"Rose-Marie" 1928

Cast: Joan Crawford (as Rose-Marie),James Murray,House Peters,Creighton Hale,Gibson Gowland,George Cooper,Lionel Belmore,William Orlamond,Polly Moran,Harry Gribbon,Gertrude Astor,Ralph Yearsley,Sven Hugo Borg,Lou Costello


Release date - February 11, 1928

Running time - 70 minutes (8 reels)

Director - Lucien Hubbard

Writing Credits - Otto A. Harbach (play) and Lucien Hubbard

Producer - Unknown

Cinematographer - John Arnold

Costumes - David Cox

Studio - MGM

Movie Synopsis

Sergeant Malone (House Peters) and Etienne Doray (Creighton Hale) are both in love with Rose-Marie (Joan), however she only has eyes for Jim Kenyon (James Murray). When Jim (James Murray) is accused of murder, Rose-Marie (Joan) marries the influential Etienne (Creighton Hale) in order to save her man from the law. The real murderer, Black Bastien (Gibson Gowland) is being hunted by Sergeant Malone (House Peters), however in a chain of events, Malone (House Peters) is killed, Black (Gibson Gowland) is discovered to be the real murderer and Jim (James Murray) is set free.

Interesting Trivia

This movie was actually destroyed when the remake was made in 1936 staring Jeanette MacDonald. MGM would destroy the original movies if a remake would come out of the same movie. "Rose-Marie" of 1928 did get good reviews in Photoplay and other publication at the time. It also made money at the box-office and proved Crawford could hold her own as a leading lady. This role also showed she could be more than just statuesque and patrician. The movie was dramatic and very suspenseful and that was unheard off for a silent musical comedy to evolve into. It's a shame that "Rose-Marie" was destroyed and there are probably no copies of this film that survived. The only glimpses we have are movie stills and photographs from this film. Joan's look was pretty comical with her wild frizzy hair, very wild eyes and thin lips. When you compare photos from "Rose-Marie" to "Grand Hotel", it is hard to believe it's the same woman.

Based on the play Rose-Marie by Otto Harbach, Oscar, II Hammerstein, Rudolf Friml, Herbert Stothart (London, March 20, 1925).

There were two remakes of this original version, Rose-Marie (1936) and Rose-Marie (1954).


Box Office Receipts - $972,000.
Inflation Value in 2007: $11,748,467.37

Photos

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Movie Posters/Lobby Cards etc...

Reviews

J. G. of the St. Paul Pioneer Press had this to say, "Joan Crawford, one of the most admired of the new leading women, has the title role. This about the first time that she has been permitted to be anything but statuesque and patrician. She changes her character with a vengeance, flinging herself fiercely into the wildcat passions of the role of the French Canadian girl and also into the purring cuteness it calls for. She is pleasant to look at in both phases."


Photoplay (1928) said, "Exciting fights and daring escapes. An excellent cast with Joan Crawford a charming Rose-Marie, the daughter of the northern icebound country, who warms the hearts of all the men around her...It's a little complicated but offers suspense."

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