Careers (film)

Careers is a 1929 American all-talking pre-Code drama film directed by John Francis Dillon and produced and released by First National Pictures. It stars Billie Dove and features Antonio Moreno, Thelma Todd and Noah Beery. The film was based on a 1924 German play entitled Karriere, written by Alfred Schirokauer and Paul Rosenhayn.

Careers
lobby card
Directed byJohn Francis Dillon
Produced byNed Marin
Written byForrest Halsey (adaptation & dialogue)
Paul Perez (titles)[1]
Based onKarriere (1924 German play)
by Alfred Schirokauer
Paul Rosenhayn
StarringBillie Dove
Music bySong:
"I Love You, I Hate You"
Al Bryan (words)
George W. Meyer (music)
Score (uncredited):
Cecil Copping
Alois Reiser
CinematographyJohn F. Seitz
Edited byJohn Rawlins[1]
Production
company
Distributed byFirst National Pictures
Release date
  • June 2, 1929 (1929-06-02) (US)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Careers was Billie's Dove first film with dialogue.

Plot

In the French colony of Cochin-China, young French magistrate Victor Gromaire (Antonio Moreno) and his wife Hélène (Billie Dove) are virtually prisoners because the colony's president (Noah Beery) is attracted to the wife. The president blocks Victor's career on the bench until his wife agrees to his demands. Victor, angered by this treatment after four years of hard work, secretly goes to the governor of the colony to complain.

Advised by Carouge (Holmes Herbert), a prominent attorney in the colony, as to why her husband's career has been stymied, Hélène tries to save her husband from disaster by pleading with the president, but inadvertently reveals her husband's plan. Afraid for his safety, she consents to do whatever the president wishes, as long as he does nothing to endanger her husband. Just as he is about to take advantage of her offer, he is murdered by a native musician (Kamiyama Sojin) who has been hiding in the room.

Hélène is immediately suspected of the murder, and the musician comes out of hiding and accuses her of the crime. Victor is placed in charge of the investigation and discovers that the musician is lying, and that he is the murderer.

Tired of the dangers of life in the French colony, the couple head back to Paris, where Victor hopes to start a new career.[2]

Cast

Cast note:

  • Carmel Myers sings the song "I Love You, I Hate You"

Preservation

The film was considered a lost film, with only the Vitaphone soundtrack still in existence. However, a print was discovered an Italian film archive in 2017.[3]

gollark: Oh well!
gollark: I would prefer him to just not at all, or possibly directly bother me about it then stop if I ask.
gollark: It's not perfectly fine to stalk people just because you also don't reveal it to them.
gollark: I'm not saying "stop this because you're a triangular idiot", more "your excuse is invalid you triangular idiot".
gollark: No, but that's not the point?

References
  1. Careers at the American Film Institute Catalog
  2. Staff (June 10, 1929) "A Talkie of Epigrams: 'Careers' Tries to Depict Official Life in French Colony" The New York Times p.31
  3. 2 Film Discoveries Worth Noting: Alice White and Billie Dove at NitrateVille
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