A few words about…™ Our Dancing Daughters – in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Our Dancing Daughters is one of the great horror films of the era. I'm not referring to content, but rather condition. A quality print hasn't been seen in decades.

The new Blu-ray from Warner Archive is harvested via a new 4k scan from a safety dupe made in the '60s presumably from a nitrate lavender.

I'm told that the original was showing decomp as early as 1952, when it was not even 25 years old.

The result of the restoration, much like that of Chips is the stuff that dreams are made of. Having not seen it in years, something strange came to the fore.

The film was an early sound hybrid - a silent production, with some bits of sound added, along with music and effects. The release date was July of 1928.

But the film's speed is off. Running it at 24fps - sound speed - shows that it was obviously shot at what appears to be 20-21.

It wouldn't have been shot much earlier as Ms Crawford, who was about 23 at the time, wouldn't have had this role much earlier. She's been doing bits and small roles beginning in 1923.

It remains one of the quintessential jazz-age stories, as well as having a strong female character in the lead.

Worthy of your time, and essential if you have an interest in the silent era.

Because of the number of gens involved, the image will be seen as overall soft, but this is a beautifully produced restoration, with more than enough meat on the gray scale and nice blacks.


Image – 3.25

Audio – 5

Pass / Fail – Pass

Works up-rezzed to 4k - Yes

Upgrade from DVD - You better believe it!

Recommended

RAH


Thank you for supporting HTF when you preorder using the link below. As an Amazon Associate, HTF earns from qualifying purchases. If you are using an adblocker you will not see link.

See on Amazon

 

[Bert Greene]

What the bloomin' heck? Here I order from Warner Archive a Johnny Mack Brown film, and this is what I get? Not a single saloon brawl with Fred Kohler, nor a shootout with Harry Woods. Not even a comical interlude with a crusty Raymond Hatton. Nope, I get Johnny in a tuxedo, mulling around with a bunch of young society swells, all downing cocktails and dancing the black bottom! If I can find my fountain pen around here, I'm going to write a most pointed letter to that Feltenstein fellow and give him a piece of my mind. This just ain't right.

Actually, it's pretty amazing how good the blu-ray looks. I had the old VHS release from over thirty years ago. Hadn't watched the film in many, many years. True, the film is a tad glossy, a tad soapy, for my tastes, but it's still pretty entertaining. It zips along briskly, is never dull, and builds up quite a bit of steam as it goes along, with Crawford displaying obvious star presence, and Anita Page really loaded for bear by the end.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was listening to the old, original soundtrack and recognizing so many of the then-contemporary tunes. At the very opening, when we see Crawford dressing, we hear "Under the Moon." The band at the party plays "That's My Weakness Now" as Crawford does her table dance, then going into "The Wobbly Walk" when she's on the dance floor. Still at the party, we get "Is She My Girlfriend?" as Page, Brown, and Crawford are mixing on the sofa. The most spotlighted tune (the only one that wore thin for me) was "Lonely Little Bluebird," apparently Dorothy Sebastian's theme, which popped up repeatedly.

But it was interesting how consciously thought-out these musical bits were. After "Here I Am Broken-Hearted," when Anita Page goes to snidely lord over news of her engagement in front of Crawford, we hear a brief bit of "Mine, All Mine," a cynical song about predatory matrimony. Then, when Sebastian and Crawford are walking on the sidewalk, and the old gang drives by in their auto and stops, we're instrumentally hearing "Ten Little Miles from Town," whose opening lyrics are 'hop in my car, come see how happy we are...' Later on, when Page and Nugent are conspiring to go to the final party, we hear "Me and the Boyfriend" (an older tune, from 1924). And when Page arrives there, all drunk and angry, we get "I Feel Low Down" played at a pretty fast clip. There was another familiar tune when Nils Asther is around, but I couldn't seem to pin it down in my head. Two or three others as well. But anyway, all the various familiar musical bits added to the fun.

 

[Robert Harris]

What the bloomin' heck? Here I order from Warner Archive a Johnny Mack Brown film, and this is what I get? Not a single saloon brawl with Fred Kohler, nor a shootout with Harry Woods. Not even a comical interlude with a crusty Raymond Hatton. Nope, I get Johnny in a tuxedo, mulling around with a bunch of young society swells, all downing cocktails and dancing the black bottom! If I can find my fountain pen around here, I'm going to write a most pointed letter to that Feltenstein fellow and give him a piece of my mind. This just ain't right.

Actually, it's pretty amazing how good the blu-ray looks. I had the old VHS release from over thirty years ago. Hadn't watched the film in many, many years. True, the film is a tad glossy, a tad soapy, for my tastes, but it's still pretty entertaining. It zips along briskly, is never dull, and builds up quite a bit of steam as it goes along, with Crawford displaying obvious star presence, and Anita Page really loaded for bear by the end.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was listening to the old, original soundtrack and recognizing so many of the then-contemporary tunes. At the very opening, when we see Crawford dressing, we hear "Under the Moon." The band at the party plays "That's My Weakness Now" as Crawford does her table dance, then going into "The Wobbly Walk" when she's on the dance floor. Still at the party, we get "Is She My Girlfriend?" as Page, Brown, and Crawford are mixing on the sofa. The most spotlighted tune (the only one that wore thin for me) was "Lonely Little Bluebird," apparently Dorothy Sebastian's theme, which popped up repeatedly.

But it was interesting how consciously thought-out these musical bits were. After "Here I Am Broken-Hearted," when Anita Page goes to snidely lord over news of her engagement in front of Crawford, we hear a brief bit of "Mine, All Mine," a cynical song about predatory matrimony. Then, when Sebastian and Crawford are walking on the sidewalk, and the old gang drives by in their auto and stops, we're instrumentally hearing "Ten Little Miles from Town," whose opening lyrics are 'hop in my car, come see how happy we are...' Later on, when Page and Nugent are conspiring to go to the final party, we hear "Me and the Boyfriend" (an older tune, from 1924). And when Page arrives there, all drunk and angry, we get "I Feel Low Down" played at a pretty fast clip. There was another familiar tune when Nils Asther is around, but I couldn't seem to pin it down in my head. Two or three others as well. But anyway, all the various familiar musical bits added to the fun.

You know your music. Thank you for posting!

 

[octobercountry]

But it was interesting how consciously thought-out these musical bits were.

Thanks for the detailed list of tunes used on the soundtrack! I know a few of them, but most of these references would have flown right over my head.

 

[octobercountry]

I have a copy of the disc at hand, but haven't watched the entire film yet, other than a quick peek. Am very much looking forward to viewing this; the print that had been running on TCM these many years was in terrible condition.

The picture does perhaps look a bit soft, but the restoration is remarkable; I daresay this is the best we will ever see this film look. Would it be accurate to say that the dupe negative from which the blu-ray is derived, is a third-generation element?

I'm so surprised---though very pleased!---this film got a restoration. Now, how about the other two films in the "trilogy"---would love to see high-quality transfers of "Our Modern Maidens" and "Our Blushing Brides."

 

[Robert Harris]

I have a copy of the disc at hand, but haven't watched the entire film yet, other than a quick peek. Am very much looking forward to viewing this; the print that had been running on TCM these many years was in terrible condition.

The picture does perhaps look a bit soft, but the restoration is remarkable; I daresay this is the best we will ever see this film look. Would it be accurate to say that the dupe negative from which the blu-ray is derived, is a third-generation element?

I'm so surprised---though very pleased!---this film got a restoration. Now, how about the other two films in the "trilogy"---would love to see high-quality transfers of "Our Modern Maidens" and "Our Blushing Brides."

Yes, appears to be third.

 

[octobercountry]

I've now watched the entire film, and while the picture is a bit soft throughout, it's a tremendous improvement over the previously available version, no contest. And honestly, seems to me that a lot of the film may have been shot a bit on the soft-focus side originally, so I'm not sure just how sharp the original negative was to begin with.

Interesting, that while this film was advertised as being all about moderns---"flaming youth" and all that---at heart it's a very old-fashioned morality tale. Of the three girls, only the "good" one gets a truly happy ending.

 

[octobercountry]

I had occasionally thought, in the past, that I'd like to see this film with a proper silent film score---full orchestra, newly recorded in stereo. But I have to say that I do appreciate the original soundtrack now, much more than I did before, since learning that so much care was taken to match the tunes heard to what is happening on-screen.

On other sites I've read complaints about the image being too soft, but man, really.... Given the state of the original elements, this is the best we will ever see this film---it's a great restoration, what's to complain about? Plus, I do still think that the medium shots and close-ups were originally shot with some diffusion, so the camera negative image was not all that sharp in the first place.

 

[djwein]

What the bloomin' heck? Here I order from Warner Archive a Johnny Mack Brown film, and this is what I get? Not a single saloon brawl with Fred Kohler, nor a shootout with Harry Woods. Not even a comical interlude with a crusty Raymond Hatton. Nope, I get Johnny in a tuxedo, mulling around with a bunch of young society swells, all downing cocktails and dancing the black bottom! If I can find my fountain pen around here, I'm going to write a most pointed letter to that Feltenstein fellow and give him a piece of my mind. This just ain't right.

Actually, it's pretty amazing how good the blu-ray looks. I had the old VHS release from over thirty years ago. Hadn't watched the film in many, many years. True, the film is a tad glossy, a tad soapy, for my tastes, but it's still pretty entertaining. It zips along briskly, is never dull, and builds up quite a bit of steam as it goes along, with Crawford displaying obvious star presence, and Anita Page really loaded for bear by the end.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was listening to the old, original soundtrack and recognizing so many of the then-contemporary tunes. At the very opening, when we see Crawford dressing, we hear "Under the Moon." The band at the party plays "That's My Weakness Now" as Crawford does her table dance, then going into "The Wobbly Walk" when she's on the dance floor. Still at the party, we get "Is She My Girlfriend?" as Page, Brown, and Crawford are mixing on the sofa. The most spotlighted tune (the only one that wore thin for me) was "Lonely Little Bluebird," apparently Dorothy Sebastian's theme, which popped up repeatedly.

But it was interesting how consciously thought-out these musical bits were. After "Here I Am Broken-Hearted," when Anita Page goes to snidely lord over news of her engagement in front of Crawford, we hear a brief bit of "Mine, All Mine," a cynical song about predatory matrimony. Then, when Sebastian and Crawford are walking on the sidewalk, and the old gang drives by in their auto and stops, we're instrumentally hearing "Ten Little Miles from Town," whose opening lyrics are 'hop in my car, come see how happy we are...' Later on, when Page and Nugent are conspiring to go to the final party, we hear "Me and the Boyfriend" (an older tune, from 1924). And when Page arrives there, all drunk and angry, we get "I Feel Low Down" played at a pretty fast clip. There was another familiar tune when Nils Asther is around, but I couldn't seem to pin it down in my head. Two or three others as well. But anyway, all the various familiar musical bits added to the fun.

 

[djwein]

What the bloomin' heck? Here I order from Warner Archive a Johnny Mack Brown film, and this is what I get? Not a single saloon brawl with Fred Kohler, nor a shootout with Harry Woods. Not even a comical interlude with a crusty Raymond Hatton. Nope, I get Johnny in a tuxedo, mulling around with a bunch of young society swells, all downing cocktails and dancing the black bottom! If I can find my fountain pen around here, I'm going to write a most pointed letter to that Feltenstein fellow and give him a piece of my mind. This just ain't right.

Actually, it's pretty amazing how good the blu-ray looks. I had the old VHS release from over thirty years ago. Hadn't watched the film in many, many years. True, the film is a tad glossy, a tad soapy, for my tastes, but it's still pretty entertaining. It zips along briskly, is never dull, and builds up quite a bit of steam as it goes along, with Crawford displaying obvious star presence, and Anita Page really loaded for bear by the end.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was listening to the old, original soundtrack and recognizing so many of the then-contemporary tunes. At the very opening, when we see Crawford dressing, we hear "Under the Moon." The band at the party plays "That's My Weakness Now" as Crawford does her table dance, then going into "The Wobbly Walk" when she's on the dance floor. Still at the party, we get "Is She My Girlfriend?" as Page, Brown, and Crawford are mixing on the sofa. The most spotlighted tune (the only one that wore thin for me) was "Lonely Little Bluebird," apparently Dorothy Sebastian's theme, which popped up repeatedly.

But it was interesting how consciously thought-out these musical bits were. After "Here I Am Broken-Hearted," when Anita Page goes to snidely lord over news of her engagement in front of Crawford, we hear a brief bit of "Mine, All Mine," a cynical song about predatory matrimony. Then, when Sebastian and Crawford are walking on the sidewalk, and the old gang drives by in their auto and stops, we're instrumentally hearing "Ten Little Miles from Town," whose opening lyrics are 'hop in my car, come see how happy we are...' Later on, when Page and Nugent are conspiring to go to the final party, we hear "Me and the Boyfriend" (an older tune, from 1924). And when Page arrives there, all drunk and angry, we get "I Feel Low Down" played at a pretty fast clip. There was another familiar tune when Nils Asther is around, but I couldn't seem to pin it down in my head. Two or three others as well. But anyway, all the various familiar musical bits added to the fun.

Yes, the background song score is quite well chosen, but it's a real drag to hear the movie's dreary theme song, "I Loved You Then (As I Love You Now)" repeated about 300 times during the running time.

 

[roxy1927]

Film Forum once had a triple bill of all three films back in the good old days of one ticket for a double feature or in this case a triple feature.