Sunday, January 11, 2009

Mae West: Alexander Hall

Alexander Hall directed "Goin' to Town" [1935], starring MAE WEST. We are thinking of him on his January birthday.
• • Born in Boston on 11 January 1894, Alexander Hall made his stage debut at 4 years old in 1898. By 1914, Hall was working in silent films as an actor.
• • Leaving the motion picture sector to serve in the American Army in World War I, Hall returned from military service in 1917 and re-entered the business — — except he had then decided to become an editor and assistant director.
• • He made his directorial debut in 1932, specializing in comedies. In Hollywood, Hall turned out a number of sophisticated, light-hearted movies.
• •
The director lived to be 74. On 30 July 1968, Alexander Hall died in San Francisco, having suffered a stroke.
• • "Goin' to Town" re-cap — —
• • After an exclusive engagement at their own theatres, Paramount released this title to hundreds of American movie houses on 17 May 1935. However, no amount of fanfare could have persuaded the critics of its merits.
• • According to the 1935 review published in Variety, this motion picture was "Mae West's poorest." Film critic Abel predicted: Exhibs and exploiteers will have to go to town to sell "Goin' to Town."
Uh-oh.
• • Paramount production and release. Stars Mae West. Directed by Alexander Hall. Produced by William LeBaron. Original by Marion Morgan and George B. Dowell; screenplay and dialog. Miss West. Songs, Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal; camera, Karl Struss. At the Paramount N.Y. — — week of 10 May 1935. Running time, 75 mins.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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• • Photo: • • Mae West • • "Goin' to Town" • • 1935 • •
Mae West.

1 comment:

  1. Just discovered your blog on links from FaceBook... Glad to see you are alive again... And blogging up a storm!

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