Desirable (film)
Desirable is a 1934 American drama film directed by Archie Mayo and starring Jean Muir and George Brent. It was released by Warner Bros. The film follows the story of Lois (Jean Muir), the 19-year-old daughter of a famous actress (Verree Teasdale), who has been hidden away at boarding school to protect her mother's image. A scarlet-fever quarantine sends her home to New York City, full of innocent enthusiasm, only to be betrayed by her mother, by the arrogant egotists of her mother's theatrical world and by the haughty social snobs in the upper-crust family whose son her mother persuades her to marry. Mac (George Brent), a friend of her mother's, initially plays an avuncular role, but by the end of the movie they realize that they are in love.
Desirable | |
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Jean Muir in Desirable | |
Directed by | Archie Mayo |
Produced by | Edward Chodorov |
Written by | Mary C. McCall Jr. |
Starring | George Brent Jean Muir |
Music by | Ray Heindorf Bernhard Kaun Heinz Roemheld |
Cinematography | Ernest Haller |
Edited by | Thomas Pratt |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc. |
Release date | September 8, 1934 |
Running time | 68 min. |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
One brief, sweet, completely natural scene is remarkable for its time—or indeed for a long time to come. At a ball, Lois, tired of dancing with the same partner (no one will cut in) pretends her shoe is broken and seeks refuge in the hotel Ladies’ Lounge. One of the maids brings her a glass of water, tells her she is welcome to stay, then picks up her knitting. Lois admires the shade of pink, and they chat. It is for the maid's sister's baby, a boy, 18 months old, too big to handle now. She has a picture of him, would Lois like to see it ? Oh yes, Lois exclaims, and then “ Isn’t he cute?” His aunt replies, “ The rolyist polyist little man” and they laugh happily together at the baby, whose adorable picture fills the screen. What is so special? The maid and the baby are African-American.
Plot
Helen Walbridge (Verree Teasdale) is a famous actress who does not want her true age to be known. She, therefore, keeps her 19-year-old daughter (Jean Muir) secreted away in a boarding school.[1]
Cast
- Verree Teasdale as Helen Walbridge
- Jean Muir as Lois Johnson
- George Brent as Stuart 'Mac' McAllister
- John Halliday as Austin Stevens
- Charles Starrett as Russell 'Russ' Gray
- Russell Hopton as Chet
- Joan Wheeler as Barbara, 'Babs'
- Barbara Leonard as Margaret, Gray's Maid
- Virginia Hammond as Mrs. Emily Gray
- Pauline True as Mac's Secretary
References
- Desirable details, Allmovie.com; accessed August 11, 2015.