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Any info of these films??

THE WATER HOLE '28
SHOPWORN ANGEL '28
CLOSE HARMONY '29
MANHATTAN COCKTAIL '28
ILLUSION '29

Thanks

IMBD, re Close Harmony: "A nitrate print of this film survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archives, and is not listed for preservation."

Grim news, considering all the songs Nancy (presumably) sings. Thinking of it rotting away in the can through neglect is more depressing than learning a picture has been lost to accidental mishaps.

Yes I saw that about Close Harmony. I believe Illusion is a goner as well as Manhattan Cocktail.

Yes I saw that about Close Harmony. I believe Illusion is a goner as well as Manhattan Cocktail.

According to the FIAF database, the Library of Congress has a 35mm nitrate negative of Illusion, as well as a 35mm acetate master positive. As always, the familiar caveat is included: "Inclusion of a title in this database does not guarantee its availability nor completeness. Users should contact individual archives for more information."

That's the good news. The bad news is, no hits at all for Manhattan Cocktail.

CLOSE HARMONY was restored by UCLA and played in a Paramount Precode festival I attended in Feb 2008. Here is a brief review I posted on another message board:


Just thought I would follow up with a brief report of the films at the Paramount Precode screening I attended last weekend.

Close Harmony (1929) with Buddy Rogers & Nancy Carroll
Scorecard: Very Good

Another musical pairing of these two stars whom I’d previously seen in Follow Thru. Nancy plays a musical performer of the live prologues staged before film screenings (think Footlight Parade) with Buddy trying to break in the biz with his jazz band. Although Nancy’s warbling and dancing skills are a little lacking here, her personality and screen appeal are quite evident and she is becoming a fast favorite of mine – and I can see how she was top box office actress of 1930. Buddy – much stronger in the singing department, however I swear every line of his dialogue contained the words “Gee” and “Swell”. Jack Oakie & Skeets Gallagher play a close harmony duo that horn in on Buddy’s debut. Climax of the film comes when Buddy gets his big break and wildly impresses the crowd by grabbing the trumpet and blasting a hot solo, then on to the tuba, then the drums, and ending with some great “waa, waa” licks on the trombone! And seriously – BR is truly playing all of these instruments! He ends by jumping on top of the white baby grand to sing the tune, and then somersaults off the piano to a end in a kneel in front of the audience! Overall a very razz-ma-tazz late 1920’s jazz hot type film.

CLOSE HARMONY was restored by UCLA and played in a Paramount Precode festival I attended in Feb 2008.

This film was restored by UCLA, but "is not slated for preservation" according to Imdb? Something doesn't jibe!!

But it wouldn't be the first mistake I've seen on that website. SETHB

If you go to the IMDB listing for this film, you can read another review by someone who also saw it that same weekend in 2008.

CLOSE HARMONY was restored by UCLA and played in a Paramount Precode festival I attended in Feb 2008. Here is a brief review I posted on another message board:


Just thought I would follow up with a brief report of the films at the Paramount Precode screening I attended last weekend.

Close Harmony (1929) with Buddy Rogers & Nancy Carroll
Scorecard: Very Good

Another musical pairing of these two stars whom I’d previously seen in Follow Thru. Nancy plays a musical performer of the live prologues staged before film screenings (think Footlight Parade) with Buddy trying to break in the biz with his jazz band. Although Nancy’s warbling and dancing skills are a little lacking here, her personality and screen appeal are quite evident and she is becoming a fast favorite of mine – and I can see how she was top box office actress of 1930. Buddy – much stronger in the singing department, however I swear every line of his dialogue contained the words “Gee” and “Swell”. Jack Oakie & Skeets Gallagher play a close harmony duo that horn in on Buddy’s debut. Climax of the film comes when Buddy gets his big break and wildly impresses the crowd by grabbing the trumpet and blasting a hot solo, then on to the tuba, then the drums, and ending with some great “waa, waa” licks on the trombone! And seriously – BR is truly playing all of these instruments! He ends by jumping on top of the white baby grand to sing the tune, and then somersaults off the piano to a end in a kneel in front of the audience! Overall a very razz-ma-tazz late 1920’s jazz hot type film.

Gee, I wish I'd been there to see that--it sounds swell! (Or rather, "fantabulous," as a cute half-wit I used to know was wont to say.) Nancy's singing is, admittedly, a little peculiar, but that face & personality make up for any vocal shortcommings. Most encouraging to hear that, against the odds, it has survived, but better news would be to see it available on DVD.

A beautiful complete restored print of CLOSE HARMONY was shown at Captolfest in Rome, NY on August 14, 2011.

I've seen SHOPWORN ANGEL at The Library of Congress but their 35mm print doesn't have the original 1928 soundtrack and is also missing the final reel.
It was also shown at Cinefest 29, Syracuse, NY on March 21, 2009.

A beautiful complete restored print of CLOSE HARMONY was shown at Captolfest in Rome, NY on August 14, 2011.

Wonderful for those who had the opportunity to see it there, but even if I'd been lucky enough to be among them, that wouldn't be sufficient--this is (I think!) the kind of picture I'd want to see many times.

It is very frustrating to know that these great films exist and there they sit in some archive.....You would think an institution like UCLA would have a program where a grad student in merchandising or film preservation would use a film as a project as part of a degree program. Even if the films were pressed to order at least they would get some use and appreciation. I am STILL waiting for UCLA to do something with Becky Sharp!!!

I'm still waiting for The Barker

It is very frustrating to know that these great films exist and there they sit in some archive.....

Make that "infuriating."

Wouldn't be nice to have a Depression Era box set on Blu Ray & DVD, particularly material like what is talked about in this page. I only know those titles from reading about them. Never bits from any of them.

Wouldn't be nice to have a Depression Era box set on Blu Ray & DVD, particularly material like what is talked about in this page. I only know those titles from reading about them. Never bits from any of them.

I am hoping that Universal will get on the bandwagon since it is their 100th anniversary-they did release a nice Paramount precode-set a while back -it was nice but no frills.....but I am not holding my breath-especially since the Deanna Durbin sweetheart pak was a mess of design and info-I think that they just don't care.....which is unfortunate..........

Have any of you seen "The Dance of Life" it's on youtube.

TCM showed it years ago.... Hal Skelly could have been a star.

C'mon somebody--put CLOSE HARMONY on Youtube! At this point in time everything from this era should be graciously made available!

or post it at archive.org

Where did they find the montage sequence in Manhattan Cocktail?