Customer Reviews

Sally

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a Warner Archive product. It is in fact a DVD-R and can be purchased directly from Warner Brothers for under twenty dollars.

Sally was made at the very end of 1929, and it is impressive to see how far sound technology has come in just one year. Although this film still used the Vitaphone sound on disc system that usually resulted in very static scenes, Sally has a high amount of fluid motion present that is uncharacteristic for a film made at this time. Sally's film elements are in somewhat shaggy shape, as is true of many of the early talking First National films. However, it is a very good and rare record of the singing, dancing, and even acting talents of Marilyn Miller and a very good musical in its own rights.

The story is adapted from the Ziegfeld show of the same name. It is about Sally Green (Marilyn Miller), an orphaned girl who waitresses and cooks in a diner for a living, but dreams of being a professional dancer. In fact, the very first shots of the film are of Miller's feet as she dances while she works. She also has an admirer (Alexander Grey) who stares at her from outside the café where she works, causing her to get so enthralled in his gaze one day that she inadvertently makes the world's largest pancake. Sally is basically a Cinderella story, and a charming one at that. There is no evil stepmother in this fairy tale, however, so you can just sit back and enjoy this light romantic comedy and its beautiful musical numbers. The romance is provided by Alexander Gray and Marilyn Miller, and the comedy is mainly provided by Joe E. Brown. Brown plays a prince made penniless by a revolution in his country of origin who now works at the restaurant with Sally and is also her good friend. One of the most delightful scenes in the film is where the two dance to "Look for the Silver Lining" with Miller doing her more formal interpretation alongside Brown's eccentric dancing.

Marilyn Miller has been compared to Irene Dunne, and there is one scene where that is particularly true. An agent has a famous dancer client who has run out on him the night before she is to perform at a big society party. Sally helps him out by impersonating that dancer complete with a ridiculous accent and an outlandish headdress. This comedy bit very much reminded me of something Irene Dunne would do.

The film was originally shot in two-strip Technicolor, but only one color scene still exists that is under three minutes long. That one scene is Miller dancing to "Wild Rose" at a society party, and the colors there are truly splendid. As soon as the Technicolor kicks in, for some reason, so does a higher quality level on the sound. This color scene is included on this DVD-R version.

The DVD-R of this film has not been restored at all. It has been several years since Sally made an appearance on TCM, and its video was scratched up then and it still is in this release. However, the audio is pretty good except for the hiss of the Vitaphone. Highly recommended for the fans of the early talkie musicals, just don't expect a cleaned up film.

The two other reviewers are NOT commenting on the 1929 film with Marilyn Miller. Please, commentators, be more careful about what you write!

Good to have this on DVD! Marilyn Miller's dancing ranges from 'balletic' to 'eccentric,' including a dance of the latter kind with Joe E. Brown. Because the movie takes over many of the features of the musical comedy it is based on, there are numbers - notably 'Wild rose' and Sally's debut in a Ziegfeld spectacle (he is named but not seen)- that are staged as if for a theatre. This makes them good examples of accomplished musical comedy stage dancing of the period.The Follies number has an appropriate stage set and Follies style costumes for chorus girls, show girls (the 'Ziegfeld Strut' is in evidence) and a more balletic corps, who dance on point. (This seems to be the Albertina Rasch elemment of the choreography.) Although it was all shot in 2-strip Technicolor, only one section, the 'Wild Rose' number, survives in that process. It'a shame the 'Follies' section is only n black-and-white. It's good to have this available, and it's an enjoyable in itself as well as intriguing as a historical item. Sally's path from waitressing to stardom follows the conventional pattern. For good measure, she's an orphan (literally, a foundling) and her full name, Sally Bowling Green comes from the NY telephone exchange on whose steps she was found. Many thanks to Warners for releasing this and others in the series. The presentation is simple - no extras and no chapters, just a division into ten-minute segments that you move through by using the remote.

Warner Bros. DVDs do NOT play in a Mac computer or if you are using a PC-based home theatre system!!!

This film is based on the stage play of the same title produced by the legendary Florenz Ziegfeld. Though it is impossible to recreate his spectacular production in film, this movie does an excellent job in giving viewers a taste of what the orginal play was like. Especially opulent are the elaborate dance sequences (Wild Rose, which is the only surviving Technicolor sequence, and the Butterfly Ballet, which includes the whimsical, dream-like costumes Ziegfeld shows were so famous for). Many of the Jerome Kern songs from the play are omitted in the film, but most are included. The highlight song is the classic "Look For the Silver Lining." Marilyn Miller made it her own and hearing her sing the song, whose lyrics are so full of hope and innocence, in her sweet, tremulous soprano is enough to bring tears to your eyes. The film's plot is a classic Cinderella story, but though formulaic, it is a storyline that never grows old. Aside from the beatuiful sets and score, the stars of the film are what really make it a classic. Marilyn Miller's performance as a naive, dreamy orphan and her carefree style of dance truly transport the viewer to the fancy free feeling of the 1920s. Joe E. Brown is hilarious as a downtrodden prince who has to work as a waiter. Especially amusing is a scene when Joe tries to help an old man into a treehouse type of seat at a restaurant, only to have him repeatedly almost fall. It is classic slapstick, screwball humor! This movie is an excellent example of the best early talkies had to offer. It gives us a chance to see some of the most celebrated stage stars (Marilyn Miller) and their sincere performances leave no question as to why they were so beloved in their own time as well as our time.

I was surprised how good this early talkie was, and interesting to be able to see a famous show with such a famous star. You can easily see how good Miss Miller was as a dancer (particularly in the number 'Wild Rose') and the coloured segment shows clearly just what a great experience this film would have been to early talkie cinema goers. The one pity is that the print available is only black and white, apart from a short coloured segment half way through. As a fan of film musicals it was a must for my collection, and only available to UK customers via Amazon.

{Actually, it's 2.5 stars.] The little-seen film is written and directed by newcomer David Goldsmith, who also appears in this film as Jack. He has an imaginary girl friend named Sally, and drives around a car in countryside before he picks up a hitchhiking girl Beth (Rachael Leigh Cook) on the road.

Meanwhile, Bugs, a patient at a mental institute, escapes to seek for freedom, and his fantasy woman's name is also Sally. Bugs joins in the ride of Beth and Jack, and while the three people travel on, both males see the image of dream girl in Beth.

The performance of the three main characters are fairly good, especially Rachael Leigh Cook, who exudes her charm naturally, but to be honest, we have seen better examples of acting in the past -- DiCaprio ("Gilbert Grape"), Norton ("The Score"), Ribisi ("The Other Sister") -- and compared with them, it is just OK. Still, if you like Rachael Leigh Cook, the film might be worth your time.

Fine acting aside, I have little to recommend here -- I read that the same location is used as that of "Girl, Interrupted" -- but there is no anthentic feeling attached to the description of the institute of the film. Excuse me for my harsh review, but I don't believe that one doctor, even if he is skilled in his techinique, would work as both psychiatrist and gynaecologist at the same time. But that kind of unbelievable things happen too much, followed by flashy editing and camerawork. In short, there are so many episodes quite impossible, and the film's fantasy/reality idea is hardly convincing.

"Sally" has good ideas; Rachael Leigh Cook in road movie genre is quite welcome, and so is she in an unconventional role. Still, this is not the right way to show her charm.

This could have been a much better film. A so-so story saved by the sexy presence of Ms. Cook. Her bra-less t-shirt is the only reason to watch this film (enough of a reason for me). The plot dragged and some characters were too cut-and-paste (like the "evil" psychiatrist).