Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

Rijndri Load of rubbish!!

Dotsthavesp I wanted to but couldn't!

GazerRise Fantastic!

Michael_Elliott The Florodora Girl (1930) *** (out of 4) Set during the Gay Nineties, this film stars Marion Davies playing a chorus girl who is being taught how to play the "game" by a couple veterans. The game consists of landing a rich husband and she has one guy (Lawrence Gray) interested but the friends are constantly messing up the relationship. Soon the man finds himself broke and his mother objects to him marrying someone without money. It's funny but I never really considered Davies one of my favorite actresses but after viewing this movie I realized that I had seen the majority of her sound work, which is a lot more than I can say for some of my favorites. What I've come to realize with Davies is that even when the film isn't all that good and even when her performance might not be right, she still manages to come across very charming and fun. Whenever she is on she can be dynamite and that's exactly what she is in this piece, which has to be one of the best, if not the best film she did during the sound era. I was really impressed with how wonderful her performance was here because the comic timing was perfect but so was the more dramatic moments. I thought the first hour was extremely tight and well directed with Davies really going all out. There are countless funny situations and the majority of them work extremely well including one bit where she's on a swing with Gray. There's also a very funny sequence dealing with a "becoming a father" joke. Gray is also very good in his spot as the boyfriend and the rest of the supporting cast are good as well. With that said, there's no doubt that this film belongs to Davies. The final ten-minutes were originally shot in Technicolor but it has faded so bad that the sequence looks orange but I still enjoyed seeing Davies in somewhat color.

CitizenCaine Marion Davies stars as one of the famed Florodora Girls who spurns wealthy suitors in search of "true" love or all that can be had in an 80 minute film. Davies is the centerpiece as usual and does well with the part. There's a bit of real life irony in the fact that Davies was the mistress of super rich publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst at the time this film was made. Viewers should be prepared to hear a plethora of old-time, tired phrases, such as "yes sir-ee bob", "humdinger", "I say...", "It's ripping", and "hunky dory". The supporting players do add some flavor to the film, including Lawrence Gray as Jack Vibart, Walter Catlett as De Boer, Louis John Bartels as Oliver Hemingway, Claud Allister as Lord Rumblesham, and especially Sam Hardy as Harry Fontaine. Ilka Chase appears as Fanny, and Anita Louise appears as one of the Vibart teenagers. Several songs, vibrant costumes, and sets brighten an otherwise average film. The concluding scene was filmed in two-color Technicolor, although some prints will look just tinted because of film-stock fading for sure. Gene Markey wrote the script, which was directed by Harry Beaumont. Davies produced the film. ** of 4 stars.

JohnHowardReid While not one of her most entertaining outings, "The Florodora Girl" has much to recommend it, especially in its musical interludes which a provide a feast of 1890's songs. Just about all these are well rendered by Miss Davies and chorus. Mr Gray, "who sings better than he talks" (as Mordaunt Hall aptly commented), has only the one number and irritatingly not only fails to join in singing the climactic, real Florodora hit, "Tell Me, Pretty Maiden", but actually louses it up. This is the way of the plot which tends to hamper the movie at every turn of its routine screws.Some poorly contrived humorous interludes with over-enthusiastic Walter Catlett, and Harry Beaumont's rather routine, static and uninspired direction do little to help; but fortunately the movie offers plenty of visual compensations by way of its lavish sets and costumes, in addition to the aural appeal of its music score.

psteier The late 1890's are lovingly reconstructed, with wonderful costumes and nice sets. Very good script. Marion Davies as a chorus girl who doesn't want to be a rich man's toy has lots of chances to show her stuff. There is only one Floradora dance routine and it is quite calm. The final scenes are in two color Technicolor.