~ Important Letters ~


dan's letter
If you're interested in subscribing to this wonderful magazine " Films of the Golden Age ", which is devoted to the classic film era, you can order directly from their website by clicking on the magazine image here. Be sure to subscribe now to secure your copy containing the feature article about Nancy Carroll.

Return to Main Menu

An interesting letter from a Nancy Carroll fan

~Follow Thru ~


Here's what I've heard about this film:

For many years "Follow Thru" was considered a lost film. Then, several years ago, a complete print showed up in someone's garage in California.It was taken to UCLA (who now has it in their archives), where it was "restored" (though it's been said that the print that was found was in "pristine" condition in the first place). I have read that all of the early (1929-1930) technicolor features were believed to have been literallly destroyed decades ago by their own studios. (I imagine the thinking behind this was that the early "two strip" technicolor process was deemed too primitive and unrealistic compared to the improved color technology they had in the 1950's. This may be why only black-and-white copies -- made for early television broadcasts -- exist of some of them today) So the discovery of "Follow Thru" in its original color format was hailed as a major find, and was shown several times in theaters in Los Angeles and New York in conjunction with fund-raising projects for film restoration. I have "talked" (by e-mail) to several people who have attended such showings. In New York, the waiting line to get in for this film went around the block so far, they had to show it twice! In L.A., when the first close-up of Nancy Carroll flashed up on the screen, with her red hair and green eyes, the audience gasped. Whether it was because of the quality of the color or her beauty is hard to say. I saw some snippets of this film several years ago on AMC when theywere having a fundraiser for film restoration. My mouth dropped open atclips from a production number of "I Want To Be Bad", sung by Zelma O'Neal at a party, done as a fantasy sequence, complete with dancing devil chorus girls and flames shooting out of the band members' trumpets! After many frustrating attempts to locate this film, someone told me to try MCA, since they now hold the rights to this property. But I'm afraid they don't care, as the perceived interest in this film is very low in their eyes, and would not offset the costs of putting it on video for public sale or rental. This, however, may be a moot point: I have also been told that MCA properties are now "frozen", as the Menendez (brothers) estate has a majority of the percent of holdings in this company, and it's all tied up in the courts for who knows how long.

The author of the above letter is not sure how much of what he has related to me is true, since some of what he has learned about " Follow Thru " is heresay. Either way, it sounds very logical to me, and it is our hope by printing this letter, someone out there might read it and lead us to a copy of this movie. How about it ? If you can help, please " e-mail mehollybee66@yahoo.com

Click here to see Nancy in " Follow Thru " A beautiful color portrait by David Pearson at his Silent Ladies website.


Return to Movie Reviews
Return to Main Menu