Follow Thru

A few corrections to the other comments...Busby Berkeley was already doing overhead shots the very same year in WHOOPEE. Also, Zelma O'Neal's number was "I Want to Be Bad," not "Turn Up the Heat," which was from 1929's SUNNY SIDE UP.

Anyway, this is an exceptional musical from the era which is inexplicably missing from view other than museum-type showings. Why can't TCM get a hold of it? The colors are well preserved, the cast is excellent, and it does have a wonderful sense of fun and charm. It really deserves to be rediscovered, as do so many other movies from this overlooked era.

"Follow Thru" is a flaccid movie that tries to get by on the female idea of romance and the male idea of irresistibility--but mostly on the idea of male irresistibility. A woman named Lora Moore (Nancy Carroll) was in love for the first time with a golf pro named Jerry Downs (Charles 'Buddy' Rogers). Jerry was into Lora as well, but he had MANY admirers. One particular admirer named Ruth Van Horn (Thelma Todd) was running major interference.

This hyper-sexualized movie was just bad. Firstly, it had a poor plot. Lora was a club golf pro and she was infatuated with a pro that every other girl liked. Secondly, the acting was atrocious; especially from Jack Haley and Zelma O'Neal. Jack Haley, who played Jack Martin, had uncontrollable spasms with his face whenever he saw a girl. To use a Reddit word, it was cringetopic. His eyes would go up and to the side like a person's would if he were sitting down and looking up at someone to his side. And his head would vibrate like it was stuck in a paint shaker. Finally, the musical numbers were the worst. I don't know what it was about the early-30's, but they sure didn't have a musical ear at all. "Follow Thru" was a mess. It's an early talkie, so I can only guess that they were still figuring things out.

Free on Odnoklassniki.

This film has no great meaning and no real point, but is one of them most charming films I have ever seen. Written in the mid 20's, made in 1929 and released in 30 it still has the flavor of the Roaring 20's. From a stage play, it contains musical numbers and crazy dance sequences that could be from no other era. The girls are pretty, and the guys are handsome. The comics are foolish and endearing. The whole cast is full of the kind of youthful daring and exuberance that can't be acted. It has a delightfully naughty 20's feel about it, especially in numbers like "Turn up the heat" that features chorus girls dressed (if you can call it that) as devils, and the 2 strip Technicolor gives the film an almost fairy tale quality.

Sadly it is unavailable (I saw it years ago at the UCLA restoration festival, but they show it again every once in a while). If you every get a chance to see, bring your girl/boyfriend; especially if you are young, in love and a little nuts.

All reviewers seem to love this picture and I, too, tried to love it. The early Technicolor looked great and the whole production showed a lot of energy from all parties. True, several of them were in the Broadway musical and recreated their roles, chief among them were Jack Haley and Zelma O'Neal. I thought Haley hammed it up outrageously and was a grating presence much of the time. Zelma O'Neal, on the other hand, was terrific. She was energetic and showed a great deal of talent and overall ability; "Button Up Your Overcoat" belonged to her and Haley was just along for the ride.

Buddy Rogers was the nominal star and looked heavily made up for some reason and didn't give one of his better performances. Nancy Carroll, on the other hand, was in her element and didn't disappoint. But the story was over the top and grew tiresome despite the short running time of 92 minutes. I appreciate comic zaniness but I felt this one ladled it on with a trowel. Tragic comedienne Thelma Todd was on hand but was largely wasted and Eugene Palette was too old for his part. To top it all off, the music was ordinary, except for the "Button Up Your Overcoat" number.

As I said, I tried. Judging from the reception it got at Capitolfest in Rome,N.Y., I must have been the only wet blanket. "Follow Thru" is a Paramount picture, which could explain its absence from the public forum, as all early Paramount films are owned by Universal and are kept under lock and key.

This dizzy delight is a Paramount musical made in the snazzy jazzy days of 1929 and filmed in delicious two strip Technicolor. How much do I just love this funny silly film? 9/10 funny.... and a complete wish come true to see the modern fashions and elite life of the flapper 20s. Very stagy in its tone and just like a dream come true for anyone who also loves WHOOPEE and other dawn of sound Technicolor talkies FOLLOW THRU remains a modern film today and especially because of the fashion style and use of color. Filmed outdoors at a real golf hacienda which would have cut down costs considerably allowing for expensive use of color and great clothing designs, FOLLOW THRU is the real jazz flapper 20s at it's most silly funny best. Zelma O'Neal is terrific and Buddy Rogers handsome boyfriend stuff, the drag sequence with Jack Haley and Eugene Palette is literally a howler... and dance numbers, especially I WANT TO BE BAD hold up well. FOLLOW THRU is a must for your DVD collection if the restored UCLA tech print is given a proper transfer. The masquerade party sequence is enough to make anyone swoon with glee. Add this to your art deco musical wish list along with THE BOYFRIEND and ROBERTA and WHOOPEE and GOOD MORNING EVE and AT LONG LAST LOVE (which shares an especially uncanny resemblance) and VOGUES OF 1938.