Unreleased May Robson - Polly Moran film?

[Harlowgold]

In 1933, MGM placed full page ads for a film called COMIN' ROUND THE MOUNTAIN starring May Robson and Polly Moran, even to the point of having three different ads in circulation. Yet there appears to be no evidence of the film ever being released, completed, or even production begun. The latter option seems unlikely given the full page ads in movie magazines, usually those are not published very far in advance of release. I'm just wondering if the previews were so bad MGM shelved the release?? I have never read a word about this film anywhere beyond the ads and notices that it was on the MGM production schedule in old movie magazines. There were several later films named COMIN' ROUND THE MOUNTAIN but they appear to have no releation to this film; one of them even starred Una Merkel (with Bob Burns), who is listed as a second lead in the film. This was obviously an attempt to keep Moran in a team ala her work with the recently deceased Marie Dressler.

https://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/n ... 8weir_0591

[silentfilm]

Paramount and MGM announced films all the time in trade magazines that were never actually made. They likely did it because they wanted theater owners to sign up for a season's slate of movies. There is a big difference between expecting to screen a new Clara Bow film and a Clara Bow film with a title and a co-star attached.

[Harlowgold]

Paramount and MGM announced films all the time in trade magazines that were never actually made. They likely did it because they wanted theater owners to sign up for a season's slate of movies. There is a big difference between expecting to screen a new Clara Bow film and a Clara Bow film with a title and a co-star attached.

Yes, that's absolutely true that Variety, Film Daily, Moving Picture World, et al. had many such ads but there's a big difference between an ad in the trades (especially an ad that mentions or "pictures" multiple planned or upcoming films) , but MGM put fullpage ads in the fan movie magazines like Photoplay, New Movie, Modern Screen for this Robson/Moran project, I've never seen an ad for an unreleased, uncompleted, or even never started film before in these.

[odinthor]

I find these scanty references in the Los Angeles Times:



With the first item, a hasty search has unfortunately failed to reveal to me what the original title was; but I hope these other bits of data help.

[Brooksie]

It seems like this was one of those projects that was kicking around forever. It was originally announced as 'Hill Billies' in mid 1933, with Polly Moran and May Robson as leads, and Chic Sales and (coincidentally) Una Merkel in support. It was reconceived as a Marie-Dressler-Polly Moran vehicle later that year before Dressler's illness put it on the shelf in early 1934. Then they announced later that year that it would go ahead - now with Louise Fazenda and May Robson - but nothing came of that either.

As to why the Moran-Robson duo were being so hyped in the first place - my guess is that they saw the writing on the wall about Dressler's health and worked as hard as they could to form a comparable comedy team ahead of her passing.

[Harlowgold]

I find these scanty references in the Los Angeles Times:



With the first item, a hasty search has unfortunately failed to reveal to me what the original title was; but I hope these other bits of data help.

Thank you so much for these helpful clippings. Interesting that it was scheduled to go into production in early October yet a November clipping says it's still in pre-production. Someone must have boo-booed and not cancelled the movie mags ads for it later that year when the production apparently fell apart.

Polly Moran did find a new "partner" a few years later when Republic released two films starring the most Dressleresque of featured characters, the great Alison Skipworth, Two Wise Maids (1937) and Ladies in Distress (1938); Alison retired after the release of the latter film, hmmmm....

Has anyone seen either of these? Like most people, Marie's "team" pictures with Polly are my least favorite Dressler films even with adorable Anita Page in support. Polly Moran was eccentric alright but I don't find her particularly funny and lacking the acting skills of some of the other character actresses who plowed this road like the wonderful Maude Eburne.