| Lilies of the Field | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Alexander Korda |
| Written by | John F. Goodrich |
| Based on | Lilies of the Field 1921 play by William J. Hurlbut |
| Produced by | Walter Morosco |
| Starring | Corinne Griffith Ralph Forbes John Loder Eve Southern |
| Cinematography | Lee Garmes |
| Production company | First National Pictures |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Release date |
|
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Lilies of the Field is a 1930 American Pre-Code musical drama film directed by Alexander Korda, and starring Corinne Griffith, Ralph Forbes, and John Loder. It was a remake of the silent 1924 film Lilies of the Field, in which Griffith had played the same role. Both films were based on a 1921 play of the same name by William J. Hurlbut. Lilies of the Field was Griffith's first all-dialogue film. The film is not related in any way to the 1963 film of the same name.
Plot
Walter Harker, who is married to Mildred Harker, falls in love with another woman and wants to separate from his wife without losing custody of his daughter. He frames his wife and files for divorce, and Mildred ends up losing her daughter.
Mildred moves into a cheap apartment and gradually becomes a Broadway showgirl and drowns her depression in a life of alcohol and jazz. Ted Willing, a wealthy man, becomes her devoted admirer, but after her experience with her ex-husband, Mildred finds it hard to trust anyone. When Willing offers Mildred financial help, she refuses to accept anything, fearing that her daughter may hear about it. Eventually, she realizes that her daughter has completely forgotten about her and allows Willing to take care of her. One day, while she is at a party, Mildred hears of her daughter's death and has a breakdown. She later is jailed for vagrancy and disorderly conduct. Willing comes to the police station and rescues her.
Cast
- Corinne Griffith – Mildred Harker
- Ralph Forbes – Ted Willing
- John Loder – Walter Harker
- Eve Southern – Pink
- Jean Laverty – Gertie
- Tyler Brooke – Bert Miller
- Freeman Wood – Lewis Conroy
- George Beranger – Barber
- Douglas Gerrard – Headwaiter
- Rita La Roy – Florette
- Betty Boyd – Joyce
- May Boley – Maizie
- Virginia Bruce – Doris
- Charles Hill Mailes – Judge
- Raymond Largay – Harker's lawyer
- Joseph E. Bernard – Mildred's lawyer
- Tenen Holtz – Paymaster
- Wilfred Noy – Butler
- Anne Schaefer – First maid
- Clarissa Selwynne – Second maid
Songs
The theme song for the movie, titled "I'd Like to Be a Gypsy", was written for the film by Ned Washington and Michael H. Cleary. Cleary also wrote "Mechanical Ballet" (a.k.a. "Speed") for the film. This latter number was featured in a Broadway number sequence.
Preservation status
No copies of this film are known to exist, and it is believed that the film is now lost. Fragments of the "Mechanical Ballet" sequence are preserved in the 1932 Joe E. Brown comedy film The Tenderfoot.
See also
References
- Kulik, p. 52
Bibliography
- Kulik, Karol. Alexander Korda: The Man Who Could Work Miracles. Virgin Books, 1990.
External links
- Lilies of the Field at IMDb
- Lilies of the Field at AllMovie
- Lilies of the Field at the TCM Movie Database
- Lilies of the Field at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
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- 1930 films
- Lost American drama films
- 1930s English-language films
- Films directed by Alexander Korda
- First National Pictures films
- Warner Bros. films
- American films based on plays
- Films set in New York City
- 1930 drama films
- American black-and-white films
- 1930 lost films
- English-language drama films
- 1930s American films
- 1930s American film stubs