What I once thought was the impossible has happened! FOLLOW THRU is available to the public! I don't know how this came to be, but what I do know, is that now many of Nancy Carroll fans will finally be able to see Nancy's only full color movie for the very first time! To say I'm ecstatic about this development is truly an understatement! This movie has been available at eBay and also on vintage movie collector's swap lists. It is truly a must-see for any Nancy Carroll fan. If you find Nancy to be gorgeous in black and white, you will be blown away by her breathtaking beauty in living color! Absolutely stunning!
I must admit that this movie will not appeal to everyone, but for any fan of Nancy's, it's an absolute must see/have! You will not want to miss it. Even if one is not a fan of Carroll or Rogers or of Hollywood musicals, this movie is a gem merely because it's in color. Early technicolor was created by a two-strip method, so don't look for it to be the quality of say, THE WIZARD OF OZ or GONE WITH THE WIND, filmed 9 years later. But, for it's time, it is really something!
FOLLOW THRU was the screen adaptation of a popular stage musical from the 20s, and it is certainly dated, downright corny at times, but lots of fun, as is typical of a 1920's style romp.
The setting is a golf country club during the Prohibition Era. Nancy ( Lora Moore) is the club's golf champion. Rival Thelma Todd (Ruth Van Horn), a renowned golf champion, not only competes with Nancy for the club's prized trophy, but for the affection of Buddy Rogers(Jerry Downs), who plays a golf instructor.
Nancy, pretty as ever, is stunning in color. As you may have read at this site and elsewhere, original audiences gasped when Nancy appeared on screen for the first time because she was so gorgeous. It is my understanding from fellow fans who have been blessed to have seen this movie on the large screen in recent years, that the passage of time has not changed this reaction one iota! So, be prepared, it's a close up you will never forget!
In their roles in FOLLOW THRU, Buddy is as charming and handsome as ever, and Nancy is a knock-out. Appearing slightly heavier in this film than she does in most others, there is at least one facial shot of her which is less than flattering. It is probably a good example of the challenge her baby face posed for the camera crew at times.
With dialogue that is loaded with double entendre, this film is made even funnier by the addition and strange pairing of Jack Haley(Jack Martin) and Zelma O'Neal(Angie Howard).
The awkward chemistry between these two keep the movie flowing and prevent it from becoming just another sugary romance comedy.
While I found Jack Haley and his antics and facial expressions, hilarious, others who watched the movie along with me were not equally amused. The women in the room laughed often, but the men groaned loudly. I thought Zelma O'Neal was great fun, and although the critics of the day considered her singing voice to be *unusual*,I thought it was perfectly suited to the role and the musical score. Listening to the unconventional Zelma also made me take a harder look at Nancy's singing voice. I am nearly convinced that Nancy was a natural alto and that she affected that fluttery and sometimes light soprano singing voice, because it was expected of dreamy~looking gals like her!
I've read somewhere that there were fireworks on the set the first day of filming because of hair color. Legend has it that Nancy threw a fit when O'Neal, a natural blonde, showed up with *red* hair! Nancy felt strongly that only one actress in the movie should have red hair -- HER ! But in the end, Zelma got to keep her hair color, which was a different shade, and also introduce the song " Button Up Your Overcoat " to the nation. BOTTOM LINE: See this movie. You will not be disappointed!
The New York Times:" That gallant idol, Charles Rogers and the cherubic-faced Nancy Carroll appear together and in the company of several comedians in FOLLOW THRU a film in Technicolor on the screen of Paramount ...By far the most amusing character is Jack Haley, who is seen as Jack Martin, an eccentric young millionaire whose pet aversion is women. ... Without him, it would be just so many scenes of Miss Carroll looking lovingly into the romantic eyes of Charles Rogers... While both Miss Carroll and Mr. Rogers sing tunefully, their performances are as dimensional as pasteboard cut-outs. The crop of song hits salvaged from the play adds little to the picture."
Liberty Magazine: " Paramount is still following the policy of having more than one direction on a picture. This one, however, hardly justifies the double effort... It was one of the best of the musical pieces on the Broadway stage last year. The screen production is done entirely in Technicolor, and Nancy Carroll is particularly lovely in color, but not so is the rest of the cast. Jack Haley sustains most of the comedy and if it weren't for him, it wouldn't be much of a show. "
Photoplay: " The stage's best golf musical comedy has come to the screen as a beautiful, peppy single-talkie-dancie-golfie, with Buddy Rogers and Nancy Carroll as pert co-stars and Jack Haley, Zelma O'Neal and Eugene Pallette to furnish the laughs. This is as entertaining as they come. It's all Technicolor, and all good, fast entertainment. "