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The Girl from Woolworth's

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The Girl from Woolworth's
Directed byWilliam Beaudine
Written byAdele Comandini
Richard Weil
Edward Ludwig
StarringAlice White
Gladden James
Bert Moorhouse
Patricia Caron
CinematographyJackson Rose
Edited byTerry O. Morse
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • October 27, 1929 (1929-10-27)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Girl from Woolworth's is a 1929 American sound (All-Talking) pre-Code musical romance film directed by William Beaudine and starring Alice White, Gladden James and Bert Moorhouse. It was released both as a sound film and in a slightly shorter silent version.[1]

Karen Plunkett-Powell wrote in her book, Remembering Woolworth's: A Nostalgic History of the World's Most Famous Five-and-Dime: "First National Pictures produced this 60-minute musical as a showcase for up-and-coming actress Alice White."[2] White had the role of a singing clerk in the music department of a Woolworth's store.[2]

Cast

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Plot

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At a lively party, Daisy King (Alice White) is introduced as a singer and performs a song just as Bill Harrigan (Charles Delaney) arrives. Daisy makes a strong impression on Bill, but she doesn't pay him much attention. Bill assumes Daisy is a professional entertainer, and he tells her he's a traveling man.

The next day, Daisy and Bill meet again—this time on the subway, where Bill works as a guard. Daisy forgets her handbag on the train, and Bill, discovering from a card inside that she works as a salesgirl at Woolworth's ten-cent store, returns it to her at the counter. Touched by his gesture, Daisy agrees to go on a dinner date with him.

They spend the evening at the upscale Mayfield Club. The owner, Lawrence Mayfield (Wheeler Oakman), notices Daisy and invites her to his office. He offers her a chance to perform at the club. Bill disapproves of the offer, but Daisy is thrilled by the prospect of stardom. That night, Bill proposes to her, but Daisy is still chasing her dreams.

Just as she accepts Bill’s proposal, she receives a wire from Mayfield to report for rehearsal. Without hesitation, she rushes off to the club, leaving Bill behind. When Bill shows up looking for her, Tillie Hart (Rita Flynn), Daisy’s loyal and sharp-witted roommate, explains the situation. Bill storms out angrily and heads for the club.

Tillie, realizing Bill may cause a scene, tries to call ahead but can’t get through. On her way to the club, she witnesses Bill's car crash and learns he's been taken to the hospital. She hurries to tell Daisy the news just as Daisy is about to perform her big debut. Daisy is desperate to leave, but the show must go on. She performs her number through tears—and the audience adores her.

Back in her dressing room, Mayfield makes an aggressive advance. He locks the door and shoves Tillie out. Just then, Bill bursts in, arm in a sling and face bandaged from the accident. He punches Mayfield with his good arm and whisks Daisy away.

"You’re all the career I want," Daisy sobs to Bill as they leave together.

Music

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The film featured four songs with music by George W. Meyer and lyrics by Al Bryan. The songs titles are listed below:

  • "Someone"
  • "Oh! Oh! Oh! What I Know About Love"
  • "You Baby Me, I'll Baby You"
  • "Crying for Love"

Status

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The film is now considered lost.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Marshall p.311
  2. ^ a b Plunkett-Powell, Karen (2001). Remembering Woolworth's: A Nostalgic History of the World's Most Famous Five-and-Dime. Macmillan. p. 191. ISBN 9780312277048. Retrieved November 10, 2016.

Bibliography

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  • Marshall, Wendy L. William Beaudine: From Silents to Television. Scarecrow Press, 2005.
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