Behind the Make-Up
About Behind the Make-Up
Hap Brown, a good-natured vaudeville clown played by Hal Skelly, takes in Gardoni, a vain broke comedian played by William Powell who has been thinking of suicide. Gardoni steals Hap's ideas, succeeds on his own, then hires Hap and marries Hap's girlfriend Marie, played by Fay Wray. He treats them badly and starts an affair with the richer Kitty Parker, played by Kay Francis, and runs up a gambling debt with her.
Cast & crew
More about Behind the Make-Up
Robert Milton is the credited director. Dorothy Arzner also directed and is uncredited. The script comes from Mildred Cram's story "The Feeder." Charles Lang photographed it. W. Franke Harling wrote the music. It is the first of seven films in which Powell and Francis both appear.
Themes
Reviews
Mordaunt Hall in The New York Times called Powell excellent, Wray pleasing, Skelly earnest, and Francis fine, and wrote that the story is limp and disappointing.
Look
Charles Lang shot the vaudeville rooms and the later success.
Music
W. Franke Harling composed the music.
Notes
- The later Powell and Francis films include Street of Chance, For the Defense, Ladies' Man, Jewel Robbery, and One Way Passage, plus Paramount on Parade.
- E. H. Calvert plays Dawson and Paul Lukas plays Boris.
Scenes
- Gardoni takes Hap's ideas and leaves.
- He marries Marie, then pursues Kitty.
Influenced by
- Mildred Cram, "The Feeder
