(71 mins.) Released 1933-09-08
Director: Alexander Hall, George Somnes
Stars: Claudette Colbert, Ricardo Cortez, David Manners, Lyda Roberti
drama, musical, romance
originally posted 7 Oct 2017 20:58
I'm going out of sequence; this isn't released until Sept '33, but it shares a 1932 disc, so while I have that binder out... This is a pre-Code melodrama, and Claudette Colbert does her own singing again. Lyda Roberti appears, but not for long.
The lyricist for these songs is Leo Robin, who penned songs for some of the movies already on this list: Monte Carlo, Monkey Business, and Horse Feathers, and plenty of films to come. His songs were also used in non-musical films, and he was active in film from 1929 to 1955, and stage shows from '27-'54. Beyond the Blue Horizon and Thanks for the Memory are two of his biggest.
Even though Colbert can carry a tune, I can see why she didn't make many musicals. Then again, with better arrangements, she could have. This story is maudlin, so the songs are sung to match.
One of the interesting supporting players was Mildred Washington, who died at age 28 the day before this movie was released. She played CC's maid, had plenty of lines and plenty of personality, sassy but sweet. Among her 12 credits is Hearts in Dixie (1929), an all-black musical that preceded Hallelujah! by a few months; looks like it's unavailable.
Brace yourself for a sappy ending.
Paramount, dir. Hall & Somnes, 6
