The Woman Racket (1930)

69 mins | Drama | 24 January 1930

Cinematographer:

Peverell Marley

Production Designer:

Cedric Gibbons

Production Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
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HISTORY

The picture was announced in the 29 Jun 1929 Motion Picture News by its working title, Lights and Shadows. On 10 Dec 1929, Film Daily reported that the film would be officially known as The Woman Racket. Although no explanation was given, the decision may have been influenced by the fact that the vaudeville act “Lights and Shadows,” reviewed in the 16 Aug 1929 Inside Facts of Stage and Film, was currently touring the U.S. The 14 Dec 1929 Motion Picture News claimed that film had been re-titled three times prior to release.
       An article in the Jan 1930 New Movie Magazine included still photographs illustrating the use of a boom microphone for recording sound during scenes set in a nightclub and in a hospital room. The still from the nightclub scene showed lead actress Blanche Sweet and co-star John Miljan dancing inside a metal loop set at knee level, called a “dancing frame,” designed to limit their movements during close-up shots.
       The Woman Racket was released 24 Jan 1930, according to a review in the 8 Mar 1930 Harrison’s Reports. The picture was available with either a sound-on-film or disc soundtrack; a silent version was also released. Despite mixed notices, the 9 Feb 1930 Hollywood Filmograph reported that the picture had been a financial success.
       The film was released in England as Lights and Shadows, according to the 8 Dec 1930 Weekly Kinema Guide.
...

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The picture was announced in the 29 Jun 1929 Motion Picture News by its working title, Lights and Shadows. On 10 Dec 1929, Film Daily reported that the film would be officially known as The Woman Racket. Although no explanation was given, the decision may have been influenced by the fact that the vaudeville act “Lights and Shadows,” reviewed in the 16 Aug 1929 Inside Facts of Stage and Film, was currently touring the U.S. The 14 Dec 1929 Motion Picture News claimed that film had been re-titled three times prior to release.
       An article in the Jan 1930 New Movie Magazine included still photographs illustrating the use of a boom microphone for recording sound during scenes set in a nightclub and in a hospital room. The still from the nightclub scene showed lead actress Blanche Sweet and co-star John Miljan dancing inside a metal loop set at knee level, called a “dancing frame,” designed to limit their movements during close-up shots.
       The Woman Racket was released 24 Jan 1930, according to a review in the 8 Mar 1930 Harrison’s Reports. The picture was available with either a sound-on-film or disc soundtrack; a silent version was also released. Despite mixed notices, the 9 Feb 1930 Hollywood Filmograph reported that the picture had been a financial success.
       The film was released in England as Lights and Shadows, according to the 8 Dec 1930 Weekly Kinema Guide.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Exhibitors Herald-World
26 Apr 1930
p. 54
Film Daily
10 Dec 1929
p. 9
Film Daily
13 Apr 1930
p. 11
Harrison's Reports
8 Mar 1930
p. 39
Hollywood Fillmograph
8 Feb 1930
p. 13
Inside Facts of Stage and Screen
16 Aug 1929
p. 14
Motion Picture News
14 Dec 1929
p. 27
Motion Picture News
29 Jun 1929
p. 1421
Motion Picture News
6 Jul 1929
p. 7
New Movie Magazine
Jan 1930
pp. 94-95
Variety
5 Mar 1930
p. 33
Weekly Kinema Guide (London, England)
8 Dec 1930
p. 7
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
ART DIRECTOR
Art dir
FILM EDITORS
Film ed (sd vers)
Film ed (si vers)
COSTUMES
Ward
SOUND
Rec eng
Rec eng
DANCE
Dance dir
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the novel The Night Hostess by Philip Dunning and Frances Dunning (New York, 1928).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHORS
DETAILS
Alternate Titles:
Lights and Shadows
The Night Hostess
Release Date:
24 January 1930
Production Date:
late 1929
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
20 June 1930
LP1005
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
21 April 1930
LP1234
Physical Properties:
Black and White
Sound, also silent
Movietone
Duration(in mins):
69
Length(in reels):
6 , 7
Country:
United States
Language:
English
SYNOPSIS

During a police raid on a nightclub, hostess Julia Barnes meets Tom, a policeman; they fall in love and are married, but soon Julia tires of domestic life and decides to leave him and return to her old job as a singer and entertainer with her former partner, Chris. But when she becomes involved in a gang killing, Tom comes to her aid and they are ...

More Less

During a police raid on a nightclub, hostess Julia Barnes meets Tom, a policeman; they fall in love and are married, but soon Julia tires of domestic life and decides to leave him and return to her old job as a singer and entertainer with her former partner, Chris. But when she becomes involved in a gang killing, Tom comes to her aid and they are reconciled.

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GENRE
Genre:
Sub-genre:
Society


Subject

Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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