''Champagne for Breakfast'' is a 1935 American

comedy-drama film Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

, directed by Melville Brown. It stars

Mary Carlisle Mary Carlisle (born Gwendolyn Witter; February 3, 1914 – August 1, 2018) was an American actress, singer, and dancer, best known for her roles as a wholesome ingénue in numerous 1930s Musical film, musical-comedy films. She starred in more ...

Hardie Albright Hardie Hunter Albright (born Hardie Hunter Albrecht; December 16, 1903 – December 7, 1975) was an American actor. Early years Albright was born on December 16, 1903, in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, to traveling vaudeville performers. He made his ...

, and

Joan Marsh Joan Marsh (July 10, 1914 – August 10, 2000) was an American child actress in silent films between 1915 and 1921. Later, during the sound era, she resumed her acting career and performed in a variety of films during the 1930s and 1940s. Ear ...

, and was released on June 18, 1935.

Cast list

as Edie Reach *

as Bob Bentley *

as Vivian Morton *

Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka Appe ...

as Natalie Morton *

Sidney Toler Sidney Toler (born Hooper G. Toler Jr., April 28, 1874 – February 12, 1947) was an American actor, playwright, and theatre director. The second European-American actor to play the role of Charlie Chan on screen, he is best remembered for his p ...

as The judge *

Bradley Page Bradley Page (September 8, 1901 – December 8, 1985) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1931 and 1943. Selected filmography * '' Sporting Blood'' (1931) - Eddie Frazier (uncredited) * '' X Marks the Spo ...

as ayneOsborne *

Emerson Treacy Emerson Treacy (September 17, 1900 – January 10, 1967) was a film, Broadway, and radio actor. Career Treacy was teamed with comedienne Gay Seabrook to form the double-act Treacy and Seabrook. The team was very successful on radio and in thea ...

as Swifty reer*

Adrian Rosley Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the main ...

as Alberto Vermicelli *

Wallis Clark Wallis Hensman Clark (2 March 1882 – 14 February 1961) was an English stage and film actor. Biography Clark was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, the son of William Wallis Clark (1854 - 1930), an engineer. Prior to acting, Clark was an en ...

as Reach * Clarence Wilson as Monte Raeburn

Plot

When struggling attorney Bob Bentley is forced to take a job as a process server, he meets Vivian and Natalie Morton at their father's house when he goes to serve some papers to the elder Morton. While there, he learns that the family has fallen on hard times, and in the course of his visit he and the two daughters discover the Bradley Morton's dead body, who has committed suicide. The only asset they have remaining is an

avocado The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for i ...

farm in California. Vivian and Bob begin a romance. With nowhere to live after their house and its contents are auctioned off, the girls agree to stay in the apartment of Wayne Osborne, their father's ex-business partner. Osborne is romancing Natalie, while trying to get her to agree to sell him the lease of the avocado farm. Unbeknownst to the girls, Osborne is attempting to swindle them out of the property, so he can sell it at a huge profit to Mr. Reach, who wants to develop it into a racetrack. Natalie wants to sell the lease to Osborne, but Vivian is suspicious of him. Bob and his roommate, Swifty Greer, and their friend, known as "The Judge", begin to investigate Osborne. The Judge is a known gambler. Through Edie, Reach's daughter, Bob learns of the plans for the raceway. He puts together all the details of the plan and puts the paperwork in his briefcase. When Vivian sees Bob out with Edie, she gets the wrong idea, and refuses to see him. Bob realizes that Reach does not know of Osborne's under-handedness, and meets him to tell him what is going on. Reach does not believe Bob, so Bob takes him to his office, to show him the paperwork which will prove what he is talking about. However, the Judge has used the briefcase as surety on a horse wager he has made. However, before things can get worse, the Judge arrives with the briefcase, having won his bet. Osborne and an associate are arrested, and Reach buys the avocado farm from the Morton sisters.

Production

In April it was announced that Melville Brown would be directing the project. At the same time the cast was revealed to include

Vince Barnett Vince Barnett (July 4, 1902 – August 10, 1977) was an American film actor. He appeared on stage originally before appearing in more than 230 films between 1930 and 1975. Early years Barnett was born July 4, 1902, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylva ...

Luis Alberni Luis Alberni (October 4, 1886 – December 23, 1962) was a Spanish-born American character actor of stage and films. Early years Alberni was born in Barcelona, Spain, on October 4, 1886. He acted in stock theater for four years in Marseille ...

Edward Martindel Edward Martindel (July 8, 1876 – May 4, 1955) was an American stage and film actor who appeared on Broadway and in more than 80 films between 1915 and 1946. Born in Hamilton, Ohio, he was the son of Dr. and Mrs. Frank Martindell. His s ...

, Lucien Privel, Clarence Wilson,

Tammany Young Tammany Young (September 9, 1886 – April 26, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. Early life Born in New York City, Young appeared on Broadway in ''The Front Page'' (1928) by Ben Hecht and ''The New Yorkers'' (1930) by Herbert Fields ...

, Jack Grey, and Will Stanton. Production was completed by the beginning May 1935. The film was originally scheduled for release on June 26, but opened on June 18.

Reception

Silver Screen A silver screen, also known as a silver lenticular screen, is a type of projection screen that was popular in the early years of the motion picture industry and passed into popular usage as a metonym for the cinema industry. The term silver scree ...

'' gave the film a "so-so" review. ''Motion Picture Review'' gave the film a negative review saying it was a "shallow and pointless story dressed up with smart talk and scenes of fashionable restaurants." ''

Harrison's Reports ''Harrison's Reports'' was a New York City-based motion picture trade journal published weekly from 1919 to 1962. The typical issue was four letter-size pages sent to subscribers under a second-class mail permit. Its founder, editor and publisher ...

'' was kinder to the film, complimenting the acting of both Mary Carlisle and Sidney Toler. They felt the film was at times humorous and at other times suspenseful, and enjoyed the ending.

References

External links

* * * {{Melville Brown 1935 comedy-drama films American comedy-drama films Films directed by Melville W. Brown American black-and-white films 1935 films 1930s American films