Musical Monday: Kiss Me Again (1930)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
Kiss Me Again (1930) – Musical #807

Studio:
First National Pictures, a Warner Bros. subsidiary

Director:
William A. Seiter

Starring:
Bernice Claire, Edward Everett Horton, Walter Pidgeon, June Collyer, Frank McHugh, Claude Gillingwater, Judith Vosselli, Albert Gran

Plot:
Fifi (Claire) works in a dress shop with ambitions of becoming an opera singer. She’s in love with soldier Paul de St. Cyr (Pidgeon), but he is also engaged to Marie (Collyer), the daughter of the general (Gran). When Paul’s father (Gillingwater) asks Fifi to leave her son alone, she departs to fulfill her dreams of a singing career.

Trivia:
• Originally released in 1930 as “Toast of the Legion,” but was withdrawn as musicals were failing with audiences during this period. It was re-released in early 1931 as “Kiss Me Again.” In the re-release, many of Walter Pidgeon’s songs were cut from the film.
• Based on the Broadway operetta, “Mlle. Modiste” by Victor Herbert and Henry Martyn Blossom. The play ran for 202 performances between Sept. 1905 and June 1906. The 1926 silent film “Mademoiselle Modiste” starring Corinne Griffith was also based on the story.
• Actress Bernie Claire played the lead in “Mlle. Modiste” in a high school production, which made her want to take singing lessons.
• KISS ME AGAIN was originally filmed in Technicolor, but only the black-and-white prints exist.

Frank McHugh and Bernice Claire

Highlights:
• Walter Pidgeon and Frank McHugh singing

Notable Songs:
• “A Make Believe Ladies Man” performed by Frank McHugh
• “Clothes Parade” performed by the chorus
• “Kiss Me Again” performed by Bernice Claire and Walter Pidgeon
• “The Mascot of the Troop” performed by Bernice Claire

My review:
Over the years, I’ve noted that early talkie musicals can be tough. Often, the numbers are staged poorly and seem to appear out of nowhere. But somehow, this week’s Musical Monday, KISS ME AGAIN (1930) passes muster. I think that Frank McHugh may have a lot to do with that.

In the film, Bernice Claire plays Fifi, who works in a dress shop. But Fifi has ambitions to become an opera singer and is also in love with Paul de St. Cyr (Walter Pidgeon). Unfortunately, Paul is also engaged to Marie (June Collyer), the daughter of the general (Gran). When Paul’s father (Gillingwater) asks Fifi to leave her son alone, she departs to fulfill her dreams of a singing career.

KISS ME AGAIN has an interesting background and a dubious release history, just like SPRING IS HERE. The film was originally released as in 1930 as “Toast of the Legion,” but when the film wasn’t doing well largely because of the waning popularity of musicals in the early days of sound. First National pulled the film and re-released it in early 1931 under the title KISS ME AGAIN.

If you’re reading the cast and trivia and you’re thinking, “I don’t know who Bernice Claire is,” don’t stress. Because neither did I until I saw SPRING IS HERE (which interestingly, never received a commercial release. Was she a curse?) Claire, while she has a beautiful voice, seems to have had but a brief career when musicals were first being tested out during the dawn of sound. She appeared in her last feature film in 1935, which is a shame, because she is truly pleasant and has a wonderful voice. However, at the same time, outside of her voice there’s not much distinguishable about her. In KISS ME AGAIN, I thought Claire and June Collyer looked the same. I also confused her with the other leading actress in SPRING IS HERE.

What’s fun though, is that Claire previously performed this role in a high school production, so KISS ME AGAIN is a fun full circle moment.

However, for me, it isn’t Bernice Claire who makes KISS ME AGAIN. It’s the male leads of Walter Pidgeon and Frank McHugh.

I don’t think everyone knows that Walter Pidgeon sang in 1930s films and sings well! I adored seeing him in this film, however, the unfortunate part is that many of his songs were cut in the final release when the film was re-released as KISS ME AGAIN.

But the real highlight of the film? The wonderful Frank McHugh. McHugh plays the ex-husband of the dress shop owner and he works there for free of charge. McHugh is a hoot and even gets to sing a song! McHugh performs a comedic number, “A Make Believe Ladies Man,” and it’s hilarious. It’s lots of fun seeing him an early role.

In addition, the film begins with a fashion show, which I loved.

I know it’s unusual for me to sing the praises of an early musical, but this one really is pretty great. Even better — it runs at 75 minutes!

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