Starring:
Anita Page
Bessie Love
Charles King
Jed Prouty
Kenneth Thomson (uncredited)
Anita Page
Bessie Love
Charles King
Jed Prouty
Kenneth Thomson (uncredited)
Directed By:
Harry Beaumont
Harry Beaumont
1928-29 Academy Awards
Winner:
Outstanding Picture
Winner:
Outstanding Picture
Our story is, like the plot of Wings, one that is old. That of trying to "make it" somewhere. In this case, two performing sisters, the Mahoneys - Harriet “Hank” and her younger sister Queenie, come to NYC to try and make it on Broadway. The film chronicles some of what they go through working in the theater.
Hank’s fiancé Eddie is an actor and a singer and has brought the girls to New York to be part of a revue about to open, though their Uncle Jed would like them to go back out on the road with an offer of a 30-show job. When Eddie sees Queenie, now grown up since he last saw her, he falls for her but she knows her sister is in love with him and so won’t allow it to happen. Eddie brings them to a rehearsal and gets them an audition for the show but when the director only wants the younger, prettier Queenie, there is trouble. She refuses to work for him w/out her older sister so he hires both. Eddie sees what Queenie does for her sister and he falls for her even more. When the number in the show with both sisters is cut, Queenie is given a bigger role when another girl gets hurt. She captivates everyone and catches the eye of an investor on the show, Jock Warriner. As she begins to spend more time with him, partly in an effort to hide her feelings for Eddie, Hank and Eddie warn Queenie about him because they know that Jock is only interested in her for her looks and isn’t the kind of man that marries.
When Queenie lashes out at Eddie for his criticism of Jock and runs off, Hank realizes that her sister and fiancé are in love with each other and tells Eddie that she never really loved him so that he will go after Queenie. Once he leaves, she has an emotional breakdown but eventually calls their Uncle Jed to accept his job offer.
Later, Hank decides to hold a surprise party for Queenie’s birthday but Queenie goes to a lavish party Jock set up for her in the new apartment he has bought her. Jock insists they should be alone for a while and tries to make and advance on her but she resists. He claims that she “owes” him for everything and tries to force her but Eddie comes to her rescues and tries to fight Jock. They tussle but Jock wins and throws Eddie out. He takes off and Queenie throws everything back at Jock and goes with Eddie.
Some months later, the newly married Eddie and Queenie come back to see Hank and her new dance partner off as they set out on the road with their act.
Ok. So...how did this beat out all the others to be the best picture winner? Honestly it isn't that great. Didn't feel grand or fresh or honestly worthy of high awards. According to my research *coughWikipediacough* the film’s original release also included an early, two color (red and green) Technicolor sequence for the “Wedding Of The Painted Doll” song number but this sequence no longer survives with any known copy of the film. A quote Filmsite.org in the Wiki article on the movie also suggested that the films nominated that year were all rather weak because of the silent to sound transition and that this may also account for the film’s award win.
I admit that some 84 years later it may not feel to me to be so wonderful because I simply have a different standard. But honestly, I dun get it.
*shrugs*
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