...	Roger Fleming
Sally Blane	...	Janet Reynolds
Edmund Burns	...	Clinton Darrow
Lincoln Stedman	...	Pudgy
Nella Walker	...	Mrs. Sophie Reynolds
Johnny Johnson	...	Johnny Johnson
Johnny Johnson's Orchestra	...	Johnny Johnson's Orchestra

Storyline

Peggy and Bill are high society lovebirds, but their marriage plans are put on hold while Peggy spends most of her summer straightening out her wayward parents and her unlucky-in-love sister Janet. Mama and Papa are set to rights fairly quickly, but Janet's the one with real problems. It seems she sent some compromising love letters to a worthless cad, and now the bounder wants to use the letters for blackmail. Peggy's friend Roger and his flapper sweetheart Tootie hatch an elaborate plan to retrieve the incriminating letters and salvage Janet's reputation.

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Plot Keywords:

letter | reputation | marriage | flapper | playing footsie | 

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Taglines:

DRAMA GAY AND DARING AS A BEACH PETTING PARTY

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pernas Morenas

Filming Locations:

Laguna Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

RKO Radio Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

66 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The $50,000 check Mr. Reynolds writes out for the "mahogany" would equal over $700,000 in 2016.

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Goofs

In the scene after the bridge game, when the girls run onto the beach in long shot, the microphone is seen coming down over the two girls speaking. It's a flash of a couple of seconds, but quite visible.

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Quotes

Peggy Reynolds: I guess its about time the whole family signed an armistice and let's begin all over again. Father, forget the Romeo stuff.
[to her mother]
Peggy Reynolds: As well, as the flapper stuff. And let us just be our age. Hmmm?

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Connections

Referenced in Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003)

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Soundtracks

With You, With Me
(1929) (uncredited)
Music by Oscar Levant
Lyrics by Sidney Clare
Played during the opening credits
Sung by June Clyde and Arthur Lake
Reprised by Allen Kearns
Reprised again by June Clyde at the benefit

User Reviews

Mom and Dad don't exactly set the highest standards for their daughters in this one!

This is a very old fashioned musical, though I certainly expected this and cut the film some slack. After all, 1929 was still very early for talking pictures and the musicals of the era are a tad stilted and the production numbers a bit...well...much. And, compared to most of the musicals of the time, this one isn't bad at all.

The plot involves a family that is on vacation. However, Peggy (June Clyde) isn't about to pitch woo with Bill (Arthur Lake) because she's too worried about her family. After all, her daddy is out chasing a younger woman and mom isn't any better. As for her sister, there are some incriminating letters...and Peggy is determined to get them.

The film has a few cute songs, though the singing varies tremendously. A few of the actors (such as Lake) should NOT be singing! Interestingly enough, one of the co-writers of the songs was the very clever raconteur, Oscar Levant. Overall, it's harmless fluff. Folks that love older talking pictures will enjoy it...others might find it a bit tough to finish. The film also has one of the most abrupt and unsatisfying endings...it makes we wonder if the whole ending might actually be missing.