cynthiahost Review of Follow Thru

Follow Thru (1930)

I was surprised that it was finally released on DVD

[9/10 · 30 December 2010]

I have had an long term obsession with this two strip Technicolor musical classic. I first saw a clip from it back in 1989 on Entertainment tonight when they were talking about the preservation film festival at u. c. l. a. Then in the first annual AMC preservation film festival, way before the movie channel went down hill , I had assumed the next festival they would show it. They never did. Back in the mid nineties , I had written MCA home video if they can take consideration of possibly releasing that picture or the vagabond king , 1930 version, on VHS home video and that there was an audience for either of these preserved two color classics. But I met with deaf ears. Mca is greedy and only serve the casual fans of classic films than us serious fans cause we are a minority although big. They only want to put out their so called best classics only for the fast buck. Thus they have neglect film history. Then all of a sudden I found on the internet that they had finally put it on DVD. I was surprised. It is the fully restored version a above board print. It figures MCA copy rights had ran out and did not bother to relicense cause they just don't think it would make quick fast buck. This gave opportunity for other small companies to distribute it . Since they focus on profit in the long run.It is presented non enhanced two color Technicolor. Now the problem is the pacing it shifts from being fast in some moments to slow. Actress Zelma Oneal, who was married to actor Warren Williams, playing Angie Howard, carries the whole picture unintentionally . She's fast pace and natural with her acting and she can sing. The rest of the actors. like Buddy rogers and Nancy Carol over acts a bit and can't sing. Thelma Todd over acts too and Jack Haley. But this was 1930 and the talkies were just here since 1929. It's still fun to watch. The problem is the director Lloyd Corrigan. He was a character actor and good at that . But as a director he was only fair. If they could have used Ernest Lubitsch , it could have been as fast paced as the Broadway version of it , which originally starred Elenor Powell and was her first Broadway success. Ever since she was a baby her father Matt more, played by Claude king, has been teaching his daughter Lorna, played by Nancy Carol, to be a champion golfer.In the mean time new golfing instructor, Jerry ,played by Charles Buddy Rodgers , and Friend and boss, Martin, played by Jack Haley, Who's father runs a department store chain. To start his work , Jerry, as a golf instructor. They come up at the time of a golf championship. Lorna , champion is battling against snotty wealthy widow and slutty Mrs van Horn, played by very funny but overacting Thelma Todd. Lorna's Brother Dinte Moore, played by possible actor who was in Broadway version, Don Tompkins, who's plays a caddy. He is in love with the Daughter of the head of the country club Martin Bascomb, played by Albert Gran, and who's mother is a social director,played by Kathryn Givney. Their daughter Babs,played by Margaret Lee.It seems that Jack. played by Jack Haley , lost his pinky ring. It seems at a party he had proposed to a girl, who was Angie, at a party, while he was drunk. An heir loom.As they observe the golf Lorna notices Jerry and jerry her,As Jack gets to know Angie and she gets to know him,He notices that she has the ring and that she was the girl he proposed to her . He tries to get the ring back by telling him he a friend of the guy he proposed to her. she resist. With the help of new golf club member J.C Efingham played by Eugene Pallete, who produces Girdles , Angie tries to get her man. In the mean time Jerry is hired to improve Lorna's swing and follow thru. They become romantic to each other. While Mrs van horn chases both Jerry and jack suggesting that they both are invited to her place on the weekend at pebbles beach. All the golf members are invited to Mrs Van horns costume party in Mexico at her new house. Jerry and Lorna meet near the radio again. Later on Mrs van horn undermines the love between Jerry and Lorna by telling her that he agrees to an invitation to her house. Lorna gets mad and gets drunk. The next day she tries to undermined them again and Lorna challenges her to another game. In the mean time Jacks father finds out that he was lying about taking the heir loom to the jewelers , to get it clean,and threatens him to cut him off unless he gets the ring back.So with the Help of J.C. they pretend to be plumber to go into the girls locker room and sneak that ring back when Angie taking a shower. They managed to get it with the girls thinking that the plumber gone. Angie gets suspicious but she is called for the tee. The boys end up leaving the locker room in drag when a bunch of women are coming back. Angie gets Jack to try to get Jerry back to help her since they are both mad at each other. Well he immediately helps Lorna and she wins the championship Jack and Angie decides to get married. Lorna and Jerry get back together . big music hits of the twenties like,Take good care of yourself ,"I want to be bad,"are a part of the movie. The DVDs are available at www.ecrater.com ebay www.loving theclassic.com DVD and VHS and www.ioffer.com