John McCormack Conquering America

[Neophone]

Folks,

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LqWMoBiXg8[/youtube]

Here's a clip I found relating to Count McCormack a while back, enjoy.

Regards,
John

[solophoneman]

Do you know if there is a DVD available of one of his only Movie staring roles,in "Song of My Heart" from 1929? It would be interesting to see him concert in that film.

Bruce

[MordEth]

Bruce,

As far as I have been able to determine (and perhaps someone else knows more), it seems to only be readily available on DVD as part of this 12 DVD box set, which Amazon lists for $179.99.

According to a review on that page:

This collection contains 2 F.W. Murnau films and 10 films directed by Frank Borzage from the late silent through the early talkie era. Many of these have long been unavailable.

Silent Films:

Murnau’s entries include:

Sunrise (1927) — The story of a farmer ready to forsake his wife and home for a city woman on vacation in their village. She suggests that the husband drown his wife and make it look like an accident. Beautiful visuals make you sorry the silent era ever ended. Already available on DVD in the Fox Best Picture Collection. This film won the only Oscar ever awarded for best artistic film.

City Girl (1930) — This film exists in a sound and silent version. I hope this version is the silent one I saw. Charles Farrell plays the son in a farming family sent to sell the family wheat crop. He doesn't get the money the family hoped for plus he returns with a city girl as wife. This film doesn't show life on the farm as the ideal, but shows the harsh economic reality of farming. As usual, Murnau will thrill you with his excellent visuals.

Borzage films:

Lazybones (1925) — A man nicknamed “Lazybones” raises a homeless girl. After she is grown, he begins to love her as a woman. This story may sound familiar, but Borzage throws some curves in along the way so don't expect the conventional ending or conventional journey to that ending.

Seventh Heaven (1928) — One of several popular pairings of Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor. Janet Gaynor plays a girl beaten almost to death by her sister who is rescued by Farrell, who plays a sewer worker who has become an atheist. The romance is interrupted by war. Farrell becomes a soldier, Gaynor becomes a munitions worker. Remade in the sound era, this silent version is much better. One of three films that won Janet Gaynor a Best Actress Oscar.

Street Angel (1928) — Janet Gaynor plays an Italian girl accused of being a street walker who hides from the police by joining a traveling circus. There she falls in love with a vagabond artist played by Charles Farrell. Full of splendid visuals.

Lucky Star (1929) — Janet Gaynor is again teamed with Charles Farrell in this late silent era film about a man who is left in wheelchair as a result of injuries suffered in World War I. This film gives Farrell more of a chance to show his acting abilities than his previous teamings with Janet Gaynor, although she gives a good performance too.

Talking films:

They Had to See Paris (1929) — Borzage directs Will Rogers' first talking picture. Will Rogers plays a homespun man who comes into money via an oil well. His wife decides they must go abroad to get some culture into their life. This film is a little stiff as are most early talkies, but it is still full of Will Rogers' unique brand of humor.

Liliom (1930) — Early talkie adaptation of the play with Charles Farrell in the title role. The sound on the prints I've been exposed to in the past has been terrible. Let’s hope that part of the reason for the cost of this set is cleaning up the sound.

Song O’ My Heart (1930) — Mainly made to exhibit the singing talent of John McCormack. Also, this is the film debut of Maureen O’Sullivan. The sound on this film the last time I saw it was terrible. It will be great to hear McCormack as others heard him eighty years ago.

Bad Girl (1931) — Won two Oscars — one for Borzage’s direction and another for adapted writing. This film is really about a struggling young couple’s ups and downs. I really have no idea why it is named “Bad Girl” unless it was because tantalizing titles sold tickets in the era of the precode film. Like the stars of many early talkies, the stars of this film did not have distinguished careers.

After Tomorrow (1932) — Charles Farrell stars in a genuine precode with lots of racy language. At heart, though, it is a melodrama like so much of Borzage’s work. Not well known probably due to its lack of exposure on TV or home video.

Young America (1932) — Spencer Tracy in a very early role. Tracy plays a druggist whose wife wants to adopt a kid who is constantly getting in trouble. His last brush with the law involves stealing medicine from Tracy’s drugstore.

This set also includes a documentary on Murnau, whose career was cut short by his death in a traffic accident in 1931, and Borzage, whose career as a director was quite active into the 1940s. Other announcements have claimed that what fragments exist of Borzage’s 1929 film, “The River”, shall also be in this set as an extra feature. That report is as of now unsubstantiated.

Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish.

I’ll let you know if I find it by itself or anywhere else.

— MordEth