OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS
US, 1928, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Joan Crawford, John Mack Brown, Nils Asther, Dorothy Sebastian, Anita Page, Dorothy Cumming, Kathlyn Williams, Edward J.Nugent.
Directed by Harry Beaumont.
Our Dancing Daughters was one of the last silent films made by MGM, released in 1928. Joan Crawford had made a number of silent films but, this time, her name appeared above the title, and she began to emerge as a top star, a position she held for the next four decades, winning an Oscar in 1945 for Mildred Pierce.
The focus is on New York high society, prior to the 1929 crash on Wall Street. The wealthy young women seem to be ditzy types, flappers, out for a good time. And Joan Crawford as Diana, seems to be the wildest of all, enjoying going out, well-bonded with her parents, just enjoying a good time.
But, basically she is a good girl. This is in contrast to her friend Ann, Anita Page, who seems perfect on the outside but is an unscrupulous golddigger on the inside, something fostered by her mother, Kathlyn Williams.
When a wealthy young man comes to town, friend of the other men because of his college days and his skill in sports – Johnny Mack Brown – Diana becomes intrigued, but he suspects her of being too loose. In the background is Beatrice, Diana’s sister, and her fiance – a touch moody times, and resentful of the actresses rather wild men friends – played by Nils Asther. Then there is the playboy Freddie who is the man about town.
Ann becomes unhappy and board in her marriage, sets her sights on Freddie. The estrangement grows. Diana, in the meantime, regretting her reputation, still in love with the wealthy sportsmen, and he attracted always to her, goes to Europe for two years. On her return, the marriage has collapsed, Ann leading a reckless life which leads to her death. And, a happy ending for Diana.
This film was made before the Motion Picture Code and shows a rather wild lifestyle and some profligate behaviour – something that would be eliminated soon by the introduction of the Code.
Direction is by Harry Beaumont who directed the Oscar-winning Broadway Melody, a number of small films, especially those in the Maisie series with Ann Sothern.
