true part-talkies

Harlett O'Dowd · Post by **Harlett O'Dowd** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:24 pm

finally got around to watching the Barthelmess epic WEARY RIVER and liked it - particularly Frank Lloyd's direction.

Very clever the way he used multiple angles (foreshadowing the 3-camera TV sitcom?) to keep the thing moving, with a couple of effective silent/moving camera shots as well.

Which made me wonder, just how many *true* part-talkies were there - and how many are still extant? Casting aside goat-glanded silents (LONESOME, SHOW BOAT, CHINATOWN NIGHTS(?)) how many films were *planned* and *executed* with, say, 30% or more talking/singing sequences in them?

I would include:

THE SINGING FOOL
MY MAN (lost)
WEARY RIVER

Others?

boblipton · Post by **boblipton** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:32 pm

Off the top of my head, from 1929:

The Flying Scotsman
Modern Love

Bob

earlytalkiebuffRob · Post by **earlytalkiebuffRob** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:51 pm

boblipton wrote:Off the top of my head, from 1929:

The Flying Scotsman
Modern Love

Bob

If my information is correct, THE FLYING SCOTSMAN was originally shown silent in 1929, then reissued in 1930 with the music and effects track plus the dialogue sequences. I have no idea if the silent version survives.

entredeuxguerres · Post by **entredeuxguerres** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:09 pm

How 'bout The Younger Generation, 1929? Which I like a lot, except for the film's seeming message that true happiness lies with a pushcart in Delancey St., rather than in aspirations for upward mobility.

I'd like Weary River better if some gimmick other than crooning, which necessitated the absurdity of dubbing, could have been devised as the means for the upward mobility of its hero. The song itself, however, I do like.

The alternations between spoken dialog & silent acting I find rather taxing, as just as I've adjusted to one or the other, the picture changes & forces me to readjust.

Brooksie · Post by **Brooksie** » Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:54 pm

Glad Rag Doll (1929) - lost - is another. I found that one in an Australian Warner Bros-First National trade advertisement, which also offered silent versions of Weary River, The Singing Fool and even The Desert Song to exhibitors who weren't yet wired.

Eric Cohen · Post by **Eric Cohen** » Sat Feb 28, 2015 5:02 am

Myrna Loy tells of the jarring experience of her and Conrad Nagel being "in the midst of a scene, sitting in a car, when someone came over: "We're going to put sound on the last half of this piece." So we tagged a dialogue sequence onto State Street Sadie" Warners 1928 - lost. Then her following films were intentional part-talkies: Midnight Taxi, Fancy Baggage, Hardboiled Rose Warners -all lost.
Stolen Kisses is another lost Vitaphone part-talker.
"The Shakedown, Universal, has been completed and Director William Wyler is now in the process of editing," says The Motion Picture News Sept.1, 1928. Then in Dec., Universal announces the goat-gland titles:
http://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/va ... 28-12_0081" target="_blank
and when released March 10, 1929, the movie is a "50 per cent talker."
http://lantern.mediahist.org/catalog/va ... 29-04_0090" target="_blank
GEH has the silent version.

moviepas · Post by **moviepas** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:18 am

Title
The Flying Scotsman (Original title) 1929
Film / Video
Materials held in the BFI National Archive

Accessible materials to view (5)

35mm BW Positive - Safety - Combined - 5279 Feet - Stock date: 1965 - - C-58713
Viewing - Film print can be requested for access (servicing required)

35mm BW Positive - Safety - Combined - 5301 Feet - Stock date: 1985 - - C-58721
Viewing - Film print can be requested for access (servicing required)

35mm BW Positive - Polyester - Silent - 6799 Feet - Stock date: 1994 - - C-752584
Viewing - Film print can be requested for access (servicing required)

D3 - Video - 103.46 minutes - 625 - PAL - - C-890196
Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access

VHS cassette - Video - 103.46 minutes - 625 - PAL - - C-890197
Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access

Video materials (3)

D3 - Video - 103.46 minutes - 625 - PAL - - C-890196
Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access

VHS cassette - Video - 103.46 minutes - 625 - PAL - - C-890197
Viewing - Videotape can be requested for access

HD Cam SR - Video - - C-1572502
Master - Restricted access to preserved videotape

Film materials (14)

35mm BW Positive - Safety - Combined - 5279 Feet - Stock date: 1965 - - C-58713
Viewing - Film print can be requested for access (servicing required)

35mm BW Positive - Safety - Combined - 5301 Feet - Stock date: 1985 - - C-58721
Viewing - Film print can be requested for access (servicing required)

35mm BW Positive - Polyester - Silent - 6799 Feet - Stock date: 1994 - - C-752584
Viewing - Film print can be requested for access (servicing required)

35mm Dupe Negative - Safety - Sound - 5302 Feet - Stock date: 1974 - - C-58718
Master - Restricted access to preserved film - suitable for duplication

35mm Dupe Negative - Safety - Mute - 5302 Feet - Stock date: 1974 - - C-58720
Master - Restricted access to preserved film - suitable for duplication

35mm Duplicating Lavender Positive - Nitrate - Silent - 6184 Feet - Stock date: 1929 - - C-58722
Master - Restricted access to preserved film

35mm Duplicating Negative - CTA - Silent - 6799 Feet - Stock date: 1993 - - C-752583
Master - Restricted access to preserved film

35mm Duplicating Positive - Safety - Silent - 5302 Feet - Stock date: 1974 - - C-58716
Master - Restricted access to preserved film (servicing required)

35mm Duplicating Positive - CTA - Silent - 170 Feet - Stock date: 1994 - - C-804204
Master - Restricted access to preserved film

35mm Duplicating Positive - Mute - - C-58725
Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status

35mm Master - Sound - - C-58724
Status pending - Material requires inspection to determine preservation or access status

35mm Master Positive - Safety - Sound - 5302 Feet - Stock date: 1974 - - C-58717
Master - Restricted access to preserved film (servicing required)

35mm Original Negative - Nitrate - Sound - 5302 Feet - Stock date: 1929 - - C-58715
Master - Restricted access to preserved film

35mm Original Negative - Nitrate - Mute - 5302 Feet - - C-58714
Master - Restricted access to preserved film

moviepas · Post by **moviepas** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:27 am

The Flying Scotsman(1929) should not be confused with the 1957 British feature, The Flying Scot, which came into my collection last week. When I looked up the 1929 film, I got the title on a page and the information they had not footage in the Collection at BFI but the details were that for the 1957 film. I got the correct reference above searching under Ray Milland and on Page 13 of 17 I found the link to the holdings. This is a common problem searching at BFI Collections.

The 1929 part-talkie film was on an early DVD disc from USA with two other titles, if I remember correctly, from one of those small budget labels which seems to have gone now and their name escapes me. The quality was reasonably good.

earlytalkiebuffRob · Post by **earlytalkiebuffRob** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:31 am

moviepas wrote:Title
The Flying Scotsman (Original title) 1929
Film / Video
Materials held in the BFI National Archive

Accessible materials to view

Many thanks for that. Had no idea so much material was extant, tho' I did have a VHS a while back which was pretty awful quality...

earlytalkiebuffRob · Post by **earlytalkiebuffRob** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 7:32 am

moviepas wrote:The Flying Scotsman(1929) should not be confused with the 1957 British feature, The Flying Scot, which came into my collection last week. When I looked up the 1929 film, I got the title on a page and the information they had not footage in the Collection at BFI but the details were that for the 1957 film. I got the correct reference above searching under Ray Milland and on Page 13 of 17 I found the link to the holdings. This is a common problem searching at BFI Collections.

The 1929 part-talkie film was on an early DVD disc from USA with two other titles, if I remember correctly, from one of those small budget labels which seems to have gone now and their name escapes me. The quality was reasonably good.

Pleased to see THE FLYING SCOT is available. Now to find a copy!

moviepas · Post by **moviepas** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:26 pm

The Flying Scotsman [DVD] [1929]
Moore Marriott (Actor, Primary Contributor), Pauline Johnson (Actor, Primary Contributor), & 1 more Rated: Parental Guidance Format: DVD

Price: £10.00 & FREE Delivery in the UK. Details

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FyehYe2zL.jpg" target="_blank

Norma Desmond · Post by **Norma Desmond** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 10:50 pm

[quote="Harlett O'Dowd
Casting aside goat-glanded silents (LONESOME, SHOW BOAT, CHINATOWN NIGHTS(?))

"goat-glanded silents " Pardon my ignorance, but what does this mean?

Post by **Mike Gebert** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 11:28 pm

Goat glanded silents are ones that had sound sequences grafted on after production was finished, or close to, as a silent. (The term is a reference to the procedure practiced by doctors such as this fellow for giving new vitality to the over the hill.)

Norma Desmond · Post by **Norma Desmond** » Sun Mar 01, 2015 11:36 pm

Mike Gebert wrote:Goat glanded silents are ones that had sound sequences grafted on after production was finished, or close to, as a silent. (The term is a reference to the procedure practiced by doctors such as this fellow for giving new vitality to the over the hill.)

Thank you!

entredeuxguerres · Post by **entredeuxguerres** » Mon Mar 02, 2015 8:37 am

Goat-glands are the bunk. Dr. Voronoff is the man to trust for this procedure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_Voronoff" target="_blank

Norma Desmond · Post by **Norma Desmond** » Mon Mar 02, 2015 11:56 am

entredeuxguerres wrote:Goat-glands are the bunk. Dr. Voronoff is the man to trust for this procedure:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serge_Voronoff" target="_blank" target="_blank

Thanks. Looked him up. BTW, one can get the job done cheaper with Dr. Ming the Merciless.

maliejandra · Post by **maliejandra** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 8:21 am

The Love Trap with Laura La Plante

wich2 · Post by **wich2** » Tue Mar 03, 2015 11:20 am

>Goat-glands are the bunk. Dr. Voronoff is the man to trust for this procedure:<

My guy for such work is Professor Presbury!

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