Our Modern Maidens

• Joan Crawford: Billie Brown
• Anita Page: Kentucky
• Douglas Fairbanks Jr.: Gil Jordan
• Rod La Rocque: Glenn Abbott

Modern Girls ( OT: Our Modern Maidens ). 's An American silent film starring Joan Crawford from 1929 The film takes the title bonds to Crawford last year's success Our Dancing Daughters, however, is neither a sequel nor take by reference to the act of the previous production.

Action

Billie Brown and Gil Jordan are members of high society and lead a life of luxury and without worry. The two decide to get married one day. Billie, who wants only the best for Gil, persuaded an old friend of the family, the diplomats Glenn Abbott, to intercede for her fiancé. The wedding is celebrated with pomp and several hundred guests. Just as Billie wants to break our honeymoon, confesses Kentucky, her best friend, that Gil had her pregnant. Billie is shocked and pulls the only possible consequence. It occurs before the assembled guests and announced it would introduce a new fashion: A honeymoon without groom. Some time later, she finds true happiness in the arms of Glenn, who has always loved her.

Background

Since the surprise success of Our Dancing Daughters Joan Crawford had risen to become one of the most popular stars of Metro -Goldwyn -Mayer since mid-1928. Their strength was the appearance of young, fun-loving women, then called Flapper who understands life as an uninterrupted sequence of flirts and noisy parties. At Crawford's growing popularity among young viewers contributed in a considerable manner in their relationship with Douglas Fairbanks Jr., whose history was traced and commented on for months in the press. The studio suggested capital from the continued public interest by designating it Fairbanks next to Crawford in the production of Our Modern Maidens. The film takes the title with respect to the previous year's success, its content, but nothing in common with that. In 1930, the brought with Our Blushing Brides last of three films with Our title in the rental.

Joan Crawford occurs again as a bright young woman with their own ideas that have loved and often flirts but never transgresses the boundaries of good taste. The decision to waive Gil and driving without a husband in the honeymoon is commented by Ginger, a party girl with no morals and decency, with the cynical words:

" Is this the modern morality or just immoral modernity? "

Billie plays on Ginger's reputation when she answers:

"You Would ever know the difference, dear? "

Joan Crawford, for this was the last silent film, was relatively satisfied with the result, but for more personal reasons, as they face Roy Newquit was decades later:

" " Modern Girl " introduced me to Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and we all know where that has led. Nevertheless, a good film and the first in which the costume department has given everything to make Crawford the fashion icon. "

Six weeks after completion of filming married Crawford and Fairbanks. The marriage lasted until 1933.

Reviews

Mordaunt Hall was in the New York Times:

"Our Modern Maidens told in a rather interesting way another adventure about a group of boisterous youths in this fast paced [ ... ] Miss Crawford gets on well [ ... ] Douglas Fairbanks is a competent representation of the role of the girl. "

Photoplay was about to be too optimistic in his assessment:

" Joan Crawford and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., in a sequel to Our Dancing Daughters. Do we still have to tell that it is a guaranteed hit? "

Variety knew what the fans expected from a Joan Crawford movie:

"Miss Crawford's fans will get their costs. She wears her clothes as usual and go to the limit with a half-naked dancing at a party. "

Theatrical Release

With production costs of 283,000 U.S. dollars Our Modern Maidens was a relatively low-cost productions of the studio for the year. As a silent film he had the problem, to get to the peak of the talkie craze, the run of the audience to sound films in the rental. He played in the U.S., therefore, only 675,000 U.S. dollars on the world market again 182.0000 U.S. dollars, representing a cumulative box office receipts of more modest 857,000 dollars and a profit of 248,000 U.S. dollars.

Sources and literature used

• Roy Newquist (ed.): Conversations with Joan Crawford. Citadel Press, Secaucus, N. J. 1980, ISBN 0-8065-0720-9.
• Shaun Considine: Bette and Joan. The Divine Feud. Dutton, New York, 1989, ISBN 0-525-24770- X.
• Lawrence J. Quirk: The Complete Films of Joan Crawford. Citadel Press, Secaucus, N. J. 1988, ISBN 0-8065-1078-1.
• Alexander Walker: Joan Crawford. The Ultimate Star. Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1983, ISBN 0-297-78216-9.