Half Marriage | 1929 | Drama, Romance

Title: Half Marriage | 1929 | Drama, Romance Director: William J. Cowen Studio: RKO Productions, Inc. Starring: Olive Borden, Morgan Farley, Ken Murray, Ann Greenway, Anderson Lawler, Sally Blane, Hedda Hopper Based on: Short story “Half Marriage” by George Kibbe Turner Release Date: October 13, 1929 Runtime: 68 Format: Black-and-white; recorded by RCA Photophone sound-on-film; also released in a silent version Country: United States Language: English Genres: Drama, Romance --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Greenwich Village party and secret elopement 00:12:30 Parents’ intervention at the country estate 00:27:00 Rival suitor’s scheme and growing rift 00:43:00 Apartment confrontation and fatal fall 00:56:00 Police inquiry, revelation, and reconciliation --- Summary: Society daughter Judy Page secretly marries young architect Dick Carroll but keeps the union hidden, fearing her parents’ disapproval and the loss of her allowance. Removed to her family’s country estate, she is steered toward suave suitor Tom Stribbling, whose persistence strains the clandestine marriage. Tom’s manipulation culminates in a confrontation at Judy’s apartment that ends with his accidental death. A brief investigation uncovers the truth of the struggle and exposes Judy and Dick’s marriage, prompting her parents to relent and sanction the match. Themes include class expectations, companionate marriage ideals, and early sound-era depictions of romantic jealousy. --- Background: An early RKO feature from the studio’s inaugural production year, Half Marriage was directed by William J. Cowen from a screenplay by Jane Murfin, adapted from George Kibbe Turner’s short story. Recorded using the RCA Photophone system and issued in both sound and silent versions to accommodate theaters amid the transition to talkies, the film features songs by Oscar Levant and Sidney Clare and an appearance by Gus Arnheim and His Cocoanut Grove Ambassadors. The film opened in New York in August 1929 and saw wider U.S. release on October 13, 1929. --- Trivia: Half Marriage was released in both an all-sound version and a silent version measuring approximately 5,883 feet. The production employed the RCA Photophone sound-on-film system, one of the competing technologies during Hollywood’s conversion to sound. Songwriting collaborators Oscar Levant and Sidney Clare contributed music to the film; bandleader Gus Arnheim and His Cocoanut Grove Ambassadors appear on screen. Hedda Hopper, later famous as a Hollywood gossip columnist, plays Judy’s mother, Mrs. Page. The film was among the earliest releases from the newly formed RKO, which began issuing features in 1929. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: October 13, 1929 Original Studio / Distributor: RKO Productions, Inc. / RKO Distributing Corp. Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: HalfMarriage 1929 RKO PreCode PublicDomain ClassicFilm OliveBorden WilliamJCowen Drama Romance Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Half_Marriage_(1929).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Half_Marriage_%281929%29.webm