Reaching for the Moon
"The Modern Financial Wizard in a Whirl of Romance!"
Plot
Larry Day is a hyper-focused Wall Street financier who has achieved immense wealth but remains completely inexperienced in the art of romance. When he falls for the vivacious aviatrix Vivien Benton, he realizes his business acumen is useless in the dating world and enlists his sophisticated valet, Roger, to coach him in the ways of love. Larry follows Vivien onto a luxury ocean liner bound for Europe, where a series of comedic mishaps occur, including the consumption of a potent 'love potion' cocktail called 'Angel's Breath' that unleashes his repressed wild side. However, the romance is jeopardized when the 1929 stock market crash occurs mid-voyage, stripping Larry of his fortune and forcing him to prove that his feelings for Vivien are more than just a byproduct of a drink or his bank account.
About the Production
The film was one of the most expensive productions of its time, costing nearly a million dollars. It was originally conceived as a full-scale musical with a complete score by Irving Berlin. However, during production, the 'musical craze' in Hollywood died out, leading director Edmund Goulding to cut almost all the musical numbers. This caused a major rift between Goulding and Berlin, who eventually walked off the set and later condemned the film despite retaining a story credit.
Historical Background
Released just over a year after the 1929 stock market crash, the film's plot directly mirrors the anxieties of the era. It captures the transition of Hollywood from the 'Jazz Age' musicals of 1929 to the more cynical, fast-talking 'Pre-Code' comedies of the early 1930s. The film also marks the twilight of Douglas Fairbanks' career as a top-tier leading man, as the industry moved away from the silent-era icons toward naturalistic sound performers.
Why This Film Matters
The film is highly regarded by historians for its stunning Art Deco production design, which epitomizes the 'Streamline Moderne' aesthetic of the early 1930s. It serves as a primary example of the 'lost' musicals of the early sound era—films that were gutted of their music due to shifting studio mandates. Additionally, it is a crucial piece of Bing Crosby's filmography, capturing the future superstar at the very beginning of his cinematic journey.
Making Of
The production was plagued by a creative clash between director Edmund Goulding and songwriter Irving Berlin. Goulding, who also wrote the screenplay, wanted a sophisticated comedy-drama, while Berlin had envisioned a traditional musical. As the public's appetite for musicals waned in late 1930, Goulding took the drastic step of cutting Berlin's songs after they had already been filmed. This decision not only alienated Berlin but also left the film with an uneven pace and 'dead air' where musical transitions used to be. Bing Crosby's scene was filmed late at night at the Cocoanut Grove after he had finished his live singing engagement there.
Visual Style
Photographed by Ray June and Robert H. Planck, the film features innovative camera movements for the early sound era, including a traveling shot through a miniature New York skyline. The lighting is high-key and glamorous, emphasizing the sleek, metallic surfaces of the Art Deco sets.
Innovations
The film utilized advanced miniature work for the opening New York sequence and featured some of the most elaborate and expensive interior sets built at the United Artists studio to that date. It also experimented with 'post-syncing' or dubbing, though the results were considered crude by contemporary standards.
Music
The soundtrack is famous for what is missing. While Irving Berlin wrote a full score, the only significant survivor is 'When the Folks High Up Do the Mean Low Down', performed by Bing Crosby, Bebe Daniels, and June MacCloy. The title song, 'Reaching for the Moon', is heard primarily as instrumental underscoring and over the opening credits, though it became a major hit for other artists like Ruth Etting and Ella Fitzgerald later on.
Famous Quotes
Larry Day: 'I just discovered something... She's not just the sort of thing that you pursue and love and hold. She's something that leans over and whispers in your ear what you are.'
Roger: 'The caveman is a piker compared to the primitive beasts wandering through the forests in search of their mates.'
Larry Day: 'If you don't think that cotton situation is a wow, then I'm an Egyptian!'
Memorable Scenes
- The 'Angel's Breath' sequence: After drinking a potent cocktail, the usually stiff Larry Day becomes a whirlwind of energy, performing acrobatic stunts and scaling the walls of the ship's bar.
- Bing Crosby's performance: A young, uncredited Crosby leads a vibrant, rhythmic rendition of 'When the Folks High Up Do the Mean Low Down' in the ship's lounge.
- The Stock Market Crash: Larry receives the news of his financial ruin via radio while in the middle of the ocean, a stark contrast to the luxury surrounding him.
Did You Know?
- This film features the first solo film appearance of Bing Crosby, who sings 'When the Folks High Up Do the Mean Low Down'.
- The film was originally titled 'Lucky Break' during production.
- Irving Berlin wrote 14 songs for the film, but only one full number and bits of the title track survived the final cut.
- Douglas Fairbanks, known for his silent swashbuckling roles, appears here in modern dress and performs his own acrobatic stunts, including climbing walls under the influence of a cocktail.
- The role of Kitty was originally intended for a young Ginger Rogers before June MacCloy was cast.
- The 'Angel's Breath' cocktail in the film is described as containing a powerful drug from the northern coast of Africa.
- The film is a partial remake of Fairbanks' own 1917 silent film of the same name, though the plots differ significantly.
- Surviving prints are significantly shorter than the original 91-minute theatrical release because the musical numbers were physically excised from the negatives.
- The Art Deco sets were designed by the legendary William Cameron Menzies, who later won the first-ever Oscar for Art Direction.
What Critics Said
At the time of release, Variety called it 'just fair' and noted that the dialogue occasionally sparkled but failed to sustain pace. Modern critics often view it as a 'curio' or an 'ur-screwball' comedy that is more interesting for its visuals and cast than its script. It currently holds a low audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (around 31%), largely due to the poor quality of surviving public domain prints and the disjointed nature of the edited version.
What Audiences Thought
Audiences in 1930 were somewhat confused by the film's shift from a financial drama to a slapstick comedy on a boat. While Fairbanks' physical agility still drew laughs, the film failed to recoup its massive million-dollar budget, signaling that Fairbanks' brand of optimism was losing its grip on a Depression-era public.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Reaching for the Moon (1917 silent film)
- The sophisticated 'Continental' comedies of Ernst Lubitsch
This Film Influenced
- The Lady Eve (1941)
- Arthur (1981)
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Film Restoration
The film exists but is incomplete. The original 91-minute version is considered lost; surviving prints are typically the 72-minute or 74-minute television edits from the 1940s and 50s. It has not undergone a major digital restoration.