''The Vagabond Lover'' is a 1929 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

black-and-white Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey. Media The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

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 ...

about a small-town boy who finds fame and romance when he joins a dance band. The film was directed by

Marshall Neilan Marshall Ambrose "Mickey" Neilan (April 11, 1891 – October 27, 1958) was an American actor. Early life Born in San Bernardino, California, Neilan was known by most as "Mickey." Following the death of his father, the eleven-year-old Mickey N ...

and is based on the novel of the same name written by

James Ashmore Creelman James Ashmore Creelman (September 21, 1894 – September 9, 1941) was a film writer in Hollywood. Biography He was born on September 21, 1894, in Marietta, Ohio. He was the second son of James Creelman, the journalist and Alice Leffingwell Buel ...

, who also wrote the

screenplay ''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993. Background After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, fe ...

. It stars Rudy Vallee, in his first feature film, along with

Sally Blane Sally Blane (born Elizabeth Jane Young; July 11, 1910 – August 27, 1997) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 movies. Early life Blane was born in Salida, Colorado. She was the sister of actresses Polly Ann Young and Loretta Young ...

Marie Dressler Marie Dressler (born Leila Marie Koerber, November 9, 1868 – July 28, 1934) was a Canadian stage and screen actress, comedian, and early silent film and Depression-era film star. In 1914, she was in the first full-length film comedy. She ...

and

Charles Sellon Charles A. Sellon (August 24, 1870 – June 26, 1937) was an American stage and film actor. Sellon appeared in more than 100 films and stage acts between 1901 and 1935. He played the blind Mr. Muckle in W. C. Fields' comedy ''It's a Gift'' ...

. The film premiered in New York City on November 26, 1929, and was released widely on December 1. A

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

version was released on March 29, 2005. ''The Vagabond Lover'' is an early example of a

vehicle A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wa ...

created for a popular music star, in a style echoed by later films such as '' Jailhouse Rock'' with

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

and '' A Hard Day's Night'' with

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

Plot

Rudy Bronson is a senior in a small college in the Midwest who completes a

correspondence course Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...

in the saxophone given by the nationally known Ted Grant. Bronson and his friends form a band but have difficulty finding work. Believing that Grant will help them land professional jobs, the band heads to his

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

home. They pester Grant for an interview so relentlessly that Grant and his manager must escape to New York City until Bronson finally relents and returns home. After Grant has left, his neighbor Mrs. Whitehall grows suspicious of the unknown young men hanging around his house. Thinking that they might be burglars, she calls the police. Whitehall and her niece Jean confront Bronson. Thinking quickly, one of Bronson's friends introduces him as Ted Grant, whom Whitehall has never met. The police are still suspicious, but when Bronson and his band play for them, they believe that he is Grant. Whitehall is so impressed that she hires Bronson's band to play at a charity concert. As they are waiting for the day of the concert, Bronson and Jean become romantically involved, and the band becomes relatively successful. However, on the night before the charity event, Jean is upset to discover that Bronson has been impersonating Grant. Another socialite reports Bronson to the police, but before he can be arrested, Grant returns and claims credit for discovering Bronson and his band. The band becomes a great success, and Bronson is reconciled with Jean.

Cast

Rudy Vallee Rudy or Rudi is a masculine given name, sometimes short for Rudolf, Rudolph, Rawad, Rudra, Ruairidh, or variations thereof, a nickname and a surname which may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Rudolf Rudy Andeweg (born 1952), Dutch poli ...

as Rudy Bronson *

as Jean Whitehall *

as Mrs. Ethel Bertha Whitehall *

as Officer George C. Tuttle * Norman Peck as Swiftie * Danny O'Shea as Sam *

Edward J. Nugent Edward James Nugent (February 7, 1904 – January 3, 1995) was an American film and stage actor. Biography Born in 1904 in New York City, Nugent appeared in more than 80 films between 1928 and 1937. He subsequently had a second acting career o ...

as Sport (as Eddie Nugent) *

Nella Walker Nella Walker (March 6, 1886 – March 22, 1971) was an American actress and vaudeville performer of the 1920s through the 1950s. Biography The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walker, she was born and raised in Chicago. In 1910, she marrie ...

as Mrs. Whittington Todhunter *

Malcolm Waite Malcolm Ivan Waite (May 7, 1892 – April 25, 1949) was an American film actor. Biography Malcolm Waite appeared in 31 films between 1923 and 1942, most notably as the oily "ladies' man" Jack in Charlie Chaplin's film classic ''The Gold Rush ...

as Ted Grant *

Alan Roscoe Alan Roscoe (born John Albert Rascoe; August 23, 1888 – March 8, 1933) was an American film actor of the silent and early talking film eras. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1915 and 1933. Roscoe was born John Albert Rascoe ...

as Grant's Manager * The Connecticut Yankees as Musical Ensemble

Soundtrack

* "I Love You, Believe Me, I Love You": Music by

Ruby Cowan A ruby is a pinkish red to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum ( aluminium oxide). Ruby is one of the most popular traditional jewelry gems and is very durable. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called s ...

and

Phil Boutelje Phil Boutelje (August 6, 1895, in Philadelphia – July 29, 1979, in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles) was an American pianist, songwriter, composer, author and conductor. Biography Boutelje received specialized music training at the Philadelphia Musi ...

, lyrics by

Philip Bartholomae Philip Bartholomae (July 3, 1880 - January 5, 1947) was an American playwright, lyricist, screenwriter, and theatre director. He wrote many plays and musicals which were staged on Broadway in the 1910s and 1920s, several of which were adapted into ...

, played by the Connecticut Yankees, sung by Rudy Vallee * "I'm Just a Vagabond Lover": Written by Rudy Vallee and Leon Zimmerman, sung by Rudy Vallee during the credits, also performed by the dance troupe at the benefit * "

Nobody's Sweetheart Now "Nobody's Sweetheart", also known as "Nobody's Sweetheart Now" and "You're Nobody's Sweetheart Now", is a popular song, written in 1924, with music by Billy Meyers and Elmer Schoebel, and lyrics by Gus Kahn and Ernie Erdman. The song is a jazz and ...

": Music by

Billy Meyers Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a young ...

and

Elmer Schoebel Elmer Schoebel (September 8, 1896 – December 14, 1970) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Early life He was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, United States. Career Schoebel played along to silent films in Champaign, Illinoi ...

, lyrics by

Gus Kahn Gustav Gerson Kahn (November 6, 1886October 8, 1941) was an American lyricist who contributed a number of songs to the Great American Songbook, including "Pretty Baby", "Ain't We Got Fun?", "Carolina in the Morning", "Toot, Toot, Tootsie (Goo' By ...

and

Ernie Erdman Ernie is a masculine given name, frequently a short form (hypocorism) of Ernest, Ernald, Ernesto, or Verner. It may refer to: People * Ernie Accorsi (born 1941), American football executive * Ernie Adams (disambiguation) * Ernie Afaganis (born c ...

, performed by the Connecticut Yankees * " Georgie Porgie": Written by

Billy Mayerl William Joseph Mayerl (31 May 1902 – 25 March 1959) was an English pianist and composer who built a career in music hall and musical theatre and became an acknowledged master of light music. Best known for his syncopated novelty piano solos, ...

and Gee Paul, sung by a quartet of young

orphan An orphan (from the el, ορφανός, orphanós) is a child whose parents have died. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents due to death is called an orphan. When referring to animals, only the mother's condition is usuall ...

s at the benefit * " If You Were the Only Girl (In the World)": Music by

Nat Ayer Nathaniel Davis Ayer (August 5, 1887 – September 19, 1952) was an American composer, pianist, singer and actor. He made most of his career composing and performing in England in Edwardian musical comedy and revue. He also contributed songs to B ...

, lyrics by

Clifford Grey Clifford Grey (5 January 1887 – 25 September 1941) was an English songwriter, librettist, actor and screenwriter. His birth name was Percival Davis, and he was also known as Clifford Gray. Grey contributed prolifically to West End and Br ...

, played by the Connecticut Yankees, sung by Rudy Vallee * "Then I'll Be Reminded of You": Music by Ken Smith, lyrics by

Edward Heyman Edward Heyman (March 14, 1907October 16, 1981) was an American lyricist and producer, best known for his lyrics to " Body and Soul," "When I Fall in Love," and " For Sentimental Reasons." He also contributed to a number of songs for films. Biogr ...

, performed by the Connecticut Yankees, sung by Rudy Vallee * "A Little Kiss Each Morning (A Little Kiss Each Night)": Written by

Harry M. Woods Henry MacGregor WoodsIMDb bio for Harry M. Woods
(November 4, 1896 – January 14, 1970) was a

, performed by the Connecticut Yankees, sung by Rudy Vallee * "Sweetheart, We Need Each Other": Music by

Harry Tierney Harry Austin Tierney (May 21, 1890 – March 22, 1965) was an American composer of musical theatre, best known for long-running hits such as ''Irene'' (1919), Broadway's longest-running show of the era (620 performances), ''Kid Boots'' (1923) and'' ...

, performed by the dance troupe at the benefit Vallee's band, the Connecticut Yankees, made their film debut in ''The Vagabond Lover''.

Release

Vallee was angry after viewing the film's trailer, which contained the slogan, "Men Hate Him—Women Love Him." However, it was too late into production for it to be changed.

Reception

The film was a box-office success and returned a profit of $335,000. It was one of four top hits for RKO in 1929.

Mordaunt Hall Mordaunt Hall (1 November 1878 – 2 July 1973) was the first regularly assigned motion picture critic for ''The New York Times'', working from October 1924 to September 1934.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' wrote a positive review, noting that film "... relies on fun, tuneful songs and appealing music." He applauded Rudy Vallee's and Marie Dressler's performances, although he did have some negative points regarding the dialogue and was ambivalent regarding some of the acting. A negative review was published in ''

Motion Picture Magazine ''Motion Picture'' was an American monthly fan magazine about film, published from 1911 to 1977.Fuller, Kathryn H. “Motion Picture Story Magazine and the Gendered Construction of the Movie Fan.” ''At the Picture Show: Small-Town Audiences a ...

'': "Once and for all, this movie should refute the theory apparently held by picture producers that a celebrity in any line is good movie material," the reviewer summed up. The reviewer did, however, praise Marie Dressler's performance and wrote in conclusion, "If you like sentimental songs that rhyme 'Moonbeams' with 'June-dreams,' you'll love the ones in 'The Vagabond Lover.'" In ''

Screenland ''Screenland'' was a monthly U.S. magazine about movies, published between September 1920 and June 1971,Delight Evans wrote: "It's true that the crooning lad of the radio has not quite mastered all of the celluloid technique, but you forget that when he sings," wrote ''.'' She concluded, "Marie Dressler romps away with a personal hit in hilarious comedy scenes. But it's Rudy's show, and when he sings you can let the rest of the world go by." The picture was given Screenland's Seal of Approval. Reviewing the film for ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...

,'' Alexander Bakshy wrote: " udy Valléegives his admirers what they long for—a succession of songs to the accompaniment of a jazz band which makes their hearts melt and fills their beings with a glow of 'romance.'" Vallée did not like the film. In a 1980 interview he said: "They're still fumigating the theaters where it was shown. Almost ruined me. In fact, I think it's only shown in penitentiaries and comfort stations." In his book ''The Sound of Silence: Hollywood and the Talkie Revolution'', Scott Eyman wrote: "Neilan's ''The Vagabond Lover'' features the adenoidal singing and ungodly dance-band music of Ruby Vallee, who displays the preoccupied concern of a man trying to pass a kidney stone; his acting ability was of the sort usually found only in sixth-grade plays. Vallee makes Crosby look like Cagney and plays the kind of music that Spike Jones mercilessly parodied. It's the film of a director at a total loss; actors stumble over their lines but plow gamely ahead, and Neilan keeps the footage in the film. It might not all be Neilan's fault; the original negative of the film was burned in a studio fire, and the film survives today as reconstructed with outtakes."Eyman, Scott. The Sound of Silence: Hollywood and the Talkie Revolution. Simon and Schuster, New York: 1997.

Plot

Cast

Soundtrack

Release

Reception

References

External links