The Vagabond Lover 1929

The Vagabond Lover


RKO, 1929, B/W, 66 minutes, ***

Released December, 1929



Rudy Vallee croons his way through a zany musical about an amateur musician in search of work who impersonates a big band leader. With Sally Blaine, Marie Dressler.



Fun (and funny) musical comedy. A very early talkie - the sound is quite good, though the mixing is rather poor, since there were probably very few microphones in use, and microphones of that era were not very sensitive. Good example of early sound in film. Some of the acting (especially Vallee's) is atrocious, unintentionally adding to the comedy. But Marie Dressler is a scream, as always! Good storyline made all the more interesting by a glimpse of a period long gone (nearly 80 years ago), its historical significance and Rudy Vallee's music.



Produced by: Louis Sarecky

Associate Producer: Louis Sarecky

Directed by: Marshall Neilan

Screenplay by: James Ashmore Creelman

Music Director: Victor Barravalle

Song Score: various

Art Director: Max Ree

Recordist: John Tribby

Photographed by: Leo Tover

Film Editor: Arthur Roberts



Cast: Rudy Vallee [Rudy Bronson], Sally Blane [Jean], Marie Dressler [Mrs. Whitehall], Charles Sellon [Officer Tuttle], Nella Walker [Mrs. Todd Hunter], Eddie Nugent [Sport], Danny O'Shea [Sam], Alan Roscoe [Manager], The Connecticut Yankees [Themselves], Additional Cast: Malcolm Waite [Ted Grant]



Musical Program: [0:00] I'm Just a Vagabond Lover (sung by Rudy Vallee behind titles); [0:03] A Little Kiss Each Morning (instrumental excerpt played by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees); [0:13] Nobody's Sweetheart (played by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees, vocal by Rudy Vallee); [0:16] I Love You, Believe Me, I Love You (Dream of My Heart) (played by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees, vocal by Rudy Vallee); [0:27] Georgie Porgie, Pudding and Pie (nursery rhyme put to music, sung by four orphan girls); [0:29] If You Were the Only Girl in the World (played by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees, vocal by Rudy Vallee); [0:35] A Little Kiss Each Morning (played by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees, vocal by Rudy Vallee); [0:53] I'm Just a Vagabond Lover (instrumental arrangement danced by Chorus Girls); [0:57] I Love You, Believe Me, I Love You (Dream of My Heart) (played by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees, vocal by Rudy Vallee); [0:59] Then I'll Be Reminded of You (played by Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees, vocal by Rudy Vallee); [1:05] I'm Just a Vagabond Lover (short instrumental excerpt played at end of film