| Blue of the Night | |
|---|---|
 Bing meets Marian's friends for the first time | |
| Directed by | Leslie Pearce |
| Starring | Bing Crosby Marjorie “Babe” Kane |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 20 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Blue of the Night is a 1933 Mack Sennett Star Comedy (No. S3628) directed by Leslie Pearce and starring Bing Crosby. It was the last of the six short films Crosby made for Mack Sennett and which helped launch his career as a solo performer. [1]
Six shorts were made by Crosby for Mack Sennett, of which were four filmed in a three-month period in 1931 and two in 1932. The shorts were:
After filming the first four shorts in 1931, Crosby went to New York and enjoyed great success on the radio and through live appearances at the Paramount Theatre. He was soon signed to make a film called The Big Broadcast and he returned to Hollywood on June 12, 1932. First of all, he had to fulfil his contract with Sennett and on June 17, he started filming “Sing, Bing, Sing” (original title The Girl in the Transom) on June 17. Then on July 2, 1932, filming started on “Blue of the Night” (original title “Honey Crooners”). [2] Crosby had adopted "Where the Blue of the Night (Meets the Gold of the Day)" as his theme song late in 1931 and it had enjoyed chart success reaching No. 4 in the charts of the day. [3] It was therefore entirely appropriate that it should be partially employed as the title for this short film.
The film opens as Bing, a famous radio singer, makes a farewell appearance at a night club and sings 'My Silent Love' which he follows, by request, with 'Auf Wiedersehen, My Dear'.
Later he happens to board a train at the same time as a young lady, Marian, and they are mistakenly showered with confetti intended for another party, The passengers and train porter assume they are newly-weds and present them with a perambulator and two baby dolls. Marian, failing to recognise him, tries to impress by saying that she is engaged to Bing Crosby. When she says that it is the first night she has not heard Bing sing, he tells her that he has a portable radio. As his berth in the sleeper train is the one immediately above hers, he says that he will play it for her. In the upper berth he simulates radio tuning noises and then sings 'Ev'ry Time My Heart Beats' accompanying himself on guitar.
Subsequently, Marian's friends see a newspaper report about her engagement to Bing. Gilbert Sinclair is indignant and says that it was taken for granted that he and Marian were engaged. Marian denies any such arrangement and is then told that Bing has telephoned to say he is arriving that afternoon.
When Bing arrives, he tells Marian that he is Jack Smith, a reporter, and that he had put news of her engagement in the press. She confesses that she lied and is in an embarrassing position with her friends and he promises to help her. Their conversation is overheard by Gilbert and when Bing meets Marian's friends and explains how he met Marian, Gilbert tries to expose him and wagers his Cadillac car that Bing is an imposter.
To prove his identity to Marian's friends and to a police patrolman who holds the car keys and Bing's five dollar stake, Bing sings his signature tune 'Where the Blue of the Night (Meets the Gold of the Day)', finishing the song as he and Marian drive off in the car leaving Gilbert floundering in the swimming pool after resisting the loss of his automobile. [4]
The Motion Picture Herald was enthusiastic. "With Bing Crosby singing 3 of his most popular numbers, “Auf Wiedersehen,” “Every Time My Heart Beats” and “Blue of the Night,” this catchy Sennett film looks to be one of those that will draw in about as much money as the regular feature." [5]
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. was an American actor, singer, television producer, television and radio personality, and businessman. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. Crosby was a leader in record sales, network radio ratings, and motion picture grosses from 1926 to 1977. He was one of the first global cultural icons. Crosby made over 70 feature films and recorded more than 1,600 songs.
Mack Sennett was a Canadian-American producer, director, actor, and studio head who was known as the "King of Comedy" during his career.
Educational Pictures, also known as Educational Film Exchanges, Inc. or Educational Films Corporation of America, was an American film production and film distribution company founded in 1916 by Earle Hammons (1882–1962). Educational primarily distributed short subjects; it is best known for its series of comedies starring Buster Keaton and the earliest screen appearances of Shirley Temple (1932–34). The company ceased production in 1938, and finally closed in 1940 when its film library was sold at auction.
"Where the Blue of the Night (Meets the Gold of the Day)" was the theme Bing Crosby selected for his radio show. It was recorded in November 1931 with Bennie Krueger and his Orchestra. The song was featured in a Mack Sennett movie short starring Bing Crosby. Crosby recorded the song on several occasions starting with the November 23, 1931 version with Bennie Kruger and his Orchestra. He next recorded it on July 20, 1940 with The Paradise Island Trio. On July 17, 1945 he recorded it with John Scott Trotter and his Orchestra and his final recording was on April 21, 1954 with Buddy Cole and his Trio for his Musical Autobiography set.
Bing: A Musical Autobiography was Bing Crosby's fourth Decca vinyl LP, recorded and released in 1954.
Harry Barris was an American popular singer and songwriter. He was one of the earliest singers to use "scat singing" in recordings. Barris, one of Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys, along with Bing Crosby and Al Rinker, scatted on several songs, including "Mississippi Mud," which Barris wrote in 1927.
"Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" (also known as "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (and Dream Your Troubles Away)") is a popular song written by Harry Barris with lyrics by Ted Koehler and Billy Moll, published in 1931.
Earle W. Hammons, known professionally as E. W. Hammons, was an American film producer,. He produced more than 220 films between 1921 and 1938.
"I Surrender Dear" is a song composed by Harry Barris with lyrics by Gordon Clifford, first performed by Gus Arnheim and His Cocoanut Grove Orchestra with Bing Crosby in 1931, which became his first solo hit. This is the song that caught the attention of William Paley, president of CBS, who signed him for $600 a week in the fall of 1931.
"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" is an American popular song published in 1931, with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Ted Koehler, and first recorded by Cab Calloway in 1931. It was introduced in the 1931 Cotton Club show Rhythmania and is now a widely recorded standard.
Al Goodhart a member of ASCAP, was born in New York City and attended DeWitt Clinton High School. During his lifetime he was a vaudeville pianist, radio announcer and writer. He also owned a theatrical agency.
One More Chance is a 1931 Educational-Mack Sennett Featurette starring Bing Crosby and directed by Mack Sennett. This was the second of the six short films Crosby made for Sennett and which helped launch his career as a solo performer. This film is notable for Crosby first singing on film his classic hit "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" which is sung to a bevy of giggling overweight Native American maidens who gradually close in on him. He also sings "Just One More Chance" which topped the various charts of the day in 1931.
Arthur Stone was an American character actor of the late silent and early sound film eras.
15 Minutes with Bing Crosby was Bing Crosby's first solo radio series, which aired on the CBS network from September 2, 1931 until October 31 of the same year. It was to have a major impact on his career.
I Surrender Dear is a 1931 Educational-Mack Sennett Featurette starring Bing Crosby and directed by Mack Sennett. This was the first of the six short films Crosby made for Sennett and which helped launch his career as a solo performer.
Dream House is a 1931 Educational-Mack Sennett Featurette starring Bing Crosby and directed by Del Lord. This was the third of the six short films Crosby made for Sennett and which helped launch his career as a solo performer.
Billboard Girl is a 1932 Educational-Mack Sennett Featurette starring Bing Crosby and directed by Leslie Pearce. This was the fourth of the six short films Crosby made for Mack Sennett and which helped launch his career as a solo performer.
Sing, Bing, Sing is a 1933 Mack Sennett Star Comedy starring Bing Crosby and directed by Babe Stafford. It was the fifth of the six short films Crosby made for Mack Sennett and which helped launch his career as a solo performer.
Just an Echo is a 1934 Paramount short starring Bing Crosby and directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom. This was the second of two short films Crosby made for Paramount in May / June 1933, the other being Please.
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