Applause (1929)

Watched in 2012 with Commentary (159 movies items)

"I enjoy this movie because I like some of the musical numbers and I think it was neat seeing how New York City was like back in the 1920's. I also thought the acting was pretty good as well."

New-to-Me Films of 2012 (366 movies items)

"As time may have it, Applause was created in the period just after the debut of talkies. As a result, its sound quality is very messy, as are some of its performances. It does, however, serve as a great precursor to the influx of 1930's musicals, and is overall quite good-hearted, if not a bit melodramatic. "

Greatest Film Tearjerking Moments A - C (51 movies items)

"In this film's heartbreaking ending, fading and "washed-up" burlesque star Kitty Darling (Helen Morgan), the ailing, self-sacrificing mother of convent-bred 17 year-old daughter April Darling (Joan Peers), suicidally poisoned herself and slowly died in her dressing room, as April vowed to take her mother's place by forcing herself to go out and dance sordid burlesque in front of leering, middle-aged men (and defiantly vowed to give the crowd their 'money's worth': "I'll show them"), after tellin"

Visually Exceptional Films, B&W 4:3 (135 movies items)

"In early sound films camerawork was very often downright forgotten, but not in Rouben Mamoulian's films. Applause is his debut as a director and an impressive one at that. Unusual camera angles and a lot of moving camera in this one. "