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Hey, it's Marion Davies Day on TCM folks! I am somewhat disappointed that they are only showing three of Her Silent films, and the rest are all talkies. Also there are no Silent premiers. Not even QUALITY STREET which has been on DVD, but not on TCM. Plus THE RED MILL is on so early in the morning. That's probably not going to boost the sales of the Warner Archive release. Hopefully, THE PATSY will be out soon. Despite all that it is wonderful to see Marion finally being honored like this. Has anyone seen the Silent version of MARIANNE?

On the plus side, many of the sound films have not been shown in years. The talkies do emphasize the fact that Marion was indeed a great actress and continued her career as a major star, not an Also-ran, (as many people still believe) well into the Mid 1930's! GOING HOLLYWOOD is an amazing film and really showcases Marion's great depth of talent. As do PEG O' MY HEART, OPERATOR 13, and others.

I wonder is it at all possible that we could be seeing the Thames Silents edition of SHOW PEOPLE tomorrow, instead of the one that they normally run? I ask this because the recent Warner Chat seemed to clearly indicate that the plan was to release the Kevin Brownlow version on DVD with Carl Davis music score, and not the vintage Axt-Mendoza track one they have been airing. Plus it is a Prime-time telecast. Now I have no problem if it isn't because I love the Axt-Mendoza one. It was the first version I saw and I am kind of partial to it. Nevertheless, it would be very nice to have a better copy of the Photoplay edition. It likely won't happen, but we should be prepared just in case that it does.

So does anyone know if TCM has ever aired the Thames version of SHOW PEOPLE? It was released on MGM/UA home video in VHS format. Though the laser-disc had Axt-Mendoza track? That had to be a Mix-up? The Jacket says Thames Silents, but it was not?

Nice tribute to Marion. Thanks. I also enjoyed the sheet music cover to the theme song "Cross Roads". I would love to know who sang that during the credits of "Show People". It sounded a lot like Ramon Novarro, but I know it wasn't him.

Danny

Even IMDb doesn't list the singer of "Cross Roads."

Interestingly, when Marion is saying goodbye to Billy Boone (William Haines), King Vidor is purposely echoing the goodbye scene between John Gilbert and Renee Adoree from The Big Parade.

And I believe the finale, on the set of a WW I film is the actual set of Marianne, which was Davies' next film. Whether it's the silent version with Oscar Shaw or the talkie version with Lawrence Gray I don't know, more likely the silent.

I dont have TCM (damn you CA cable providers) but my Grandmother had to call and tell me all about it. She liked Show People, and then she liked the one with Marie Dressler. I think she liked Marie over Marion but she said they were pretty good films.

I still want to see Show People...I missed it on the big screen a few weeks ago and I've hated myself ever since. Charlie's in it (the lion cage)!

Show People is glorious, a loving paean to the dying art of silent comedy, with some wonderful documentary style footage of old Hollywood. There's a ton of cameos ranging from Douglas Fairbanks to Mae Murray. It's absolutely essential as a comedy, as a satire, and as a document of its time.

Oh and Marion's pretty good in it too. She does a dynamite Gloria Swanson, and shows off her dynamic comedic timing throughout. It's a shame W.R. wouldn't let her take a pie to her face...that would be "undignified".

I marvel at the fact that King Vidor could direct two films as disparate in tone and style as The Crowd and Show People in the same year, and succeed so marvellously with both. Plus, The Patsy ain't too shabby either.

It's odd that Hearst would not let Marion take a pie in the puss but okayed a seltzer spray.

But then later he thought it was ok for Marion to be filmed riding a big pig?

It's a great film, and both Davies and William Haines are terrific in it.

According to Basinger, Davies arranged for Hearst to be away from the set the day the did the seltzer bit, so he couldn't object.

Not sure about the pig bit though. I assume the fact that a double is used for scene has something to do with it.

LOL... yes but it's still hard to imagine Hearst okaying Davies or a stunt double, riding a pig. He must have been off the set that day too.

Davies probably would have been game.

In the scene where Davies and Haines break up and say goobye, King Vidor was purposely channeling and redoing the John Gilbert/Renee Adoree goodbye scene from The Big Parade.

Also a hoot is when Marion/Peggy spots Marion Davies strolling on the lot....

drednm wrote:LOL... yes but it's still hard to imagine Hearst okaying Davies or a stunt double, riding a pig. He must have been off the set that day too.

And didn't view the rushes or the pre-release screenings, either.

Fred

I have an active alternative universe going on inside my head, and when I see Show People, I finish the film with my own ending.

In this alternate universe, WRH has a great sense of humor, so when they talk about putting a pie in Marion's face, Hearst says: That's good, but I want to do a bit role playing a grouchy producer, who gets a pie in the face at the end...but I'll do it only if I get to put a pie in Vidor's face too!

So in the fracas at the end, we get pies in the face for Davies, Hearst, and in a little tag, Vidor himself.

This is related to my other alternate-universe scene of Citizen Kane (the scene we never got to see) where Kane takes Susan Alexander to a movie, and we see a clip from Show People, and it's a really spectacular boquet of flowers to the talents of Marion, and we see everyone in the audience laughing but Kane, who doesn't have much of a sense of humor.