Coming Out Party (1934)

It's Joy Stanhope's, a Park Avenue debutante, coming-out party. It's the event of the winter and everyone is there, including the most eligible bachelor, Jimmy Wolverton. Chris Hanson, ... See full summary »

Director:

John G. Blystone

Writers:

Becky Gardiner (story), Gladys Unger (story)

Stars:

Frances Dee, Gene Raymond, Alison Skipworth

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Frances Dee	...	Joyce 'Joy' Stanhope
Gene Raymond	...	Chris Hansen
Alison Skipworth	...	Miss Gertrude Vanderdoe
Nigel Bruce	...	Troon
Harry Green	...	Harry Gold
Gilbert Emery	...	Herbert Emerson Stanhope
Marjorie Gateson	...	Mrs. Ada Stanhope
Phillip Trent	...	Jimmy Wolverton (as Clifford Jones)
Jessie Ralph	...	Nora
Germaine De Neel	...	Louise
Paul Porcasi	...	Manager
Jean De Briac	...	Frenchman

Storyline

It's Joy Stanhope's, a Park Avenue debutante, coming-out party. It's the event of the winter and everyone is there, including the most eligible bachelor, Jimmy Wolverton. Chris Hanson, Joy's secret romance isn't. Joy knows her parents wouldn't approve of Chris being starving violinst and a son of poor immigrants. Chris being understanding allows Joy to pretend to date Jimmy to keep Joy's parents happy. But, when Chris sees Joy with Jimmy he becomes enraged. Chris confronts Joy and they argue, the fight ends in a night of passion. Joy discovers she pregnant with Chris' child. When she's about to tell Chris the news he interupts her with the news that he's taking a job in Europe with a famed Opera star. Joy decides not to tell him and let him go. While in Europe Chris learns about Joy's pregnancy, but when he returns; Chris gets the shock of his life...Joy has married Jimmy.

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Plot Keywords:

pre code film | debutante party | park avenue | wealthy family | new york city | 

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Taglines:

Look behind the scenes and see what really goes on at a coming-out party. (Print Ad- Leader-Post, ((Regina, Sask.)) 31 March 1934)

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Quotes

Harry Gold: You've been getting into trouble, at your age, Mrs. Vanderdoe?
Miss Gertrude Vanderdoe: I do not get into trouble; I merely experience annoyances.

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Connections

Referenced in Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood (2008)

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Soundtracks

I Think You're Wonderful
Music by Burton Lane
Lyrics by Harold Adamson

User Reviews

The uselessness of the rich wastrel

It's not a film version of Phillip Barry's play, HOLIDAY. That's obvious from the beginning and it suffers from a lack of sympathy for the subject of its opprobrium. The drunk looks a little like Lew Ayres, but he drinks not because he is a poet, and not because he is not a poet. He drinks because he can barely conceive of anything else.

But that's the basic idea, really. A producer said "Give me something like HOLIDAY" and this is what they came up with. Frances Dee does as much as she can, but she can't carry this movie by herself, and neither the script nor the actors seem capable of much more -- no, that's not true. Nigel Bruce, as a Scotch butler, is wonderful, and totally unlike any of his other roles. Alison Skipworth is, as usual, hilarious as Mrs. Vanderdoe, the society arbiter and adviser -- for a commission. And Harry Green, an actor I have seen in only one other movie, is excellent. But this movie, although it's clear that in another year, the genre would morph into the screwball comedy with its class warfare of the sexes, is a dull, disapproving drama.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 March 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beijos e Segredos

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1