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The David Manners Film Festival: "The Ruling Voice" and "Crooner"
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 18, 2012
"You can call me Kit, or
you can call me Franklin,
or you can call me Franklyn,
or you can call me Austin ..."
Of all the actors who appeared in 1930s movies, David Manners (1900-98) was certainly one of them.
Today he is best known for playing the straight man in monster movies like "Dracula," "T read more
The David Manners Film Festival: "The Ruling Voice" and "Crooner"
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 18, 2012
"You can call me Kit, or
you can call me Franklin,
or you can call me Franklyn,
or you can call me Austin ..."
Of all the actors who appeared in 1930s movies, David Manners (1900-98) was certainly one of them.
Today he is best known for playing the straight man in monster movies like "Dracula," "T read more
"A Free Soul," or Shearer Madness
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 15, 2012
The headline refers to previous Shearer pictures
"The Divorcee" and "Strangers May Kiss"
The climax of the 1931 film "A Free Soul" is a fourteen-minute continuous take -- a courtroom scene where Lionel Barrymore, as alcoholic attorney Stephen Ashe, back from a months-long bender, uses hi read more
"A Free Soul," or Shearer Madness
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 15, 2012
The headline refers to previous Shearer pictures
"The Divorcee" and "Strangers May Kiss"
The climax of the 1931 film "A Free Soul" is a fourteen-minute continuous take -- a courtroom scene where Lionel Barrymore, as alcoholic attorney Stephen Ashe, back from a months-long bender, uses hi read more
Salute Your Shorts: Popeye in "A Dream Walking" (1934)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 10, 2012
The Popeye cartoons that Dave Fleischer did at Paramount in the 1930s are unusually dense -- the backgrounds teem with detail and Popeye mutters about three times as much dialogue as he seems to be speaking. This cartoon is especially memorable to me -- maybe because of the storyline or maybe becaus read more
Salute Your Shorts: Popeye in "A Dream Walking" (1934)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 10, 2012
The Popeye cartoons that Dave Fleischer did at Paramount in the 1930s are unusually dense -- the backgrounds teem with detail and Popeye mutters about three times as much dialogue as he seems to be speaking. This cartoon is especially memorable to me -- maybe because of the storyline or maybe becaus read more
"Three on a Match," or Ladies and the Tramp
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 8, 2012
The 1932 film "Three on a Match" traces the lives of three women friends from their school days to adulthood. It also offers an interesting look at three actresses on different career trajectories, with the one in the least showy role going on to become the queen of the Warner Bros. lot into the ear read more
"Three on a Match," or Ladies and the Tramp
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 8, 2012
The 1932 film "Three on a Match" traces the lives of three women friends from their school days to adulthood. It also offers an interesting look at three actresses on different career trajectories, with the one in the least showy role going on to become the queen of the Warner Bros. lot into the ear read more
Salute Your Shorts: "The Night Court" (1927)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 5, 2012
One of the first sound shorts, filmed on a stage adjacent to where "The Jazz Singer" was shooting, this film features William Demarest (1892-1983), whose career would go from movies to a stint as Uncle Charley on "My Three Sons" to a twilight as one of Johnny Carson's favorite guests on "The Tonight read more
My Old Movie Manifesto, or It Happened One Night (at My Uncle's House While I Was Watching Old Gangster Movies)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 3, 2012
Now that I have written more than 50 posts, this seems like a good time to stop and explain why I love movies from the 1929-35 era. And since this is a blog where one picture (or one movie scene) speaks more than a thousand words, here's my lede:
This is what is known as "adding
visual intere read more
My Old Movie Manifesto, or It Happened One Night (at My Uncle's House While I Was Watching Old Gangster Movies)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 3, 2012
Now that I have written more than 50 posts, this seems like a good time to stop and explain why I love movies -- especially older movies, and particularly those from the 1929-35 era. And since this is a blog where one picture (or one movie scene) speaks more than a thousand words, here's my lede: read more
Awkward Early Talkie Theatre: "The Broadway Melody"
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 1, 2012
Star-struck sisters coming to New York, struggling songwriter, backstage drama, misguided love -- it's all there, and more, in the 1929 film "The Broadway Melody." It's like a cliche incubator. It also has those awkward little touches we love in early talkies -- hammy acting, stilted silences and a read more
Awkward Early Talkie Theatre: "The Broadway Melody"
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Oct 1, 2012
Star-struck sisters coming to New York, struggling songwriter, backstage drama, misguided love -- it's all there, and more, in the 1929 film "The Broadway Melody." It's like a cliche incubator. It also has those awkward little touches we love in early talkies -- hammy acting, stilted silences and a read more
"The Beast of the City," or Bang, Bang
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Sep 27, 2012
The 1932 film "The Beast of the City" opens with a long-winded bit of argle-bargle from President Herbert Hoover to the effect of, dude, if movies glamorize gangsters all the time, how about a movie that glamorizes the cops instead?
Louis B. Mayer, the head honcho of MGM, was a big Hoover supporter read more
"The Beast of the City," or Bang, Bang
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Sep 27, 2012
The 1932 film "The Beast of the City" opens with a long-winded bit of argle-bargle from President Herbert Hoover to the effect of, dude, if movies glamorize gangsters all the time, how about a movie that glamorizes the cops instead?
Louis B. Mayer, the head honcho of MGM, was a big Hoover supporter read more
Salute Your Shorts: "The Cowboy and the Girl" (1928)
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Sep 26, 2012
Vaudeville team (and real-life couple) Ray Mayer and Edith Evans. For their story, click here. read more
"Union Depot" and the Warner Regulars
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Sep 24, 2012
In their underrated 1978 film "Movie Movie" director Stanley Donen and screenwriters Larry Gelbart and Sheldon Keller paid homage to the 1930s movies they loved as kids. To do this, Gelbart and Keller wrote two 45-minute movies -- one a black-and-white boxing film, the other a musical in color -- so read more
"Union Depot" and the Warner Regulars
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Sep 24, 2012
In their underrated 1978 film "Movie Movie" director Stanley Donen and screenwriters Larry Gelbart and Sheldon Keller paid homage to the 1930s movies they loved as kids. To do this, Gelbart and Keller wrote two 45-minute movies -- one a black-and-white boxing film, the other a musical in color -- so read more
"Flying Down to Rio" and the Power of Intimate Dance
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Sep 21, 2012
Fred Astaire made his film debut in 1933's "Dancing Lady" as a dancer named, um, Fred Astaire. Preceding that film there had been a screen test where the evaluator wrote these infamous words: "Can't act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."
In his second film, 1933's "Flying Down to Rio," Astaire ha read more
"Flying Down to Rio" and the Power of Intimate Dance
The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on Sep 21, 2012
Fred Astaire made his film debut in 1933's "Dancing Lady" as a dancer named, um, Fred Astaire. Preceding that film there had been a screen test where the evaluator wrote these infamous words: "Can't act. Slightly bald. Can dance a little."
In his second film, 1933's "Flying Down to Rio," Astaire ha read more