“Glorifying of American Girl” is a film which classic Hollywood cinema fans will enjoy. It’s a time capsule of yesteryear, it’s an early talkie, it’s Mary Eaton’s finest performance but it’s also a cautionary film of what happens when Hollywood execs try to meddle with a film for the fear of not having enough star power and ends up hurting the film instead. Nevertheless, it’s still a fascinating, entertaining musical-comedy from 1929.
© 2019 Kino Lorber Inc. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: Glorifying the American Girl
DATE OF FILM RELEASE: 1929
DURATION: 95 Minutes
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1:20:1 aspect ratio, 1080p, Black and White/Color, 2.0 Stereo, English SDH Subtitles
COMPANY: Kino Classics
RATED: Not Rated
RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2019
Directed by Millard Webb
Story by J.P. McEvoy, Millard Webb
Producer: Monta Bell
Cinematography by George J. Folsey
Costume Design by John W. Harkrider
Starring:
Mary Eaton as Gloria Hughes
Eddie Cantor as Eddie Cantor
Helen Morgan as Helen Morgan
Rudy Vallee as Rudy Vallee
Dan Healy as Miller
Kay Renard as Mooney
Edward Crandall as Buddy
Gloria Shea as Barbara
Sarah Edwards as Mrs. Hughes
Noah Beery
Irving Berlin
Norman Brokenshire
Billie Burke
Desha Delteil
Texas Guinan
Nancy Kelly
Bull Montana
Louis Sorin
Jimmy Walker
Johnny Weissmuller
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.
Adolph Zukor
At the dawn of the talkies, Paramount Pictures poured its resources into a lavish movie intended to plant their flag in the American musical,
even as it was evolving. Mary Eaton stars as an aspiring showgirl who must choose between her on-stage career and the love of a young musician (Edward Crandall). Having licensed the name of Broadway’s most extravagant showman, producer Monta Bell recruited costume designer John W. Harkrider to stage elaborate musical tableaux worthy of the Ziegfeld name, and filmed them in Technicolor. The filmmakers further stacked the deck by inserting musical and comedy numbers featuring the biggest names of the Great White Way: Eddie Cantor, Rudy Vallee, and Helen Morgan (who performs her timeless torch song “What Wouldn’t I Do for That Man?”
In 1929, an American Pre-Code musical comedy titled “Glorifying the American Girl” was released.
Produced by Florenz Ziegfeld, it was a film that was made to highlight the Ziegfeld Follies and is presented in black and white and early Technicolor.
Directed by John W. Harkrider and Millard Web and written by J.P. McEvoy and Millard Web, the film would feature songs written by Irving Berlin, Walter Donaldson, Rudolf Friml, Dave Stamper and many more.
One of the most expensive films made at the time, with cameo appearances by many in the Hollywood film industry, cameo appearances were made by Rudy Vallee, Helen Morgan, Eddie Cantor and many more.
The main actress is Mary Eaton, a member of the Seven Little Eatons, who had appeared in the first Marx Brothers film, “The Cocoanuts” (1929). But it was a film that was created early, but not released due to the lack of starpower. And was released late and was a box office failure due to Paramount sitting on the film and other musicals that were released that year that would gain attention.
Fast forward to the ’50s and the film was cut from 96 to 87 minutes as producers whittled the film down as there were scenes that featured virtual nudity and revealing costumes that were removed.
The film is also believed to be the first film to use the word “damn”.
The film has now been released on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Kino Lorber and features the new UCLA restoration and includes the complete film, including the Technicolor sequences.
The film revolves around Gloria Hughes (portrayed by Mary Eaton) who dreams to one day become a singer/dancer for the Ziegfeld Follies.
To make ends meet, she works at a department store’s sheet music department and sings the latest hits of that time, while her boyfriend Buddy Moore (portrayed by Edward Crandall) plays the piano.
The two go on a date and end up going to a vaudeville performance where she meets performer Danny Miller (portrayed by Dan Healy), who asks her to become his new partner.
Because Gloria’s dream was to become a member of the Follies, she decides to leave her boyfriend behind and travels with Danny to New York City and pursue her dream.
But what happens when Danny is more interested in trying to sleep with Gloria than wanting to be her partner?
VIDEO:
“Glorifying the American Girl” is presented in 1080p High Definition, black and white and Technicolor. The film looks good for its age and while not pristine, with some scratches being able to be seen, this is probably the best version of the film to date, considering many who have saw the film, saw it when bad prints were being circulated.
The 2K Master is derived from the UCLA Film & Television Archive’s photochemical 35mm restoration.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Glorifying the American Girl” is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. For the most part, dialogue is clear through the front channels and no major problematic issues can be heard while listening to each film’s soundtrack.
Subtitles are in English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Glorifying the American Girl” comes with the following special features:
- Audio Commentary – Featuring audio commentary by Richard Barrios, author of “A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film”.
- Hollywood – City of Celluloid – A seven minute travelogue of early Hollywood.
- Hearst Metrotone News – Featuring backstage footage of Florenz Ziegfeld rehearsing dancers for a new stage production.
- La Cucaracha – A 1934 Technicolor short.
As a fan of pre-code Hollywood films, I was quite surprised but also thrilled that Kino Lorber was releasing the restored musical “Glorifying the American Girl”.
The film was rather interesting but also a film that has a problem with its pacing.
“Glorifying the American Girl” is Florenz Ziegfeld trying to create a Ziegfeld Follies musical, but to incorporate a dramatic storyline of a a young woman who is willing to pursue her dream to be cast in the Follies.
It doesn’t help that the protagonist Gloria Hughes is surrounded by people who care more about fame and fortune.
As Gloria wants to pursue her dream of becoming a folly, even if it means leaving her boyfriend that she has dated since childhood.
Her mother is more interested in the fame that it would bring her daughter and often makes her daughter angry or to let her know that she’s made bad decisions.
Gloria’s partner Danny Miller is more interested in having sex with her and because she doesn’t put up with his sexual advances (sexual harassment), he now wants to find a replacement partner and end Gloria’s career.
But when Gloria and her mother are thinking her career is over, a representative of Ziegfeld wants her to audition for a chance of a lifetime.
While the film tries to show how sacrifice and hardwork can pave the way for a bright future, the film spares no punches when it comes to showing the bad things in the industry. A lot that is still relevant today, from the industry backstabbing, the casting couch to overbearing mother who is obsessed with her daughter’s fame.
And once you start getting into the dramatic portion of the film, the film immediately transitions into Technicolor Ziegfeld Follies performances and Paramount’s meddling of trying to bring well-known stars and feature them on the big stage, in hopes that these big names will attract people to watch the film.
Personally, to have a film that is interesting to watch due to the drama, comedy and dancing was great but then, suddenly an abrupt change as the film wants to focus on the talent on stage and become a Ziegfeld Follies style of film, it really takes people out of the film and enjoy it.
But the message of the film is clear, whether or not it was the intention, but it’s one willing to become a Ziegfeld Follie cast member and the sacrifices one must take to make that dream come true.
The Blu-ray also comes with a travelogue featuring classic Hollywood, back stage footage featured in “Hollywood – City of Celluloid”, a Technicolor short film and more!
Overall, “Glorifying of American Girl” is a film which classic Hollywood cinema fans will enjoy. It’s a time capsule of yesteryear, it’s an early talkie, it’s Mary Eaton’s finest performance but it’s also a cautionary film of what happens when Hollywood execs try to meddle with a film for the fear of not having enough star power and ends up hurting the film instead. Nevertheless, it’s still a fascinating, entertaining musical-comedy from 1929.