They Had to See Paris | 1929 | Comedy-drama

Title: They Had to See Paris | 1929 | Comedy-drama Director: Frank Borzage Studio: Fox Film Corporation Starring: Will Rogers, Irene Rich, Marguerite Churchill, Fifi D'Orsay, Rex Bell, Ivan Lebedeff, Edgar Kennedy Based on: They Had to See Paris by Homer Croy Release Date: September 8, 1929 Runtime: 93 minutes Format: Black and white; all-talking; Western Electric sound-on-film ; 9 reels; also released in a silent version Country: United States Language: English Genres: Comedy-drama --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Oil Windfall and Paris Plans 00:18:30 Arrival in Paris 00:36:00 High Society Entanglements 00:55:00 Family Strains and Realizations 01:14:00 Homeward Conclusions --- Summary: After striking oil in Oklahoma, practical garage owner Pike Peters reluctantly agrees to his wife Idy’s dream of taking the family to Paris for culture and refinement. In France, the Peterses are swept into social circles of impecunious aristocrats and charming opportunists who are more interested in American wealth than American company. As Pike watches his family court European sophistication, he confronts the gap between appearance and sincerity, testing loyalties and values. The story weighs prosperity against plainspoken common sense, ultimately circling back to the comforts of home. --- Background: They Had to See Paris was Fox Film Corporation’s early all-talking release directed by Frank Borzage and marked Will Rogers’s first sound feature; it also served as Borzage’s first sound picture. Adapted from Homer Croy’s 1926 novel, production began July 1, 1929, at Fox Studios, and the film was issued in both sound and silent versions using the Western Electric system. It premiered September 8, 1929, and introduced French-Canadian performer Fifi D’Orsay to the screen. --- Trivia: Will Rogers made his talking-picture debut in this film, a transition that accelerated his stardom in the sound era. Frank Borzage, already acclaimed for silent classics, directed his first sound feature here before continuing with early talkies like Song o’ My Heart . Fifi D’Orsay’s first film appearance was in this feature; her surname appeared as “Dorsay” in the onscreen credits. A follow-up, Down to Earth , reunited Will Rogers and Irene Rich as the Peters family back in Depression-era America. The production employed Western Electric’s sound-on-film setup; Fox also circulated a silent version for theaters not yet wired for sound. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: September 8, 1929 Original Studio / Distributor: Fox Film Corporation Copyright Status: Public Domain --- Hashtags: TheyHadToSeeParis WillRogers FrankBorzage PreCode 1929 FoxFilm ClassicCinema PublicDomain OldHollywood Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:They_Had_to_See_Paris_(1929).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/They_Had_to_See_Paris_%281929%29.webm