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Applause (1929)
Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Despite being both Mamoulian's debut for the cinema and a very early talkie, this deeply affecting tale of Stella Dallas-style maternal self-sacrifice transcends its sentimental shortcomings through the fluency of direction that was to become Mamoulian's trademark. As Helen Morgan's ageing burlesque queen steadily progresses towards giving up everything - even her life - for her convent-educated daughter (Peers), Mamoulian pulls out all the stops, employing unusually mobile expressionist camerawork to convey a wealth of detail in his portrait of the seedy backstage realities of the vaudeville world. Pacy, concise and innovative, the film also benefits from a truly magnificent performance from torch-singer Morgan.Author: GA
Cast & crew
Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Producer: Jesse L Lasky, Walter Wanger
Cast: Helen Morgan, Joan Peers, Fuller Mellish Jr, Henry Wadsworth, Jack Cameron, Dorothy Cumming full cast
Duration: 85 mins
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