Happy Days (1929)

Margie, singer on a showboat, decides to try her luck in New York inspite of being in love with the owners grandson. She is successful, but suddenly she hears that the showboat is in deep ... See full summary »

Director:

Benjamin Stoloff

Writers:

Sidney Lanfield (story), Edwin J. Burke (story) (as Edwin Burke)

Stars:

Charles E. Evans, Marjorie White, Richard Keene

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles E. Evans	...	Colonel Billy Batcher
Marjorie White	...	Margie
Richard Keene	...	Dick
Stuart Erwin	...	Jig
Martha Lee Sparks	...	Nancy Lee
Clifford Dempsey	...	Sheriff Benton
James J. Corbett	...	Interlocutor - Minstrel Show
George MacFarlane	...	Interlocutor - Minstrel Show
Janet Gaynor	...	Janet Gaynor
Charles Farrell	...	Charles Farrell
Victor McLaglen	...	Minstrel Show Performer
El Brendel	...	Minstrel Show Performer
William Collier Sr.	...	End Man - Minstrel Show
Tom Patricola	...	Minstrel Show Performer
George Jessel	...	Minstrel Show Performer

Storyline

Margie, singer on a showboat, decides to try her luck in New York inspite of being in love with the owners grandson. She is successful, but suddenly she hears that the showboat is in deep financial trouble, and she calls all the boats former stars to join in a big show to rescue it.

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Plot Keywords:

riverboat | revue | 

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Taglines:

100 ENTERTAINERS!!! (original poster - all caps)

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Genres:

Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's "World Premiere" was at the Fox Cataract theatre, Niagara Falls NY on 31 January 1930. (Niagara Falls Gazette, 30 January 1930)

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Alternate Versions

Filmed and released in two versions: standard (35 mm) and widescreen in the Grandeur process (70 mm). For its premiere showing, the widescreen version played at the Roxy Theatre in New York City, and was the first film ever shown entirely in widescreen. No print of the widescreen version is known to exist.

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Connections

Featured in Biography: Betty Grable: Behind the Pin-up (1995)

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Soundtracks

Minstrel Memories
(uncredited)
Music by Abel Baer
Lyrics by L. Wolfe Gilbert
Copyright 1930 by DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, Inc.
Performed by George MacFarlane

User Reviews

Marjorie White Steals the Show

Fox's all-star musical revue is short on star power, but there are a few terrific numbers here.

The plot revolves around a bunch of Broadway stars who get coerced into trying to save a show boat by doing a benefit show. Of course the sets make little sense as they could hardly fit on a show boat stage, but the minstrel theme (similar to the opening of MGM's all-star revue, THE Hollywood REVUE OF 1929) is used to introduce the various acts.

Among the better known stars here are Fox's #1 romantic team of Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, who sing "We'll Build a Little World of Our Own." Gaynor would remain a big star throughout the 30s, but Farrell struggled with his voice and had only a so-so career in talkies.

Victor McLaglen and Edmund Lowe sing a novelty song called "Vic and Eddie." Ann Pennington does a terrific dance to "Snake Hips," which is sung by Sharon Lynn. The dynamic Marjorie White and Richard Keene sing "I'm on a Diet of Love." Frank Richardson sings "Mona." Whispering Jack Smith sings the title song of "Happy Days." Other stars who appear include George Jessel (but he doesn't sing), Walter Catlett, William Collier, El Brendel, Frank Albertson, Stu Erwin, Tom Patricola, Nick Stuart, Rex Bell, Warner Baxter, Will Rogers, Dixie Lee, and boxer Jim Corbett.

Lots of energy here and Marjorie White (in her film debut) probably comes off best. She died in a car wreck in 1935. At only 4' 10" White was a dynamo of musical and comedy talent and had good supporting roles on Fox's JUST IMAGINE and SUNNYSIDE UP.

Of all the studio all-star revues, which often introduced many silent stars to talkies, HAPPY DAYS holds its own with THE Hollywood REVUE OF 1929 (MGM) and PARAMOUNT ON PARADE (Paramount) despite the lack of musical star power.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 February 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dias Felizes

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (MovieTone)

Color:

Black and White (Grandeur)

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1