Tweet Christina (1929)

Does anyone know whether the Janet Gaynor/Rudolph Schildkraut talkie CHRISTINA (1929) exists or is lost? I can't find a definite answer one way or another.

Does anyone know whether the Janet Gaynor/Rudolph Schildkraut talkie CHRISTINA (1929) exists or is lost? I can't find a definite answer one way or another.

Good question. I think lost, but I'd sure like to see it.

This probably adds nothing that wasn't known, but William K. Everson calls it lost in his William K. Howard career overview for Between Action and Cut in 1985.

Christina, incidentally, is one of a few 1928-29 films that were initially released silent (or in this case, with a Movietone score) and then reissued as a part-talkie. It opened in New York in late March 1929 as the former, but doesn't seem to have played many other dates before Fox decided to re-tool it. The film reappeared as a part-talkie in November 1929.

Thankfully, Janet Gaynor does have a pretty good survival rate: her only credited features that are lost or unaccounted for seem to be The Midnight Kiss (1926), Two Girls Wanted (1927), 4 Devils (1928), Christina (1929) and her cameo in La ciudad de cartón (1934).

-Harold

Christina, incidentally, is one of a few 1928-29 films that were initially released silent (or in this case, with a Movietone score) and then reissued as a part-talkie. It opened in New York in late March 1929 as the former, but doesn't seem to have played many other dates before Fox decided to re-tool it. The film reappeared as a part-talkie in November 1929.

Fox did this with a few Gaynor features, 4 Devils and Lucky Star being the others

Thankfully, Janet Gaynor does have a pretty good survival rate: her only credited features that are lost or unaccounted for seem to be The Midnight Kiss (1926), Two Girls Wanted (1927), 4 Devils (1928), Christina (1929) and her cameo in La ciudad de cartón (1934).

-Harold

Unfortunately there are a couple of ones I've been dying to see which haven't seen the light of day yet, High Society Blues (1930) and Merely Mary Ann (1931). The UCLA Archive website used to list High Society Blues, but I don't see it there anymore on their database. Any idea where this and Merely Mary Ann are??

Edit: I got a "session timed out" message when clicking on the link to UCLA's database, so here's the whole entry for High Society Blues:
*************************************************
High society blues / Twentieth Century-Fox.
1930.
Genre(s)/Form(s): Features.
BBID (expression): 50758
Database: Film and Television Archive

Location: Non-circulating Nitrate Vaults research copy
Inventory Number: M16274
Collection: MP Motion Picture Collection
Format: 5 reels of 5 (ca. 10000 ft.) : opt sd. ; 35 mm. nitrate print.
Notes: Archival copy. Not available for viewing. Contact the Research and Study Center for further information. Reserved for preservation.
NOTES: Studio print. Title on can: High school blues. LOCATION: F46-L47-2.
Rev. August 29, 2000, my.
HLDID (manifestation): 90071
*************************************************
I haven't found an archival source for Merely Mary Ann but the 1931-40 AFI catalogue has it marked "print viewed"--although said viewing would've been in the early 90s when the catalogue was being compiled.

And since we're on the subject of Janet rarities, here's a Victor picture record issued in 1933 featuring songs from Adorable (it's actually by the Leo Reisman orchestra; JG and Henri Garat don't sing on it):
http://www.popsike.com/pix/20100426/220595775284.jpg

And the other side:
http://www.icollector.com/images/255/12290/12290_21299_1_lg.jpg

-Harold

I would love to see THE MAN WHO CAME BACK(1931). Janet and Charley, in quite atypical roles for them, directed by Raoul Walsh.

I would love to see THE MAN WHO CAME BACK(1931). Janet and Charley, in quite atypical roles for them, directed by Raoul Walsh.

It's pretty good, though at 70 or so minutes Gaynor & Farrell's descent into hell and redemption is kinda abrupt--though it's been a few years since I've seen it. The scenes in the opium den are the highlight of the film.

I envy you.

I would be interested to see how Charley Farrell did in the role that George O'Brien had had such a success with 7 years before. Murnau saw it in Berlin and was so impressed with George's performance as the down and out, drug addicted "man who came back", that he asked to see it again once he was at Fox in 1926 casting "Sunrise".

"The Man Who Came Back" became "The Man".






"This bar of likker is now a bar of justice!"

Thought you all might enjoy the 1933 Janet Gaynor Henri Garat picture, Adorable


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqAhDTPx5hc

Merely Merely Ann is housed in Museum of Modern Art in NYC and is available for viewing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=647UtXHw00A

from Christina....