WOW what a terrific film..... 27-year-old Helen Morgan is superb as the frowzy Kitty Darling, the burlesque queen who sends her daughter away to convent school only to have her fall into the clutches of her villainous lover.
Rouben Mamoulian does a spectacular job directing this VERY early all-talkie. Amazing camera angles and lighting, silhouettes, overlapping dialog, songs, music.... he completely captures the sleazy stage world on stage and off.
The film is a pleasure from the very opening with the playbill blowing across the street to Kitty's tragic ending and then ironic kiss between the lovers in front of her poster.
Joan Peers is very good as the daughter, Henry Wadsworth is also good as the young sailor, and Fuller Mellish Jr. is one rotten villain.
The DVD came with "extras" (which I usually never watch) that gave great background material on Helen Morgan, the censorship of the film, and the search for 200-lb former burlesque queens to "round out" the "Beef Trust." But Helen Morgan is just great.... she has all the pathos of Julie from SHOW BOAT (she starred in the original Broadway production) with a twinge of Shelley Winters.... Great performance!
Rouben Mamoulian does a spectacular job directing this VERY early all-talkie. Amazing camera angles and lighting, silhouettes, overlapping dialog, songs, music.... he completely captures the sleazy stage world on stage and off.
The film is a pleasure from the very opening with the playbill blowing across the street to Kitty's tragic ending and then ironic kiss between the lovers in front of her poster.
Joan Peers is very good as the daughter, Henry Wadsworth is also good as the young sailor, and Fuller Mellish Jr. is one rotten villain.
The DVD came with "extras" (which I usually never watch) that gave great background material on Helen Morgan, the censorship of the film, and the search for 200-lb former burlesque queens to "round out" the "Beef Trust." But Helen Morgan is just great.... she has all the pathos of Julie from SHOW BOAT (she starred in the original Broadway production) with a twinge of Shelley Winters.... Great performance!