May 28 John Payne

Happy Birthday John Payne and Carroll Baker.

To celebrate John Payne’s birthday I watched The Great American Broadcast a black and white musical. The black and white is very crisp. John Payne is a great actor who could do any type of film: comedy, drama, musical, western and film noir. My favorite movie that he is in is probably Sentimental Journey which I have not seen in a long time. Every Christmas I do watch Miracle on 34th Street and I also listen to the radio program. TCM has been showing Miracle on 34th Street almost every month since it premiered in February. I don’t mind, but I read one blog on another site that it would be nice if TCM would show the film for the Christmas season.

The film also stars Alice Faye, Jack Oakie and Cesar Romero. It starts off in 1919 where pilot John Payne has difficulty in landing the plane in a field airport due to telephone wires being strung. Jack Oakie is the line man wiring the poles. After John fights off the phone manager they leave, leaving Jack. The two men go to Jack’s apartment where he has a room full of radio equipment, which is hobby. It is raining and the men get into their skivvies. John in a robe, showing off his garters and Jack in his long johns with a night shirt over it walks in the hallway Into another apartment, which is Alice Faye. Jack goes into is apartment to turn on the equipment and sings. John still in Alice’s apartment puts on headphones. Alice comes in and does not see him. She changes into a towel still wearing her hat when she sees him sitting in the chair. Alice fumbles behind a screen and wraps it around herself. It is a perfect height to cover her body and her head shows in the middle of the top frame. John has an idea to broadcast entertainment and the radio manufactures will pay them.

The first show they are in an outdoor tent with rain coming in in larger and larger leaks. The next day there is a newspaper article that basically radio isn’t going anywhere. Then comes a big fight that is broadcast over the wireless. There is actual footage of a Dempsey fight. Jack loves Alice but she loves John. Jack hits John when he finds out and leaves the two to go off with the financial backer, Cesar Romero. John and Alice marry. A year or two pass and radios are the thing. The young couple are struggling and Alice borrows money from Cesar. John finds out and leaves Alice. She gets a job with Jack and Cesar. She signs so sadly. There is physical comedy on the radio program. The live audience can see it but the radio audience hears only silence. That always bothers me in a film about radio. I know it is for the camera, but they are supposed to be on the radio. It is the Wiere Brothers (who I had never heard of before) are very funny as I watch them tap dance for radio show. The idea that John had Jack is going to do. John comes back to confront Jack. John goes out the window and Jack goes after him. Telling John that Alice is going to Reno to divorce him and marry Cesar. John is going to leave. Jack forces John back into the window. John “You can’t get me in that window”. Jack “You better get in there or I’ll throw you in there”. John “You couldn’t throw a fit”. John is pushed in through the window smashing the glass. Jack is shorter than John, but a little heavier, they fight on the floor. The couple are reunited.

The film also features The Four Ink Spots and the Nicholas Brothers. The latter played train porters and were not on the radio in the film. As I watch the making of featurette it was said that the Nicholas Brothers parts were generally separate pieces of action so that it could be edited out if needed in southern states. I know that things were bad for Black entertainers, but that seems outrageous. They were the greatest dancers. I may not watch the special features anymore.