The moral of the story is its theme song, "We Learn About Love Every Day." The title of the movie is PLAYING AROUND (First National Pictures, 1930), directed by Mervyn Leroy, and starring the young, blonde, pert and sassy Alice White in one of her several leading roles for the studio during the late silent/early talkie era (1927-1931). Being the studio's answer to Paramount's Clara Bow, White didn't have much of a cult following as the legendary "It" Girl, however, whatever films that have survived, PLAYING AROUND is a prime example of White's screen character, as adapted from the story, "Sheba" by Vina Delmar, and based on the play, "Playing Around" by Frances Nordstrom and Adele Commandini.
Following a fade-in resembling a pirate movie leading to a production number, the story gets underway with the introduction to its basic characters and how they meet. Set in New York, the story opens in the exclusive Pirates Den restaurant where patron Nicky Soloman (Chester Morris) dines with his male friends. Moments later, Sheba Miller (Alice White), a free-spirited blonde, is escorted by Jack (William Bakewell), her steady boyfriend from her childhood days. After being seated, Jack, with only five dollars in his pocket, finds that after going over the menu, the only thing he can afford is butter milk for 40 cents. Before leaving for a movie, a contest, "Pagent of the Knees" is to take place with Nicky, acting as judge, is to pick out the girl walking cross the stage behind a half-way curtain, with the best looking legs. Of the parade of girls, Nicky chooses Sheba, who not only wins the prize cup, but a free dinner. Feeling awkward about being the center of attention, Jack talks Sheba into leaving. Before the night is over, Nicky, very much interested with the blonde, makes attempts by impressing her, especially by driving his expensive roadster in front of her residence where she lives with her middle-aged father (Richard Carlyle). It would be a matter of time before Sheba begins ignoring her soda-jerking boyfriend making $35 a week for the exciting Nicky, with whom she goes with during the late night hours of fun. Sheba, a working office girl by day, becomes the topic of gossip by a couple of nosy neighbors (Ann Brody and Nellie V. Nichols) while her father, manager of a cigar store across town, wants very much to meet the man she intends to marry. Before the meeting is to take place, Nicky learns the man he robbed and shot earlier that evening happens to be her father. As Sheba gets to learn more about love every day, she needs to get to learn more about the sort of guy she's been dating.
As with many early talkies, song interludes are incorporated into the story. With music and lyrics credited to Sammy Stept and Buddy Green, songs include: "You're My Captain Kid," "We Learn About Love Every Day" (sung by Alice White); "That's the Low-down on the Low-down" and "We Learn About Love Every Day"
Though the story could hardly be considered fresh and original in 1930, PLAYING AROUND, under Leroy's capable direction, keeps the pace moving, especially when Alice White's character is playing around. Co-star Chester Morris, playing a questionable character, is smooth and quick thinking, a sure reason why any woman would choose him over some nerdy boyfriend (William Bakewell) on a tight budget. Bakewell's characterization becomes annoying at times, which makes one wish his role was awarded to someone in the class of Arthur Lake (Dagwood Bumstead in the "Blondie" film series a decade later), who would have played well as the rejected suitor that could meet with the approval from its movie audience for Lake's ability for intentional humor and conviction. One interesting distinction that gives PLAYING AROUND a sense of originality is the two minute recap of the 66 minute plot recaptured through scenes in song to "We Learn About Love Every Day" by off-screen male vocalist following the THE END title, with nice earful listening to old-style twenties orchestration. Marion Byron, who co-stars as loyal friend and co-worker, Maude, provides a touch of in-humor where she invites Sheba to the movies to see a film starring Al Jolson, "All talking, all singing, all weeping." Could she be making reference to his recent release of SAY IT WITH SONGS (1929)?
For all its worth, PLAYING AROUND may be a movie with the roaring twenties feel to it, and very vintage, but regardless of its age featuring flapper beauties, it's still interesting as well as entertaining. Though it doesn't play very often, it can still be found on the cable TV channel of rarely seen oldies on Turner Classic Movies, especially those starring Alice White where being a naughty flirt and playing around happens to be her livelihood as she learns more about love every day. (** roadsters)
