Rockabye (1932) * 1/2 (out of 4) Growing up trashy but turned into a lady, an actress (Constance Bennett) wants to adopt a child but isn't allowed after her past is brought up in a court trial. Three cheers for the mother instinct, and a zissboom-bah for “Rockabye.”. She then walks up to him and slaps him. Add the first question. Actually, Lukas’ Sola is also infatuated with Jody and similarly wears his wounded male ego around his neck. This is an early film from George Cukor that really doesn't have any of the charm or spirit that his later films have. . But, let me also make it clear up front, this movie is a mitigated disaster. Jody and Jake go out on the old town so she can show off her street cred, which is a long, limp sequence. And it will always be haunted by the fact that this, somehow, is the improved version. She at one point jokes about wanting ‘a colored baby’. Use the HTML below. There's a problem loading this menu right now. Then repeat. Check out our picks for family friendly movies movies that transcend all ages. Was this review helpful to you? . If it’s her love for a married man, he doesn’t show up for the film’s first half hour. After George Cukor was brought in to direct, Jobyna Howland replaced Laura Hope Crews in the role of “Snooks Carroll,” and Joel McCrea replaced Phillips Holmes, whom RKO had borrowed from Paramount, in the role of “Jake.” Modern sources add the following information about the production: RKO rushed the script into production with Fitzmaurice at the helm in order to meet the exhibitors’ deadline for a new “Bennett” film. McCrea wants to start an affair with Bennett even though he’s married. She does no one any good, giving an angry outburst when it’s implied that Lilybet is Hal’s daughter. A war officer who is thought dead returns to the woman he loves, only to find she has remarried. Jody goes to Europe for a few months to get over things, taking along her alcoholic mother, Snooks (Jobyna Howland). It just makes the movie last longer– and what a sin that is. All of my images are taken by me– please feel free to reuse with credit! The screenplay by Jane Murfin is based on a play by Lucia Bronder. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Looking for a movie the entire family can enjoy? On the verge of divorce, Jake proposes he and Judy wed as soon as he is free. Constance Bennett plays Broadway diva Judy Carroll who loses custody of a wee orphan after testifying in a notorious embezzlement case. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. AllMovie Rating So just what is the thrust of the plot? Bennett just looks embarrassed… or maybe I’m projecting. Fate, however, isn’t done rocking Judy to her core, and her opening-night triumph will prove to be her greatest, most heartbreaking test. Rockabye may be one of the least professional looking films of Old Hollywood, an emotion-free, unequivocal disaster. Determined to use it as a dramatic debut and a cathartic reset, Judy tracks down the playwright, Jake Van Riker Pell (Joel McCrea), to obtain the rights. I have to admit not being familiar with this one (perhaps, it seems, for the best). Also messing with things is how dumb his Jake character is, just a nice guy who slips into petty jealousy and whining at the drop of the hat. This year, darling. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. "[2], https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rockabye_(1932_film)&oldid=976806539, Films made before the MPAA Production Code, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Charles Dow Clark as Mr. Farley (uncredited), Virginia Howell as Mrs. Bronson (uncredited), This page was last edited on 5 September 2020, at 04:15. It’s mind boggling. But when she learns that Jake's wife (Virginia Hammond) is with child, Judy nobly severs the romance and instead finds solace in the arms of the worldlier Tony (Paul Lukas). Actress Judy Carroll, from the gas-house district has been trained, educated and developed so well by her manager, that not even the publicity-seeking world of the theater has guessed her antecedents. Anyway, that’s enough of that, since the rest of the movie has practically nothing to do with it. Please try again. Jake dismisses Judy as a debutante, unfit for the lead, until she reveals her tough-girl roots and wins him over. Written by There are some hints that Lilybet may secretly be Jody’s daughter by Hal whom she’s adopted to throw off suspicions that the kid was born out of wedlock, a not-wholly-ridiculous turn since Loretta Young was about to perform the same magic trick in real life in a few years time. Comedy, Certificate: Passed Devastated by the loss, she’s sent abroad with her inebriated mother, Snooks (Jobyna Howland), by her adoring manager, Tony (Paul Lukas). Constance Bennett publicity copy.jpg 786 × 1,063; 325 KB. Media in category "Rockabye (1932 film)" The following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total. That’s old fashioned!”. Overview of Rockabye, 1932, directed by George Cukor, with Constance Bennett, Joel McCrea, Paul Lukas, at Turner Classic Movies Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. Constance Bennett, Joel McCrea, Paul Lukas, Jobyna Howland, Walter Pidgeon. A society girl tries to reform her playboy husband by making him jealous. Julie Cavendish comes from a family of great Broadway actors. Certificate: Passed From TCMDB on the film’s production: According to Hollywood Reporter news items, George Fitzmaurice, whom RKO borrowed from M-G-M, was the original director of the film, resigned on September 16, 1932 because of a disagreement with the producers. “Children don’t keep man and wife together anymore! Anyway, this is where the movie begins. View production, box office, & company info. What a tragedy. Who’s bright idea was that? They head back to Jody’s place for some food, and there’s one scene that lasts for a few minutes where McCrea keeps pushing Bennett into a cabinet and bumping her butt. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Rockabye (1932) Directed by George Cukor Genres - Drama | Sub-Genres - Romantic Drama, Showbiz Drama | Release Date - Nov 25, 1932 (USA - Unknown) | Run Time - 71 min. The mother instinct must be preserved at any cost. Devastated, she is comforted by Tony, who finally reveals his feelings for her. Rockabye is a film directed by George Cukor with Constance Bennett, Joel McCrea, Paul Lukas, Jobyna Howland .... Year: 1932. There’s a lot of problems in the film and it’s easy to lay the blame at any one of them, but that can’t possibly encapsulate what a failure this movie is in practically any regard. However, the movie is desperately non-committal to the point of maddening, in turns making Jody look hysterical or like a sociopath since her reaction to Lilybet’s welfare is never consistent. Her boisterous brother Tony is fleeing a breach of promise suit in Hollywood. The screenplay by Jane Murfin is based on a play by Lucia Bronder. While in Europe, she discovers a play that mirrors her own life, named Rockabye. For even more, visit our Family Entertainment Guide. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. This site is brought to you by people like you. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin.   |  . Two gold diggers prey on old rich men, but one of them falls in love with a young, rich man. The ending is perhaps not satisfactory, but considering the time when it was filmed it is perhaps plausible. What year? Anxious to accommodate exhibitors who were awaiting a new Constance Bennett film, the studio rushed the script into production with Phillips Holmes as the male lead. (1932). A beautiful British intelligence agent attempts to reveal the identity and motives of a powerful German spy during World War 1. (Also please keep in mind that her alcoholic mother was Lilybet’s primary babysitter, which is probably more important than the movie lets on.)