A Soldier's Plaything
"A Riot of Fun in the Army of Occupation!"
Plot
Set during the final days of World War I and the subsequent Allied occupation of Germany, the story follows Georgie Wilson, a man who flees the United States after a gambling dispute leads him to believe he has accidentally killed a fellow player. To escape the law, Georgie and his simple-minded friend Tim enlist in the Army and are deployed to the German town of Koblenz. While stationed there, Georgie falls deeply in love with Gretchen Rittner, the beautiful daughter of a local innkeeper, but his guilt over the 'murder' prevents him from committing to her. The tension peaks when Georgie discovers that his supposed victim is actually alive and serving in the same occupation forces, clearing his conscience and allowing for a romantic resolution. Throughout their service, Georgie and Tim find themselves in constant conflict with their blustering superior, Captain Plover, resulting in numerous comedic mishaps and assignments involving stable cleaning.
About the Production
The film was originally conceived and filmed as a lavish musical comedy during the peak of the early sound 'musical craze.' However, by the time of its late 1930 release, American audiences had grown weary of the genre, leading Warner Bros. to drastically edit the film down from 71 minutes to 56 minutes, removing most of the musical numbers. It was also one of the few films shot in 'Vitascope,' a 65mm widescreen process developed by Warner Bros. to compete with Fox Grandeur, though it is debated if the widescreen version ever saw a wide theatrical release.
Historical Background
Released during the Great Depression, the film reflects a period of transition in Hollywood where studios were desperately trying to figure out what audiences wanted from sound films. It also captures the post-WWI sentiment of the late 1920s and early 30s, portraying the occupation of Germany with a mix of lighthearted comedy and romanticized drama, a common trope before the more cynical war films of the mid-1930s took hold.
Why This Film Matters
The film is primarily studied today as a technical artifact of the 'Widescreen War' of 1929-1931 and as a pivotal moment in the career of Harry Langdon. It serves as a prime example of how quickly the 'musical fad' died in early Hollywood, leading to the mutilation of several high-budget productions by studio executives.
Making Of
Production was marked by the technical challenges of the early sound era and the experimental Vitascope widescreen process. Michael Curtiz had to balance the slow, deliberate physical comedy of Harry Langdon with the faster-paced dialogue required for the new 'talkie' format. The studio's decision to gut the musical numbers after filming was completed left the narrative feeling disjointed, with title cards occasionally used to bridge gaps where songs once existed. This 'Frankenstein' editing process turned what was intended to be a prestige musical into a short, punchy 'B-movie' length comedy-drama.
Visual Style
Shot by Barney McGill and J.O. Taylor, the film features notable early sound-era techniques, including double-exposure sequences used to visualize Georgie's memories of the US. The use of the Vitascope 65mm format allowed for much wider, more detailed compositions than the standard 1.33:1 aspect ratio of the time.
Innovations
One of the earliest experiments with 65mm widescreen (Vitascope). It also utilized early synchronized sound-on-disc/film technology, attempting to integrate musical numbers seamlessly into a narrative structure.
Music
The original soundtrack featured several songs including 'The Whole Town's Talking,' 'Say It With a Smile,' and 'Deep in My Heart.' In the surviving US version, most of these are reduced to instrumental background music or brief snippets.
Famous Quotes
Georgie: 'I'm a soldier now!' Tim: 'A what?' Georgie: 'A soldier!' Tim: 'You're a chump!'
Captain Plover: 'You two bombs... I want you to wash the windows, tidy up the barracks, and shine the captain's shield!'
Tim: 'If you don't hear from me, why, you'll know that I'm dead!'
Memorable Scenes
- The poker game fight where Georgie believes he has killed a man, setting the entire plot in motion.
- The 'stable cleaning' montage where Tim and Georgie are repeatedly punished by Captain Plover, showcasing Langdon's physical comedy.
- The scene in the German bar where Tim (Harry Langdon) sings a song for a girl, only to have a tantrum when he realizes she is deaf and couldn't hear him.
- The final revelation where Georgie's 'victim' walks into the camp, leading to a sudden and joyous reconciliation.
Did You Know?
- This was legendary silent film comedian Harry Langdon's first feature-length 'talkie.'
- The film was shot simultaneously in standard 35mm and the 65mm Vitascope widescreen format.
- Most of the film's songs were cut for the US release, leaving only a few piano-led numbers performed by Ben Lyon and Harry Langdon.
- The plot was based on a story by Viña Delmar, a popular novelist of the era known for 'Bad Girl.'
- Director Michael Curtiz, who later directed 'Casablanca,' was known for his efficiency and was assigned this project to navigate the transition to sound.
- Harry Langdon's character 'Tim' was a variation of his famous 'Little Elf' persona from the silent era.
- The film's failure at the box office contributed to the decline of Harry Langdon's career as a major leading man in sound features.
- The abrupt ending of the 56-minute version is a direct result of the heavy studio re-editing to remove musical sequences.
- Lotti Loder, the female lead, was a Hungarian actress who appeared in very few American films.
- Some of the comedic gags were reportedly recycled from Harry Langdon's earlier silent short, 'All Night Long' (1924).
What Critics Said
At the time, critics found the film to be a mediocre effort, often blaming the uneven pacing and the 'abrupt' nature of the story. Modern critics and film historians are more forgiving, praising Harry Langdon's performance and Michael Curtiz's early use of double-exposure techniques and fluid cinematography, even within the constraints of early sound technology.
What Audiences Thought
Initial audiences were largely indifferent, as the film lacked the spectacle of the musicals they were tired of, yet didn't quite deliver the depth of the emerging 'Pre-Code' dramas. It 'tanked' at the box office, failing to recoup its significant production costs.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- The silent comedies of Mack Sennett
- The 'buddy' dynamic of early military comedies
This Film Influenced
- Later military comedies like 'Buck Privates' (1941)
- The Laurel and Hardy feature 'Pack Up Your Troubles' (1932)
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Film Restoration
The original 71-minute musical version is considered lost. Only the 56-minute edited US theatrical version survives, which is preserved in the Library of Congress and the Warner Bros. archives.