A little of Helen Kane went a long way. She was much easier to take in supporting roles where she could sing a song or two, be cute, then fade into the background and let the more accomplished and less annoying stars of the film take over. She made astonishingly few films - she was a big hit in "Sweetie" (1929), but by the end of the next year the writing was on the wall. By then, she had been given star vehicles, but the films "Heads Up" (1930) and "Dangerous Nan McGrew" (1930) were tough going. Because "Pointed Heels" came at the end of the musical cycle there were only two numbers - "Ain'tcha" and "I Have to Have You", both performed by Kane. The latter song is part of a symphony written by Holmes but Kane makes it her own with plenty of boop a doops. There is also a Technicolored scene -the Pointed Heels Ballet, featuring the Albertina Rasch Ballet, who were occasionally used in musicals of the time as musical interludes, or to give the films a bit of class. Unfortunately this scene was deleted from my DVD.
Millionaire producer Robert Courtland (William Powell) is secretly in love with Lora (Fay Wray) but Lora has just married Donald Ogden (Phillips Holmes), a serious composer who is writing a symphony. He receives a telegram from his mother, cutting off his allowance because of his marriage to a "chorus girl". He is in despair!!! He can't do anything else but compose!!! - so Lora goes back to the chorus line and they find a cheaper (much cheaper) apartment. Unfortunately, they live in the same building as Lora's brother and his wife ("Skeets" Gallagher and Helen Kane), a low brow comedy team billed as Dot and Dash who are constantly fighting. They have an idea for a show and when Courtland visits Lora and Donald, Dot and Dash burst in and convince him to become their backer. He says yes but only if Lora is given a star part. He also gives Donald's music the spotlight (Donald has written a hit song "I Have to Have You" ).
Lora and Donald's marriage is not going well and Courtland, who has never stopped carrying a torch for Lora, suggests that she leave Donald. He invites her to his mansion so she can kick up her heels but has a change of heart and puts a tipsy Lora to bed in a separate room. The inevitable happens - David visits Courtland, sees Lora's bag and gloves and immediately prepares to sail for Europe.
For the opening night Courtland gets Dot and Dash drunk, so they will put over the song in their old way - in rehearsals they had been singing it "too highbrow"!! They boop a doop it and surprisingly the show is a hit. Courtland, in a change of heart, brings Lora and David together for the fadeout!!!
Even though William Powell wasn't exactly musical, this film (his 40th) was to be quite important to him as it was the first film to give him top billing. "Pointed Heels" was also a rare musical venture for Fay Wray as well. Watch for Adrienne Dore as a pretty, witty chorus girl. Eugene Palette was also good as Courtland's sidekick. Paramount was not above plugging songs from other Paramount films in release - at the wedding breakfast the band plays "I'm All A-Twitter and All A-Twirl" from "Close Harmony" and "The Flipperty Flop" from "The Dance of Life" both Nancy Carroll films.
Recommended.
Millionaire producer Robert Courtland (William Powell) is secretly in love with Lora (Fay Wray) but Lora has just married Donald Ogden (Phillips Holmes), a serious composer who is writing a symphony. He receives a telegram from his mother, cutting off his allowance because of his marriage to a "chorus girl". He is in despair!!! He can't do anything else but compose!!! - so Lora goes back to the chorus line and they find a cheaper (much cheaper) apartment. Unfortunately, they live in the same building as Lora's brother and his wife ("Skeets" Gallagher and Helen Kane), a low brow comedy team billed as Dot and Dash who are constantly fighting. They have an idea for a show and when Courtland visits Lora and Donald, Dot and Dash burst in and convince him to become their backer. He says yes but only if Lora is given a star part. He also gives Donald's music the spotlight (Donald has written a hit song "I Have to Have You" ).
Lora and Donald's marriage is not going well and Courtland, who has never stopped carrying a torch for Lora, suggests that she leave Donald. He invites her to his mansion so she can kick up her heels but has a change of heart and puts a tipsy Lora to bed in a separate room. The inevitable happens - David visits Courtland, sees Lora's bag and gloves and immediately prepares to sail for Europe.
For the opening night Courtland gets Dot and Dash drunk, so they will put over the song in their old way - in rehearsals they had been singing it "too highbrow"!! They boop a doop it and surprisingly the show is a hit. Courtland, in a change of heart, brings Lora and David together for the fadeout!!!
Even though William Powell wasn't exactly musical, this film (his 40th) was to be quite important to him as it was the first film to give him top billing. "Pointed Heels" was also a rare musical venture for Fay Wray as well. Watch for Adrienne Dore as a pretty, witty chorus girl. Eugene Palette was also good as Courtland's sidekick. Paramount was not above plugging songs from other Paramount films in release - at the wedding breakfast the band plays "I'm All A-Twitter and All A-Twirl" from "Close Harmony" and "The Flipperty Flop" from "The Dance of Life" both Nancy Carroll films.
Recommended.