APPLAUSE (1929) Helen Morgan, Joan Peers & Fuller Mellish Jr. | Musical | B&W | Golden Age Film

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Applause is a 1929 American backstage musical "talkie" directed by Rouben Mamoulian and starring Helen Morgan, Jack Cameron, and Joan Peers. It was shot at Paramount's Astoria Studios in Astoria, New York during the early years of sound films.

Applause is adapted from the 1928 novel by Beth Brown, a former chorus girl, about an aging burlesque queen who sacrifices herself for her daughter so that the latter can escape her mother’s sordid fate.

The film is notable as one of the earliest films of its time to break free from the restrictions of bulky sound technology equipment in order to shoot on location around Manhattan. In 2006, Applause was included in the annual selection of 25 motion pictures added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and recommended for preservation

The film's copyright expired on January 1, 2025, resulting in the film entering the public domain.

Synopsis

The first scene has a marching band playing Theodore Mentz's "A Hot Time in the Old Town".

The film tells of Kitty Darling (Helen Morgan), a burlesque star. Upon the recommendation of burlesque clown and suitor, Joe King (Jack Cameron), Kitty sends her young daughter to a convent to get her away from the sleazy burlesque environment she is involved.

Many years later, Kitty is not doing so well, and her best days are behind her. She is now an alcoholic who lives in the past. She lives with a burlesque comic named Hitch (Fuller Mellish Jr.). Hitch cheats on her and only cares about spending what little money she has. When he finds out that she has been paying for her daughter's convent education for over a decade, he pushes her to bring April home.

Her grown, but naive daughter April (Joan Peers) returns. Kitty is embarrassed by her condition and marries Hitch so that April will not be ashamed of her.

When April arrives, she is disgusted with her mother and her sad life. Hitch tries to force her into show business and repeatedly gropes her, at one point forcing a kiss on her.

April roams the city and meets a lonely young sailor named Tony (Henry Wadsworth). They fall in love, agree to marry, and plan for April to visit his home in Wisconsin. When April goes to tell her mother about their plans, she overhears Hitch belittling Kitty, calling her a "has-been."

April is upset and calls off her wedding. She decides to join the chorus line of a burlesque show. She says a reluctant goodbye to Tony at the subway. Meanwhile, Kitty takes an overdose of sleeping pills. The bottle clearly says "For insomnia one tablet only". She goes downstairs to the show and collapses on a couch.

Knowing that Kitty cannot perform in the show, the producer berates her, mistaking her reaction to the overdose for delirium tremens. April, not realizing what is happening, says she will take Kitty's place despite Kitty's objections. She tells Kitty she will take care of her now, like Kitty always did for April. As April goes on stage, Kitty passes away, her head hanging over the edge of the couch.

April is disgusted at herself and cannot complete the show. As she runs off the stage, Tony is there to greet her. He says he had a feeling she did not mean what she was saying. She hugs him close and says she wants to go far away. Not realizing Kitty is dead, she says they will need to take care of her mother too, and Tony agrees.

The final shot is a close-up of the Kitty Darling poster on the wall behind Tony and April.

Cast & Crew

Helen Morgan as Kitty Darling
Joan Peers as April Darling
Fuller Mellish Jr. as Hitch Nelson
Jack Cameron as Joe King
Henry Wadsworth as Tony
Dorothy Cumming as Mother Superior
Mack Gray as Slim's Brother
David Holt as Jack Singer

Directed by: Rouben Mamoulian
Written by: Garrett Fort
Based on: Applause by Beth Brown
Produced by: Monta Bell, Walter Wanger (uncredited)
Cinematography: George J. Folsey
Edited by: John Bassler
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Dates:
October 7, 1929 (New York premiere)
January 4, 1930 (United States)
Running Time: 80 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English