LADIES MUST LOVE in 35mm
Special Features: Introduction by film historian David Pierce
Three Broadway gold diggers played by Sally O'Neil, Dorothy Burgess and Mary Carlisle encourage their housemate Jeannie (June Knight) to pool the sucker-money they fleece from their sugar daddies. When Jeannie falls for a rich playboy (Neil Hamilton), the agreement, a diamond bracelet and an errant cat threaten their romance. Given the star treatment by Universal, former Ziegfeld girl Knight shines as she sings and dances on screen. As MoMA curator Dave Kehr notes, "At one point, the down-on-their-luck roommates go work as 'hostesses' in a 'nightclub' operated by one 'Madame Fifi' (Maude Eburne), where their duties clearly entail more than checking coats." Showcasing smooth direction by German expat E.A. Dupont, snappy dialogue, beautiful sets, several songs and uncertain morals, this is a ripe-for-rediscovery pre-Code comedy-drama. DIR E.A. Dupont; SCR Robert Harris, William Huribut, John Francis Larkin; PROD Carl Laemmle Jr. U.S., 1933, b&w, 70 min. NOT RATED
Preceded by SCHOOL FOR ROMANCE on June 16:
90th Anniversary
SCHOOL FOR ROMANCE in 35mm
Columbia Pictures made a series of Columbia Musical Novelties in 1933–34, and this title is one of the best! Young Betty Grable appears as a student of an advice columnist turned teacher (Broadway comedian Lou Holtz) who instructs on the dos and don'ts of romance. DIR/SCR Archie Gottler; SCR Edward Eliscu; PROD Jules White. U.S., 1934, b&w, 20 min. NOT RATED
No AFI Member passes accepted.
Run Time: 70 Minutes
Opening Date: Friday, June 14, 2024
Genre: Comedy, romance