Lilies of the Field (1930 film)

Lilies of the Field
Lilies of the Field
Directed by	Alexander Korda
Written by	William J. Hurlbut (play); John F. Goodrich
Produced by	Walter Morosco
Starring	Corinne Griffith; Ralph Forbes; John Loder; Eve Southern
Cinematography	Lee Garmes
Production; company	First National Pictures
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date	January 5, 1930; (limited release)
Running time	60 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Lilies of the Field is a 1930 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Alexander Korda, and starring Corinne Griffith, Ralph Forbes, and John Loder. It was a remake of the silent 1924 film Lilies of the Field, in which Griffith had played the same role.^[1] Both films were based on a 1921 play of the same name by William J. Hurlbut. Lilies of the Field was Griffith's first all-dialogue film. The film is not related in any way to the 1963 film of the same name.

Plot[]

Walter Harker (Loder), who is married to Mildred Harker (Griffith), falls in love with another woman and wants to separate from his wife without losing custody of his daughter. He frames his wife and files for divorce, and Mildred ends up losing her daughter.

Mildred moves into a cheap apartment and gradually becomes a Broadway showgirl and drowns her depression in a life of alcohol and jazz. Ted Willing (Forbes), a wealthy man, becomes her devoted admirer, but after her experience with her ex-husband, Mildred finds it hard to trust anyone. When Willing offers Mildred financial help, she refuses to accept anything, fearing that her daughter may hear about it. Eventually, she realizes that her daughter has completely forgotten about her and allows Willing to take care of her. One day, while she is at a party, Mildred hears of her daughter's death and has a breakdown. She later is jailed for vagrancy and disorderly conduct. Willing comes to the police station and rescues her.

Cast[]

Corinne Griffith – Mildred Harker
Ralph Forbes – Ted Willing
John Loder – Walter Harker
Eve Southern – Pink
Jean Laverty – Gertie
Tyler Brooke – Bert Miller
Freeman Wood – Lewis Conroy
George Beranger – Barber
Douglas Gerrard – Headwaiter
Rita La Roy – Florette
Betty Boyd – Joyce
May Boley – Maizie
Virginia Bruce – Doris
Charles Hill Mailes – Judge
Raymond Largay – Harker's lawyer
Joseph E. Bernard – Mildred's lawyer
Tenen Holtz – Paymaster
Wilfred Noy – Butler
Anne Schaefer – First maid
Clarissa Selwynne – Second maid

Songs[]

The theme song for the movie, titled "I'd Like to Be a Gypsy", was written for the film by Ned Washington and Michael H. Cleary. Cleary also wrote "Mechanical Ballet" (a.k.a. "Speed") for the film. This latter number was featured in a Broadway number sequence.

Preservation status[]

No copies of this film are known to exist, and it is believed that the film is now lost. Fragments of the "Mechanical Ballet" sequence are preserved in the 1932 Joe E. Brown comedy film The Tenderfoot.

References[]

^ Kulik, p. 52

Bibliography[]

Kulik, Karol. Alexander Korda: The Man Who Could Work Miracles. Virgin Books, 1990.

External links[]

Lilies of the Field at IMDb

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[1] Kulik, p. 52

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