Funamboli

For early talkie fans this is of interest to see Bow's contrasting style vs. early Kay Francis. Beautiful boozer and trapeze artist Francis comes out ahead in the intrigue department. She vies for the affections of fellow trapezer Richard Arlen with bareback-rider Clara Bow. Kay's romance with Arlen is "just pretend" as she is simply trying to earn money for her and her husband (David Newell) like any good wife until they can get their collective feet on the ground. Kay isn't so much complicated as she is busy complicating. The story is often a bit stodgy and Bow hasn't quite honed her talkie skills as an actress -- tends to overplay, but has some moments of genuine emotion.

Clara Bow (Pat Delaney) loves star tightrope walker Richard Arlen (Larry Lee), but he loves his partner Kay Francis (Zara Flynn), who is two timing him with the third partner David Newell (Tony Barretti).

Acting and some of the dialog is OK, but there is not much to recommend the picture for. Other than the tightrope walking, there are few circus acts to be seen.

In the late silent era, Clara Bow was the biggest starlet in Hollywood...with one hit after another. However, in the sound era her career languished and I've read books that said it was because of her thick New York accent...it just wasn't right for the talkies. Well, I think this is pure crap. She sounded just fine and could act...but the studios (particularly Paramount) kept giving her inferior material...like movies like "Dangerous Curves"...a poorly written film with an unlikable leading man.

Pat (Bow) is a very sweet girl in the circus. She's kind and decent...and for some reason she's interested in Larry (Richard Arlen)...a complete jerk in every possible way. Larry is completely indifferent about decent Pat and instead chases after the selfish Zara (Kay Francis)...even though she treats him like dirt. Eventually, she leaves him and the circus for another man. Larry begins drinking heavily and Pat rescues him and brings him back his self-respect. But as soon as he's sober and has created a new act with Pat, he dumps her and brings back Zara!! What an idiot...and that is THE main trouble with the character. Additionally, Arlen himself is pretty bland and both Francis and Bow act circles around him...so to speak.

The story just makes no sense. Larry is a louse and his interest in Zara and disinterest in Pat is confusing to say the least. Additionally, you wonder WHY...why would Pat like such a jerk. In fact, you wonder why she wouldn't just spit on him or worse! Yet, the plot is a longsuffering woman plot...and it's bound to turn off most viewers...along with Arlen's blandness.

With a few more films like this as well as her own declining mental health, it's very understandable how Bow was pretty much finished in Hollywood by the time she was only 28! My, how fickle Hollywood was when it came to her...much like Larry in this film!

Clara Bow is excellent in this picture- she really could act...very animated, very ebullient performance. Remember that this was something like only the second 'talkie' that she had ever done, but she knew how to modulate her voice (she did have a Brooklyn accent, but that was kind of interesting). Hands down the best actor in the movie.

Another impressive aspect of this film was the quality of the sound- for 1929 it was impressive with articulate dialogue, clear audio.

This, I believe, is Kay Francis's first film. Francis is beautiful with a sultry voice; not too difficult to see how her career took off like a rocket.

If there were any doubts about Clara Bow making the transition from silent to talkie films, then this ought to put those to bed. That said, it's not the most imaginative of plots that sees her "Pat" and married, mischievous and dipso circus trapeze artist "Zara" (Kay Francis) seemingly squabbling over the attentions of the handsome but rather drippy "Larry" (Richard Arlen). Now we know that the latter lady has an ulterior motive but neither of the others do and so as the emotions kick in, well let's hope they have a safety net! We also discover that alcoholism might be contagious and bitterness and jealousy are amongst it's best friends, so things start to look quite precarious for the airborne "Larry" too as the poor man isn't quite sure where to turn - or fall! It is a bit wordy, procedural and perhaps even earnest at times, but there is still plenty active swinging going on - even if I doubt either the studio nor their insurers would have allowed Miss Bow much more than four foot off the ground. These films were all an integral part of cinema's recalibration to sound and at times there's a bit of rigidity to the set piece scenes here as it looks like both Arlen and Bow are a shade uncomfortable finding their microphone spots from time to time. The lively circus scenario allows for plenty of fluidity from a production and direction that delivers quite proficiently a story that does just about enough.