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Vitaphone
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Vitaphone was a sound film system used for feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects made by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1931. Vitaphone was the last major analog sound-on-disc system and the only one which was widely used and commercially successful. The soundtrack was not printed on the film itself, but issued separately on phonograph records. The discs, recorded at 33 1/3 rpm (a speed first used for this system) and typically 16 inches in diameter, would be played on a turntable physically coupled to the projector motor while the film was being projected. Many early talkies, such as The Jazz Singer (1927), used the Vitaphone system. The name "Vitaphone" derived from the Latin and Greek words, respectively, for "living" and "sound".
The "Vitaphone" trademark was later associated with cartoons and other short subjects that had optical soundtracks and did not use discs.
Best films
(1927)
(1931)
(1932)
(1929)Filmography of Vitaphone (26 films)
Production
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Page Miss Glory (1936)
, 8minutesDirected by Tex Avery
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Animation
Actors Tommy Bond
Une ville, Hicksville, se prépare à accueillir Miss Glory. Dans l'hôtel de la ville, Abner, un groom, attend anxieusement l'arrivée de Miss Glory et s'endort. Il rêve alors de l'arrivée de cette dernière et s'imagine être le groom d'un hôtel cosmopolitain. À la fin de son rêve, le directeur de l'hôtel réveille Abnel qui se dépêche d'accompagner Miss Glory à l'hôtel, mais cette dernière se révèle être une petite fille.
Ex-Lady (1933)
, 1h7Directed by Robert Florey
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Romantic comedy
Actors Bette Davis, Gene Raymond, Frank McHugh, Monroe Owsley, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Claire Dodd
Helen Bauer (Bette Davis) is a glamorous, successful, headstrong, and very liberated New York graphic artist with modern ideas about romance. She is involved with Don Peterson (Gene Raymond) but is not prepared to sacrifice her independence by entering into matrimony. The two agree to wed only to pacify Helen's conventional immigrant father Adolphe (Alphonse Ethier), whose Old World views spur him to condemn their affair. They form a business partnership, but financial problems at their advertising agency put a strain on the marriage and Don begins seeing Peggy Smith (Kay Strozzi), one of his married clients. Convinced it was marriage that disrupted their relationship, Helen suggests they live apart but remain lovers. When Don discovers Helen is dating his business rival, playboy Nick Malvyn (Monroe Owsley), he returns to Peggy, but in reality his heart belongs to his wife. Agreeing their love will help their marriage survive its problems, the two reconcile and settle into domestic bliss.
Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933)
, 1h17Directed by Michael Curtiz
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Horror, Crime
Themes Films about writers, Films about journalists
Actors Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Gavin Gordon, Edwin Maxwell
Ivan Igor (Lionel Atwill) is a sculptor who operates a wax museum in 1921 London. He gives a private tour to a friend and an investor, showing them sculptures of Joan of Arc, Voltaire, and his favorite, Marie Antoinette. Formerly a stone sculptor who did wax modeling as a hobby, he explains he turned to wax sculpting completely because he felt more "satisfied" that he could reproduce "the warmth, flesh, and blood of life far more better in wax than in cold stone". The investor, impressed by his sculptures, offers to submit Igor's work to the Royal Academy after he returns from a trip.
, 1h33Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Themes Prison films, Évasion
Actors Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Preston Foster, Noel Francis, Allen Jenkins
Sergeant James Allen (Paul Muni) returns to civilian life after World War I but his war experience makes him restless. His family feels he should be grateful for a tedious job as an office clerk, and when he announces that he wants to become an engineer, they react with outrage. He leaves home to find work on any sort of project, but unskilled labor is plentiful and it's hard for him to find a job. Wandering and sinking into poverty, he accidentally becomes caught up in a robbery and is sentenced to ten years on a brutal Southern chain gang.
A Successful Calamity (1932)
, 1h12Directed by John G. Adolfi, Lucien Hubbard, Julien Josephson
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama
Themes Films based on plays
Actors George Arliss, Mary Astor, Evalyn Knapp, Grant Mitchell, William Janney, Hardie Albright
Henry Wilton is a successful financier who is returning to America after a year away in Europe helping to arrange war debt repayments. He looks forward to being reunited with his family, including his much-younger second wife Emmy, his daughter Peggy and his son Eddie. However, when he arrives in his hometown on the train the only one there to greet him is his butler, Connors, much to Henry's dismay. The butler informs him that he is home a day earlier than expected, and that Peggy is an aspiring actress and Eddie is a polo player. They visit Eddie at the polo field, then arrive home, where they find that Emmy is having guests over at a music recital by composer Pietro Rafaelo. Henry further finds that in his absence Emmy has redecorated his bedroom in the Art Nouveau style, and removed his comfortable chair, which Connors has taken for safekeeping. While in Connors' room, Henry is visited by George Struthers, Peggy's fortune-hunting fiance who she plans to marry for his money. Henry tries to buy a stock from Partington, his business rival, who refuses to honour an agreement they had to sell it at a certain price, claiming that the agreement is not in writing.
The Public Enemy (1931)
, 1h23Directed by William A. Wellman
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Mob film, Action, Crime
Themes Gangster films
Actors James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Joan Blondell, Edward Woods, Mae Clarke, Donald Cook
As youngsters, Tom Powers (James Cagney) and his lifelong friend Matt Doyle (Edward Woods) engage in petty theft, selling their loot to "Putty Nose" (Murray Kinnell). When the pair are young men, Putty Nose persuades them to join his gang on a fur warehouse robbery, assuring them he will take care of them if anything goes wrong. When Tom is startled by a stuffed bear, he shoots it, alerting the police, who kill gang member Larry Dalton. Chased by a cop, Tom and Matt have to gun him down. However, when they go to Putty Nose for help, they find he has left town.
Kismet (1930)
, 1h30Directed by John Francis Dillon
Origin USA
Genres Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Romance
Themes Musical films, Films based on plays
Actors Otis Skinner, Loretta Young, David Manners, Sidney Blackmer, Mary Duncan, Montagu Love
Hajj, a rascally beggar on the periphery of the court of Baghdad, schemes to marry his daughter to royalty and to win the heart of the queen of the castle himself.
Spring Is Here (1930)
, 1h9Directed by John Francis Dillon
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Musical films, Films based on plays, Films based on musicals
Actors Lawrence Gray, Bernice Claire, Alexander Gray, Louise Fazenda, Ford Sterling, Inez Courtney
As the film begins, we find Bernice Claire in love with Lawrence Gray. Claire's father, played by Ford Sterling, disapproves of Lawrence but approves another suitor, played by Alexander Gray. Alexander is shy and clumsy while Lawrence is outgoing and romantic. When Bernice returns one night at 5 a.m. with Lawrence, her father orders him to stay away from his daughter. Alexander, being discouraged at being rejected by Bernice, is offered help by Inez Courtney, Bernice's younger sister. Alexander follows her advice and attempts to make Bernice jealous to get her attention. He makes love to several women, including Bernice's mother. The trick works and soon Bernice thinks she is deeply in love with Alexander. Sterling gets into a argument with Lawrence and tells him to leave his house for good. Lawrence returns in the middle of the night to elope with Bernice but Alexander shows up and carries her off for himself. In the morning they are found together in Bernice's room, to the shock of the family, and they eventually reveal to everyone that they have eloped.
Disraeli (1929)
, 1h30Directed by Alfred E. Green
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Historical
Themes Political films, Films based on plays
Actors George Arliss, Doris Lloyd, David Torrence, Joan Bennett, Ivan F. Simpson, Anthony Bushell
In 1874, Disraeli's ambitious foreign policy, aimed at creating a British empire, is voted down by the House of Commons after a speech by his great rival, William Gladstone. Later, Disraeli receives the welcome news that the spendthrift Khedive of Egypt is in dire need of money and is willing to sell the controlling shares in the Suez Canal. The purchase of the canal would secure control of India, but Michael Probert, head of the Bank of England, makes it clear to Disraeli that he is vehemently opposed to any such plan. Disraeli then summons Hugh Myers, a leading Jewish banker.
Love and the Devil (1929)
, 1h10Directed by Alexander Korda
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Melodrama
Actors Milton Sills, María Corda, Ben Bard
Lord Dryan épouse Giovanna, une belle italienne chanteuse d'opéra, et l'emmène vivre avec lui en Angleterre. Giovanna est profondément amoureuse de Dryan, mais le climat anglais la déprime et bientôt elle rêve au soleil et aux applaudissements de son ancienne vie, et persuade son mari de retourner avec elle à Venise. Barotti, son ancien partenaire, conspire avec sa bonne pour atteindre la chambre de Giovanna la nuit sans qu'elle le sache. Dryan les trouve ensemble et blesse Barotti. Dryan ne croyant pas qu'elle lui ait été fidèle, Giovanna disparaît. Dryan est accusé de son meurtre, mais est acquitté. Dryan veut tuer Barotti, mais le ténor tombe en essyant de lui échapper et se tue. Dryan et Giovanna se retrouvent alors.
Weary River (1929)
, 1h26Directed by Frank Lloyd
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Gangster films
Actors Richard Barthelmess, Betty Compson, William Holden, William Holden, Randolph Scott, Richard Cramer
Jerry Larrabee (Richard Barthelmess) is framed by rival gangster Spadoni (Louis Natheaux) and sent to prison, where he is befriended by a kind and understanding warden (William Holden). Through the warden's patient influence, Jerry becomes interested in music and forms a prison band, broadcasting over the radio. Jerry's singing deeply moves his radio listeners and soon Jerry is given a pardon by the governor.
Lambchops (1929)
, 8minutesOrigin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical
Actors George Burns, Gracie Allen
Deux personnages, George et Gravie, entrent dans une salle de réception. Ils semblent chercher un public. Quand George remarque la présence de la caméra, tous deux s'engagent dans une conversation.
The Man and the Moment (1929)
, 1h15Directed by George Fitzmaurice
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romance
Actors Billie Dove, Rod La Rocque, Gwen Lee, Robert Schable, Charles Sellon, George Bunny
Careers (1929)
, 1h32Directed by John Francis Dillon, Forrest Halsey
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Actors Billie Dove, Antonio Moreno, Thelma Todd, Noah Beery Sr., Holmes Herbert, Carmel Myers
The film takes place in the French colony of Cochin-China. Young French magistrate (Antonio Moreno) and his wife (Billie Dove) are victims of virtual imprisonment because president (Noah Beery) of colony in which they are stationed has a sexual interest in the magistrate's wife. Beery refuses to allow Moreno to advance in his career on the bench until his wife agrees to his demands. Moreno, angered by this treatment after four years of hard work, secretly goes to the governor of the colony to complain. Dove endeavors in crucial moment to save her husband from disaster by pleading with the president but inadvertently reveals her husband's plan. Being afraid for the safety of her husband, Dove consents to do whatever Beery wishes as long as he does nothing to endanger her husband. Just as Beery is about to seduce Dove, he is murdered by a native musician who has been hiding in the room. Dove is immediately suspected of the murder and the musician comes out of hiding and accuses Dove of the murder. Moreno is placed in charge of the investigation and discovers that the musician is lying and that he is the one responsible. Tired of the dangers of life in the French colony, Moreno and Dove head back to Paris where Moreno hopes to start a new career.
Stark Mad (1929)
, 1h10Directed by Lloyd Bacon
Origin USA
Genres Action, Adventure, Crime
Actors H. B. Warner, Louise Fazenda, Jacqueline Logan, Henry B. Walthall, Claude Gillingwater, John Miljan
James Rutherford has organized an expedition to the jungles of Central America to find his missing son, Bob, and his guide, Simpson. Professor Dangerfield intercepts the party, bringing with him Simpson, whose jungle experience has made him a raving maniac. They go ashore and decide to spend a night at a Mayan temple. After Irene, Bob's fiancée, disappears, they come across a gigantic ape chained to the floor, and Captain Rhodes, commander of the yacht, is abducted by a strange monster with great hairy talons. Messages are found warning the party to leave. Sewald, an explorer, is mysteriously killed by an arrow. Simpson's reason returns, and he saves the party, revealing that the demented hermit, whom he has just killed, and who formerly occupied the ruins, murdered Bob two months before.