The Matinee Idol
1928 Directed by Frank Capra
Synopsis
The famous matinee idol and blackface comedian, Don Wilson, heads out of town to escape adulation. There, calling himself Harry Mann, he accidentally joins a traveling acting troupe, and falls in love with Ginger Bolivar, who runs the troupe and stars in their Civil War melodrama. Don's producer sees the play, and thinks it's a comic masterpiece, and just what Don's Broadway show needs. But when Ginger finds out she's been played for a fool, will she forgive Don?
Recent reviews
More-
Wasn't bad. I'm not really comfortable with the guy being a blackface-artist, but a nice movie
-
This is the first silent film I can remember ever watching. I will say that watching a silent film requires more of your attention than modern films. Without being able to hear what is going on you really have to be watching the screen or you're going to miss something.
I really enjoyed this film. While not on the level of Capra's later masterpieces, you can see all the elements of a classic Capra film. The high-and-mighty sophisticates who think they're better than everyone else. The "little punks" who put their heart and soul into what they do. The clash of the two. When the small town acting troupe goes to broadway and their Civil War drama is greeted by…