Mr. Dodd takes the air
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Mr. Dodd takes the air |
| Original title | Mr. Dodd takes the air |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1937 |
| length | 85 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Alfred E. Green |
| script |
William Wister Haines Elaine Ryan |
| production | Mervyn LeRoy |
| music | Adolph German |
| camera | Arthur Edeson |
| cut | Thomas Richards |
| occupation | |
| |
Mr. Dodd Takes the Air is a 1937 American film starring Kenny Baker , Jane Wyman , Frank McHugh and Alice Brady . The direction was by Alfred E. Green . The script by Haines and Ryan is based on Clarence Budington Kelland's story "The Great Crooner".
action
When Hiram P. Doremus, President of Morpheus Matratzen, heard the 23-year-old electrician Claude Dodd from the small town of Pewamo sing at the local Strawberry Festival, he made the decision to introduce him in his show in New York as "Mister Baritone". Doremus is one of the sponsors of Metropolitan Broadcasts and as such believes that Dodd can make good money. However, before his trip to New York, Dodd has to undergo minor surgery for angina . The doctor tells him to spare his voice for a while. When Dodd is in New York and is allowed to sing again, it turns out to Doremus' great dismay that Dodd has gone from baritone to tenor . Doremus, who doesn't like tenors, is outraged and says that Dodd has deceived him and puts the young man in the air. However, Dodd has already found an audience that loves him. Marjorie Day, a secretary for the Metropolitan Broadcasting Company, also stands up for him and helps him to get a well paid contract and soon his fan club has more than 217,000 members. In the following years Dodd has many big appearances, which means that he needs a little break, which he spends with Marjorie. During a repair, he is a trained electrician, Marjorie's radio set with a device he has developed, which has not yet been patented. The rather inexpensive device has a completely new sound, as if it were an expensive device. Marjorie wants him to apply for a patent. Dodd, however, does not see through the machinations of the blonde Jessica Stafford, who has approached him and wants to seduce him in order to then steal his invention. It is also Jessica who introduces Dodd to the operatic prima donna , Madame Sonya Moro, who wants to take him under her wing. Jessica works with a Jim Lidin and tells Dodd that Marjorie is in league with Lidin and intends to sell his invention for a profit. In the period that followed, there were further entanglements as a result of which Marjorie lost her job. When Dodd then declares his love for the young woman and proposes to her, Jessica strikes again and holds the patent for his invention applied for in Marjorie's name under Dodd's nose. Marjorie fails to convince Dodd that she only did this for his own protection. He leaves her with the triumphant Jessica. Annoyed by further quarrels, Claude Dodd has to undergo another operation. His voice is now that of a baritone again. Both Jessica and Sonya Moro visit him in the hospital, both of whom claim to be engaged to him. However, Dodd does not want to marry any of them. He evades his contract by pretending that he is unable to sing because he has air problems. Back in his hometown of Pewamo, Marjorie tracks him down and gives him the patent for his invention, which is made out in his name. Claude happily embraces her and says that he has not lost his voice at all and sings for her after she has given him her yes.
background
The filming took place at the Warner Brothers Burbank Studios in Burbank , California , USA . The film premiered on August 11, 1937 in New York , USA, and was then generally shown in American cinemas on August 21, 1937. It also ran in Finland and France in 1938 and in Denmark in 1939 . It was not shown in cinemas in Germany or Austria .
Clarence Budington Kelland's novel was prepublished in the Saturday Evening Post in 1932 . Kenny Baker, who starred in the film, was a popular radio singer on American entertainer Jack Benny's program before making his acting debut in the film. During this time Jane Wyman met her second husband, who would later become President of the United States, Ronald Reagan .
Music in the film
(unless otherwise stated, music always by Harry Warren, text by Al Dubin)
- Am I in love? (sung by Kenny Baker)
- Remember me? (sung by Kenny Baker at Mme. Moro's Party)
- If I Were a Little Pond Lily (sung by Kenny Baker at the Strawberry Festival)
- Here Comes the Sandman (sung by Kenny Baker at Strawberry Festival, on his first appearance on the radio and in the nightclub)
- The Girl You Used to Be (played during the opening credits and sung by Kenny Baker on stage)
- I Know Now (played while Dodd goes into the studio and sees Marjorie)
- When My Dream Boat Comes Home (Text by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin, played while Dodd is fixing the radio)
- Chicken Reel (popularly, played briefly during the first scene)
- Poet and Peasant Overture (Overture to "Poet and Peasant" by Franz von Suppè )
- With Plenty of Money and You (background music in a scene)
- Smiles (background music in a scene)
- The Lady Who Couldn't Be Kissed (background music in one scene)
- Without Your Love (Music: Maurice K. Jerome , played during the cafeteria scene)
- Too Marvelous for Words (music: Richard A. Whiting, played during the cafeteria scene)
- Just a Quiet Evening (music: Richard A. Whiting , played during the cafeteria scene)
- Ever Since Eve (music: Maurice K. Jerome, background music)
- Fifty-Second Street (music: Saul Chaplin , background music)
- Born to Love (music: Maurice K. Jerome, played on the radio)
- O Mio Fernando ( La favorite , opera by Gaetano Donizetti , sung by Alice Brady at the party)
criticism
Dave Sindelar of the Movie of the Day Archives believes that Alice Brady's best performance in the film comes in her portrayal of a "bitchy prima donna", embodied with "real charm and an imperturbability" that speaks for itself. The musical film itself is only "superficially interesting" and probably only if you are a "fan of Kenny Baker" whose "singing talent exceeds his acting."
Awards
At the 1938 Academy Awards , “ Remember Me? " In the category " Best Song " (music: Harry Warren , lyrics: Al Dubin , singer: Kenny Baker) nominated for an Oscar . However, the trophy went to Harry Owens for his song " Sweet Leilani " from the film Waikiki Wedding .
Web links
- Mr. Dodd Takes the Air in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Mr. Dodd Takes the Air at TCM - Turner Classic Movies (with trailer in English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mr. Todd Takes the Air at imdb.com (launch dates). Retrieved February 21, 2013.
- ↑ Mr. Dodd Takes the Air at TCM - Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
- ↑ Mr. Dodd Takes the Air ( Memento of the original from June 3, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at scifilm.org. Retrieved February 21, 2013.
