Saturday, November 6, 2010

Silent Film Classic: "Our Dancing Daughters" (1928)



Silent Film Classic: "Our Dancing Daughters" (1928) is a true testament to classic silent film era films.
MGM Studios / Directed By: Harry Beaumont

Starring: Joan Crawford, Anita Page, Johnny Mack Brown, Nils Ashter, & Dorothy Sebastian


  • Nominated in 1930 for two Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography & Writing.
  • This film is also known to have made Joan Crawford a "star"
Plot:
"Our Dancing Daughters" is a love letter to the jazz age in classic films. This takes place in the roaring twenties where three young ladies are loving life and being flappers dancing and parting all night long with meeting all the dashing gentlemen that come along with it. Diana Medford (Crawford) is the socialite of the three ladies whom is famous for her dance routines at all the parties but other than that is down to earth. Another of the three friends is Ann (Page) whom is Diana's best friend. Ann is the gold digger of the three girls whom wants to lay her hands on a wealthy man. Ann is the sweet girl in acting while down deep is really a cold hearted person whom is truly out for herself. Beatrice (Sebastian) is the third of the three friends whom is a kind girl currently with a checkered past. The film starts with all three ladies getting ready to go to a big party where Diana does a rousing rendition of the "Charleston"...what a way to start the film!!!

During this big party Diana meets a dashing gentleman from the south named Ben Blaine (Mack Brown). Ben is a very wealthy man whom is smitten with Diana which is vice versa. Ann then finds out that Ben is wealthy and wants to marry him so pretends to be pure and innocent just what he wants out of a girl. Ann tells him that she wants to marry and have children just like what he wants for his life as well. Diana decides to step aside for Ann and Ben to start a relationship even though it is under false pretences that she is unaware of.

During this time Beatrice is getting married to man named Norman (Ashter). Norman is very disapproving of Beatrice's friends and when they come and visit them in there lovely home will always walk out and have nothing to do with them. This a truly lovely film to watch with the gowns designed by the famed Adrian (my all time favorite film costume designer) and the visually stunning Art-Deco sets.
Quote from film: "Come on, Miss Diane, strut your stuff!"







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