SITTING ON THE MOON (1936) Roger Pryor, Grace Bradley & William Newell | Comedy, Drama | B&W

Sitting on the Moon is a 1936 American musical film directed by Ralph Staub and released by Republic Pictures.

SYNOPSIS
A pair of hit songwriters fall in love with an ex-film star and her friend, but a blackmailer arrives to disrupt the romances. Based on William Field's short story "Temperamental Lady."

Songwriter Danny West wakes up with an unknown woman in a taxi outside the film studio Regent Pictures Inc. where he works. He remembers little from the night before. The woman is still asleep and Danny asks the driver to drop her off where they picked her up.

Danny and songwriting colleague Mike are tasked with delivering a song to studio executive Tucker.

Actress Polly Blair once walked out on Tucker, and now he won't even hire her for the chorus. Polly's friend Mattie offers moral support. Danny recognize Polly from when she chose his and Mike's song "Who Am I" for her movie "Fugitive Princess". The song became a hit and was Danny's big break. Danny writes the song "Sitting on the Moon" for Polly and she performs it with Charlie Lane and his ensemble.

Right before Danny and Polly's engagement party, Danny and Mike are fired from the film studio. Charlie has signed with a broadcaster from New York and wants Polly to come along, but she turns down the offer because she wants to stay with Danny. The woman from the taxi, Blossom, shows up at the party and says that she and Danny got married that night. She leaves, and soon thereafter a heartbroken Polly and Mattie leaves too.

Blossom relays to Danny that she'll accept a divorce in exchange for $10,000 in cash. Mike invites Danny to come along to New York, but Danny declines.

Polly is successful on New York radio's "Happy Go Lucky Hour" and creates record sales. Mike finds out that Charlie, who signed Polly to him, is making $3,500 but only paying Polly $100.

Danny travels to New York, hits Charlie, and Charlie raises Polly's salary to $1,000 a week. Polly is excited to hear that Danny is in town. Frank sends Danny a newspaper clip of Blossom reading she has "eleven husbands" in a racketeering run with the taxi driver.

CAST & CREW
Roger Pryor as Danny West
Grace Bradley as Polly Blair
William Newell as Mike
Pert Kelton as Mattie
Henry Kolker as Worthington
Henry Wadsworth as Charlie Lane
Joyce Compton as Blossom Dawn
Pierre Watkin as Tucker
William Janney as Young Husband
June Martel as Young Wife
The Theodores as Themselves
Jimmy Ray as Feature Dancer
Harvey Clark as Hotel Manager
George Cooper as Jim Daggett, Taxi Driver

Directed by Ralph Staub
Written by Raymond L. Schrock (screenplay), Rex Taylor (adaptation) & Sidney Sutherland (adaptation), Julian Field (original story)
Produced by Nat Levine
Cinematography Ernest Miller
Edited by Ernest J. Nims
Distributed by Republic Pictures (US), British Lion Films (UK)
Release date September 11, 1936
Running time 53 minutes (US edited version), 66 minutes (US)
Country United States
Language English