This Is the Life (1935)

After obtaining her from an orphanage a couple exploit entertainer Withers till she runs away and later becomes a professional.

Director:

Marshall Neilan

Writers:

Lamar Trotti (screenplay), Arthur T. Horman (screenplay) (as Arthur Horman)

Stars:

Jane Withers, John McGuire, Sally Blane

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jane Withers	...	Geraldine 'Jerry' Revier
John McGuire	...	Michael Grant
Sally Blane	...	Helen Davis
Sidney Toler	...	Prof. Lafcadio F. Breckenridge
Gloria Roy	...	Diane Revier
Gordon Westcott	...	Ed Revier
Francis Ford	...	'Sticky' Jones
Emma Dunn	...	Mrs. Davis

Storyline

After obtaining her from an orphanage a couple exploit entertainer Withers till she runs away and later becomes a professional.

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Plot Keywords:

chicago illinois | wound | stepmother stepdaughter relationship | stepfather stepdaughter relationship | song | 

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Taglines:

JANE COMES ALONG IN ANOTHER HIT! She clicked as the screen's biggest little comic in "Ginger." But when it comes to swell entertainment...this is it!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 October 1935 (USA)

Also Known As:

Meal Ticket

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

63 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the "New Kind of Rhythm" number, the background chorus girls are dancing, then striking an attitude pose, between shots.

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Soundtracks

Got a New Kind of Rhythm
Music by Sam H. Stept
Lyrics by Sidney Clare

User Reviews

Amusing Little Kiddie B

Jane Withers, a three-year veteran of the movies at this stage, begins her starring career with this tale, half Charles Dickens, half Mark Twain, of an orphan who has run away from her cruel guardians who make her dance half a dozen times a day. Marshall Neilan, who used to direct Mary Pickford in this sort of vehicle twenty years earlier, runs the shoot competently. There doesn't appear to be much in this story, but there are some very nice eccentric performances by the adults, especially John McGuire as her cohort -- this was as big as his roles ever got, alas -- and even Francis Ford gets more lines than in five of his brother's movies.

Although almost everyone has heard of Shirley Temple, Jane, who was the B child star at Fox has largely fallen into obscurity -- doubtless it was Miss Temple's runaway success that made Fox produce these less expensive films. Miss Withers performs a couple of big production numbers, one in the style of Harry Lauder, the other in a swing chorus, and is a decent enough actress at this stage to carry off the picture.

In many ways the most interesting feature of the movie is the sense that the viewer gets that the talent involved is trying to report on character and situation as they might actually occur. Far too many modern children's shows and books give you the message first and the story afterwards, whether they seem to believe in the message or not. I prefer this.