THE VAGABOND LOVER (1929) Rudy Vallee, Sally Blane & Marie Dressler | Comedy, Musical | B&W

The Vagabond Lover is a 1929 American pre-Code black-and-white musical comedy-drama film about a small-town boy who finds fame and romance when he joins a dance band. The film was directed by Marshall Neilan and is based on the novel of the same name written by James Ashmore Creelman, who also wrote the screenplay. It stars Rudy Vallee, in his first feature film, along with Sally Blane, Marie Dressler and Charles Sellon.

SYNOPSIS
A zany musical about an amateur musician in search of work who impersonates a big band leader.

Rudy Bronson is a senior in a small college in the Midwest who completes a correspondence course in the saxophone given by the nationally known Ted Grant. Bronson and his friends form a band but have difficulty finding work. Believing that Grant will help them land professional jobs, the band heads to his Long Island home. They pester Grant for an interview so relentlessly that Grant and his manager must escape to New York City until Bronson finally relents and returns home.

After Grant has left, his neighbor Mrs. Whitehall grows suspicious of the unknown young men hanging around his house. Thinking that they might be burglars, she calls the police. Whitehall and her niece Jean confront Bronson. Thinking quickly, one of Bronson's friends introduces him as Ted Grant, whom Whitehall has never met. The police are still suspicious, but when Bronson and his band play for them, they believe that he is Grant. Whitehall is so impressed that she hires Bronson's band to play at a charity concert.

As they are waiting for the day of the concert, Bronson and Jean become romantically involved, and the band becomes relatively successful. However, on the night before the charity event, Jean is upset to discover that Bronson has been impersonating Grant.

CAST & CREW
Rudy Vallee as Rudy Bronson
Sally Blane as Jean Whitehall
Marie Dressler as Mrs. Ethel Bertha Whitehall
Charles Sellon as Officer George C. Tuttle
Norman Peck as Swiftie
Danny O'Shea as Sam
Edward J. Nugent as Sport (as Eddie Nugent)
Nella Walker as Mrs. Whittington Todhunter
Malcolm Waite as Ted Grant
Alan Roscoe as Grant's Manager
The Connecticut Yankees as Musical Ensemble

Directed by Marshall Neilan
Written by James Ashmore Creelman
Produced by William LeBaron
Cinematography Leo Tover
Edited by Arthur Roberts
Music by Victor Baravalle (music director), Harry M. Woods (songwriter)
Distributed by RKO Radio Pictures
Release dates November 26, 1929 (New York City), December 1, 1929 (United States)
Running time 65 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $204,000
Box office $756,000

NOTES
The film premiered in New York City on November 26, 1929, and was released widely on December 1. A DVD version was released on March 29, 2005. The Vagabond Lover is an early example of a vehicle created for a popular music star, in a style echoed by later films such as Jailhouse Rock with Elvis Presley and A Hard Day's Night with the Beatles.