James Dunn, who had been on the stage, was Fox's resident "young man about town". A lot of his films were pre-coders so they always had a darker side and because he could sing and dance he was often in musicals as well. He and Shirley Temple had great chemistry in their films together ("Stand Up and Cheer", "Baby, Take a Bow" and "Bright Eyes") but he also teamed with the beautiful Sally Eilers and Boots Mallory.
Mallory was the star of "Hello Sister", the film that was going to take her to the top. Unfortunately, Fox bosses were worried about Erich Von Stroheim's concept and quickly replaced him with the mediocre Alan Crosland. The grittiness and reality that was in the film was replaced by a simpering "boy meets girl in the big city" romance. The review in the N.Y. Times started glowingly with high praise for James Dunn and Boots Mallory but felt the film became bogged down in mediocrity half way through.
Millie (Zasu Pitts) and Peggy (Boots Mallory) are two small town girls trying to make their way in the big city. Walking down Broadway (the film's original title) in the hope of meeting a couple of nice boys, they meet Jimmy (James Dunn) and Mac (Terence Ray). Jimmy is paired up with Millie, but much prefers the prettier Peggy. They go to Coney Island and on the way home rescue a little dog that has been run over.
After a few months (and some news from a doctor) Peggy and Jimmy decide to get married. The future looks bright but Millie is not happy and decides to make trouble. Mac tells Jimmy that he has already "had" Peggy the first time they met, and Millie backs him up. In reality Mac had tried to rape Peggy but was stopped by Mona (Minna Gombell). Jimmy is distraught and leaves Peggy at the marriage license bureau.
Millie has a change of heart and convinces Jimmy she was jealous of their love. There is then an explosion in Peggy's building. A small subplot involved a drunken tenant who was always taking explosives up to his room. Of course Peggy and Jimmy are reunited and look forward to a rosy future together. Von Stroheim's influence is very much in evidence, the underlying mood is sombre. Why the title change is a mystery - "Hello Sister" sounds like a Zasu Pitts comedy and even though she was billed as the female star, she was definitely a supporting player. Stroheim had great faith in Pitt's dramatic abilities. She was magnificent as the miserly Mina in his production of "Greed" but her quirky mannerisms and whiney voice showed up in talking films and she was destined for a career playing "characters". Apparently in Von Stroheim's version of "Hello Sister", Pitt's role was that of a psychopathic girlfriend but with another director her part ended up as another comedy spinster.
Boots Mallory was a lovely leading lady, who deserved a better career. Unfortunately with "Hello Sister" - it was goodbye Boots!!!
Greatly Recommended.
Mallory was the star of "Hello Sister", the film that was going to take her to the top. Unfortunately, Fox bosses were worried about Erich Von Stroheim's concept and quickly replaced him with the mediocre Alan Crosland. The grittiness and reality that was in the film was replaced by a simpering "boy meets girl in the big city" romance. The review in the N.Y. Times started glowingly with high praise for James Dunn and Boots Mallory but felt the film became bogged down in mediocrity half way through.
Millie (Zasu Pitts) and Peggy (Boots Mallory) are two small town girls trying to make their way in the big city. Walking down Broadway (the film's original title) in the hope of meeting a couple of nice boys, they meet Jimmy (James Dunn) and Mac (Terence Ray). Jimmy is paired up with Millie, but much prefers the prettier Peggy. They go to Coney Island and on the way home rescue a little dog that has been run over.
After a few months (and some news from a doctor) Peggy and Jimmy decide to get married. The future looks bright but Millie is not happy and decides to make trouble. Mac tells Jimmy that he has already "had" Peggy the first time they met, and Millie backs him up. In reality Mac had tried to rape Peggy but was stopped by Mona (Minna Gombell). Jimmy is distraught and leaves Peggy at the marriage license bureau.
Millie has a change of heart and convinces Jimmy she was jealous of their love. There is then an explosion in Peggy's building. A small subplot involved a drunken tenant who was always taking explosives up to his room. Of course Peggy and Jimmy are reunited and look forward to a rosy future together. Von Stroheim's influence is very much in evidence, the underlying mood is sombre. Why the title change is a mystery - "Hello Sister" sounds like a Zasu Pitts comedy and even though she was billed as the female star, she was definitely a supporting player. Stroheim had great faith in Pitt's dramatic abilities. She was magnificent as the miserly Mina in his production of "Greed" but her quirky mannerisms and whiney voice showed up in talking films and she was destined for a career playing "characters". Apparently in Von Stroheim's version of "Hello Sister", Pitt's role was that of a psychopathic girlfriend but with another director her part ended up as another comedy spinster.
Boots Mallory was a lovely leading lady, who deserved a better career. Unfortunately with "Hello Sister" - it was goodbye Boots!!!
Greatly Recommended.