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Limelight (1936 film)

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}

{{More citations needed|date=October 2014}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Limelight

| image = "Limelight"_(1936_film).jpg

| caption = Poster ad from the Sunday Mercury, 1936

| director = Herbert Wilcox

| producer = Herbert Wilcox

| writer = Laura Whetter

| narrator =

| starring = Arthur Tracy
Anna Neagle
Jane Winton
Ellis Jeffreys

| music = Geraldo

| cinematography = Freddie Young

| editing =

| studio = British and Dominions

| distributor = General Film Distributors

| released = {{Film date|1936|01}}

| runtime = 80 minutes

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| budget =

| gross =

}}

Limelight is a 1936 British musical film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Arthur Tracy, Anna Neagle and Jane Winton.{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/40329|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114015348/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/40329|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-01-14|title=Limelight (1936)}} It was released in the U.S. as Backstage.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zOp2WxH5yscC|title=Banned in the U.S.A.: British Films in the United States and Their Censorship, 1933-1966|first=Anthony|last=Slide|date=15 December 1998|publisher=I.B.Tauris|via=Google Books|isbn=9781860642548}}

Plot

When chorus girl Marjorie (Anna Neagle) discovers singer Bob (Arthur Tracy) busking in the streets, and the star of her show falls ill, she persuades her producer to give him a break. Sure enough, Bob becomes an overnight sensation, but success unfortunately goes to his head.

Cast

Production

The film was the first made by Wilcox's independent production company, Herbert Wilcox Productions, at his Elstree Studios. It was distributed by J. Arthur Rank's newly formed General Film Distributors, ending a previous arrangement Wilcox had with United Artists. The story was based on Anna Neagle's "discovery" by Wilcox when singing in a show with Jack Buchanan' Buchanan agreed to play a role based on himself. The film was known as Street Singer's Serenade.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article25135056 |title=HERBERT WILCOX'S PROGRAMME. |newspaper=The West Australian |volume=52 |issue=15,542 |location=Western Australia |date=17 April 1936 |access-date=17 August 2017 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The film was an attempt to make a more populist contemporary hit, moving away from the more expensive costume pictures such as Nell Gwynn and Peg of Old Drury which Wilcox had recently made starring Anna Neagle. For this film Wilcox partnered her with the popular American singer Arthur Tracy.

This drama musical romance features Arthur Tracy's street singing. The film's Dance Director was Ralph Reader. His work was so appreciated by Herbert Wilcox that he created a part for Reader to dance with Neagle in the actual film.

Critical reception

Allmovie wrote, "in addition to the two stars, Limelight is enlivened by the dancing prowess of the legendary Tilly Losch; also showing up for an uncredited cameo is stage and screen luminary Jack Buchanan.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmovie.com/movie/limelight-v99678|title=Limelight (1937) - Herbert Wilcox - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie}}

References

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

  • Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
  • Wood, Linda. British Films, 1927-1939. British Film Institute, 1986.

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20170617142411/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6aee5d52 Limelight] at the British Film Institute{{better source needed|reason=Help request: a live link can be searched for at https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/search/expert - if available, replace the archive URL with the live link. Or if none found, remove this 'better source needed' template. | date=October 2023}}
  • {{IMDb title|0027888}}
  • [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/backstage-am412544 Limelight at AllMovie]

{{Herbert Wilcox}}

Category:1936 films

Category:1936 romantic drama films

Category:1930s romantic musical films

Category:British black-and-white films

Category:1930s English-language films

Category:Films directed by Herbert Wilcox

Category:British romantic musical films

Category:British romantic drama films

Category:Films shot at Imperial Studios, Elstree

Category:1930s British films

Category:English-language romantic drama films

Category:English-language romantic musical films

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