Joan Crawford in Our Dancing Daughters (1928) with live, original music by Cliff Retallick
Schedule
Sun Apr 28 2024 at 02:00 pm to 05:00 pm
Location
Lumiere Cinema at the Music Hall | Beverly Hills, CA
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In the annals of cinema history, some films truly capture a moment in time. If you're looking for a cinematic experience that transports you back 100 years to the dazzling world of the 1920s, look no further than Our Dancing Daughters (1928). Directed by Harry Beaumont, Our Dancing Daughters rocketed Joan Crawford to stardom, while at the same time encapsulating the essence of the Jazz Age. A colossal hit for MGM, it grossed over six times its production cost, raking in a staggering $1.1 million against a modest budget of $178,000.
Central to the film's success is Joan Crawford's electrifying performance. Born Lucille Le Sueur in 1904, Crawford's journey to stardom was anything but conventional. After a challenging upbringing, she found her way to the lights of Broadway before catching the eye of MGM executives. Renamed Joan Crawford, she quickly became a fixture of the silver screen.
However, it was Our Dancing Daughters that first showcased her star power, as she brought to life the character of Diana—an ambitious, liberated young woman navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing society, whose unexpected experience of love leaves her genuinely heartbroken.
Alongside Crawford, the film boasts a stellar ensemble cast, including Anita Page and Dorothy Sebastian, whose performances add depth and nuance to the narrative. Together, they navigate a world of decadence and desire, where love and ambition collide amidst the backdrop of glittering soirées and pulsating dance floors. Page had just turned eighteen, but she seems to have fully grasped the worldliness and duplicity her role demanded.
Johnny Mack Brown plays Diana’s love interest, football star Ben Blaine. Prior to his acting career, Brown had excelled as a halfback for the University of Alabama's championship-winning football team in 1926. Brown's prowess on the field was exemplified by his outstanding performance in the 1926 Rose Bowl, where he clinched the Most Valuable Player title by scoring two of Alabama's three touchdowns in a surprising victory against the University of Washington.
The film's sumptuous set design was crafted by the visionary Art Director Cedric Gibbons. From the sleek Art Deco interiors to the flamboyant fashions, every frame is a visual ode to the Jazz Age, with replete with flasks, flappers and period slang. The film paints a vivid portrait of the first generation to assert itself through fashion and lifestyle amidst a rapidly changing world.
George Barnes' cinematography brings it all to life, capturing the energy and excitement of the party scenes with vibrant visuals and dynamic, mobile camerawork. Barnes later shot several Hitchcock classics, including Rebecca (1940).
Don’t miss this rare chance to see Joan Crawford and Anita Page in Our Dancing Daughters on the big screen of the Lumiere Music Hall, with live, original music by the one-and-only Cliff Retallick!
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Where is it happening?
Lumiere Cinema at the Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd,Beverly Hills,CA,United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
