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perfectjazz78
Reviews
The Sap from Syracuse (1930)
Fun from a very young Ginger Rogers and Jack Oakie
I viewed a battered copy of this movie, taken from an old MCA-TV 16mm print. While it only contains one song, "How I Wish I Could Learn To Say I Love You", it still is fun to watch due to the intrigue of the on screen villains and their attempts to take over Ellen Saunders company. The half-wittedness of Littleton Looney fits Jack Oakie's acting style to a tea, thus his portrayal of an earth mover operator whom everyone thinks an engineer is believable.
Ginger Rogers is very young here and looks quite different than in her RKO or WB pictures. While not a sexy vixen here, her impish cuteness in this and 'Queen High' can be quite charming. This is her first starring role in a full length feature. Her first full length feature as a supporting actress is 'Young Man of Manhattan', in which she plays a marriage wrecking teenage flapper named Puff. This is worth seeking out as well.
Queen High (1930)
A delightful comedy
This is a great comedy with a few songs, which pop up at just the right moment. Unlike many 1929-1930 musicals, the songs usually pertain to the action and fit right in. None of the melodies are intrusive: they fit right in and are played in the score.... which is better than most 1929-1930 films. Music is used for effect in several key comedy scenes.
Also, this should be labeled one of the earliest screwball comedies. Ruggels and Morgan are great in their roles, and a VERY young Ginger Rogers is great as a cute flapper. You can also catch Elanor Powell dancing in one scene very briefly.
It is a shame that this movie is not widely available, as I enjoyed it more than most musicals of the 1929-1930 cycle.
Annabelle's Affairs (1931)
What's left is interesting
I've seen the only extant reel, and it indicates that the film is a witty precursor to the screwball comedies of the later 1930s.
Annabelle is trying to get back stock given to her by her husband (she foolishly gave it away as worthless), so she poses as a servant, along with her "high hat" friends, and secures a spot as servants. This is where the existing footage ends, but we do know that at the end of the movie, she gets back the stock.
And try to imagine Victor McLaglen with a mustache .
Maybe the film will turn up someday, hopefully with the Fox Movietone Follies of 1929.