Sunnyside Up

"Sunny Side Up," a major hit in its day, still entertains probably because of the combination of a winsome leading lady (Janet Gaynor), a game director (David Butler) and last but not least an integrated script and score, both created by DeSylva, Brown and Henderson at their creative peak as a trio.

The film opens with a much admired, ambitious crane shot that explores a crowded tenement street, peering into open windows and back out to the cobblestones. Much of the action is stagey and a bit forced, but the spirit behind it is admirable and prefigures a more elaborate and technically slicker sequence in "42nd Street" a few years later. This opening panorama of a certain section of society is echoed later when the action shifts to a garden party at a Southampton Estate.

The sweet-natured story involves a poor working girl (Gaynor) who dreams of pairing with a wealthy high society gentleman (Charles Farrell) whose picture she spots in the newspaper in relation to a charity function. Since this is a movie from the late 1920s with DeSylva, Brown and Henderson songs, her Cinderella dream comes true, making it all the more appropriate that she sing the best song in the film, "I'm a Dreamer, Aren't We All" not once, not twice, but three times, and always to stunning effect despite her weak and wavery vocal chords. She also manages to pull off a dandy vaudeville dance number in a street fair scene. Her leading man, Farrell, fares less well, though he transmits innocence and sincerity as well as a clear and melodious song delivery. Marjorie White and Frank Richardson contribute great supporting energy as pals of Gaynor.

Other outstanding songs are "If I Had a Talking Picture of You" and "Turn on the Heat," the latter a playfully erotic concept wherein Eskimo women are so sexy that they melt their icy surroundings, transforming them into steaming, and eventually flaming, tropics. It is the only big production number in the film, the others being focused on one or two performers in medium close-up.

Did Busby Berkeley view this film before making THE GANG'S ALL HERE (also at Fox)? The "water curtain" effect is exactly the same...the production number is also set on a Long Island estate...the heroine sings a sad solo number to the audience at the benefit...there are big inflated bananas. It's hard to imagine this wasn't at least an inspiration for his big Technicolor triumph.

SUNNY SIDE UP defies all the expectations you have of early sound musicals...it's lively, well acted, funny and--get this--beautifully photographed. If you have only been exposed to pioneering musicals like THE Broadway MELODY, THE SINGING FOOL, and SHOW OF SHOWS, this will feel like it arrived from Mars. Time has been kind to Janet Gaynor, who had a marvelous range (see her in Murnau's SUNRISE) and was almost devoid of the usual affectations and Talkie mannerisms. She gives a beguiling performance here. And as an added bonus: one of the most insane of all pre-Code musical numbers.

The great reviews don't lie. See this!

When I purchased this movie, I expected it to be a dud, from all the bad press it has received. But it is actually very funny, entertaining, and charming. I especially liked Bea's character, and the motorcycle chase at the end was hilarious. I also thought that Charles Farrell did an excellent job his Cape Cod accent fits this character perfectly. It's great!

Sunnyside Up lays claim to the fact that it is the first original musical for the screen. It might very well be and if so deserves no small credit to the score that the Broadway team of DeSylva,Brown&Henderson wrote for it.

It also was the talking debut of the Fox screen team of Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor. They do sound a bit arch for today's taste, but at this time nearly everyone on the screen sounded that way. There singing voices are pleasant, but nothing else. But the screen chemistry is unmistakable.

The plot is typical for a stage musical at the time involving a poor girl falling for a rich boy. Farrell is the society kid who almost runs down a kid in Gaynor's neighborhood in the city. She takes him and he gets the bright idea to bring her out to Southampton to make his prospective fiancé Sharon Lynn jealous. But it all works too well as Gaynor goes for Farrell big time.

The thin plot is just an excuse to hang several musical numbers at the society party in the Hamptons and at a block party in the city which was the case for stage films. As Sunnyside Up was written directly for the screen, they didn't have to rewrite it to disguise any stage origins. Although Gaynor and to a lesser degree Farrell do their numbers most of the singing and dancing is taken up by Sharon Lynn and friends of Gaynor, Marjorie White and Frank Richardson.

The two best known songs I'm A Dreamer Aren't We All and If I Had A Talking Picture Of You were a couple early records that Bing Crosby did with the Paul Whiteman band. They are probably the best known recordings from this score.

Sunnyside Up still retains a lot of the charm it had even if its overacted for today's audience taste.

This movie is so entertaining. Janet Gaynor is sweet but doesn't make you sick. She does some great dancing, funny thing is she does some moves you would see Fred Astaire do but he wasn't even in the movies when this movie came out, so I guess it's true when they say nothing is really new, someone has done it before. I didn't even know Janet could dance and sing. I can see why she was considered America's sweetheart and the personification of an young American girl, many felt she was a positive role model and introduce a new image unlike wild Clara Bow. Marjorie White, she has yet to disappoint me in any performance she gives. She steals just about every scene she's in but the whole cast holds their own. Marjorie was a great comedienne and so pretty. She was the first musical comedy star in my eyes. I wish more spotlight is put on her and her films. She's as better or up there with Carole Lombard, Patsy Kelly, Lucille Ball, and Thelma Todd. Marjorie is a natural. She died young and tragically in 1935. This is a nice little movie, Hollywood don't do movies like these anymore, innocent but not saint and it's so entertaining and charming. Like the other reviewer I thought it be a dud to. Just about all the stars of the movie sing and dance to sweet songs. Sharon Lynn sings a sweet song. Frank Richardson is a riot. Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor were the top screen couple in the early 1930's. Farrell couldn't seem to get out of that shadow. Movie fans always wanted to see them together, it was a hard for either to break and do other things. This is a nice movie to enjoy with your family, it's a change from what we see on TV today. Oh another thing to point out is I think Marjorie White was the first to say a curse word in a major movie. She said "hell" It's not really bad but it had my jaw drop because I never heard any stars say that in early movies, its such an innocent time, of course I wouldn't be shock by it today, people use worser words then that but it was funny and cute coming from cutie pie Marjorie White.