Our Blushing Brides

Our Blushing Brides is a 1930 American pre-Code society comedy/romantic melodrama directed and produced by Harry Beaumont, and starring Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery, Anita Page, and Dorothy Sebastian.

Our Blushing Brides
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHarry Beaumont (uncredited)
Produced byHarry Beaumont
Written byBess Meredyth
John Howard Lawson
Edwin Justus Mayer
Helen Meinardi (uncredited)
StarringJoan Crawford
Anita Page
Dorothy Sebastian
Robert Montgomery
CinematographyMerritt B. Gerstad
Edited byGeorge Hively
Harold Palmer (uncredited)
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • July 19, 1930 (1930-07-19)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$337,000[1]
Box office$1,211,000[1]

The film is a follow-up to Our Dancing Daughters (1928) and Our Modern Maidens (1929), which also starred Crawford, Page, and Sebastian.[2] The two previous installments in the series were both silent films, while Our Blushing Brides is a sound film which was a relatively new aspect to motion pictures. The fact that it features audible dialogue was an advertising point mentioned on the movie poster.

Our Blushing Brides is Crawford's thirty-first film (of eighty-six total), and her fourth sound film. In her first "shopgirl-Cinderella" role, Crawford plays the role of Gerry, a department store "mannequin" who falls in love with the wealthy son of her boss.[3] The role was a departure from Crawford's flapper girl persona of the silent area as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer began to develop a more sophisticated image of her.[4]

Plot

Fellow department store shopgirls and roommates Gerry March (Crawford), Connie Blair (Anita Page) and Franky Daniels (Dorothy Sebastian) take different paths in New York City, but all seek to marry wealthy men. Connie pursues an affair with David Jardine (Raymond Hackett), son of the department store owner. Meanwhile, Franky meets the slick-talking Marty Sanderson (John Miljan) when he comes into the store to buy $500 worth of blankets. However, when Sanderson comes to pick Franky up, he hits on Gerry instead.

At the same time, Gerry has been constantly courted by the dashing Tony Jardine (Robert Montgomery), elder son of the store owner. He is used to getting what he wants, but when he invites her to visit the gardens on his estate alone. Gerry, who believes that virtue will be her only reward, rebuffs Tony and intimates that he is childish.

Franky falls in love with Sanderson, who spoils her with diamonds and silk. Gerry is suspicious, especially when she finds them both drunk and has to lead Franky out. However, unbeknownst to them, Sanderson is the leader of a criminal gang that steals from department stores like the one the women work at. The police come to apprehend Franky, believing she is a part of the gang, but she knows nothing of it.

Meanwhile, Connie is very happy with David and intends to marry him. However, she reads in the newspaper that David intends to marry the high-society Evelyn Woodforth (Martha Sleeper). She listens to the reception being broadcast on the radio and takes poison in an attempt kill herself. Gerry finds her and goes to Tony in order to force David to leave his reception to visit Connie. In a contentious conversation, Tony forces David to leave and visit Connie, and this selfless act attracts Gerry and convinces her that Tony is a good guy after all. However, despite David's visit, Connie dies.

Cast

Box office

According to MGM records the film earned $874,000 in the US and Canada and $337,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $412,000.[1]

Home video release

Warner Archive Collection released the first Region 1 DVD on March 4, 2014.

References
  1. The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. Chandler, Charlotte (2008). Not the Girl Next Door: Joan Crawford, a Personal Biography. Simon and Schuster. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-416-56478-2.
  3. Barrios, Richard (1995). A Song in the Dark: The Birth of the Musical Film. Oxford University Press. p. 310. ISBN 0-195-08811-5.
  4. Háy, Peter (1991). MGM: When the Lion Roars. Turner Publishing, Inc. p. 72. ISBN 1-878685-04-X.
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