Darkened Rooms (1929)
63-67 mins | Mystery, Melodrama | 23 November 1929
Director:
Louis GasnierWriters:
Patrick Kearney, Melville BakerCinematographer:
Archie J. StoutEditor:
Frances MarshProduction Company:
Paramount Famous Lasky Corp.As early as the 9 November 1928 Film Daily, Darkened Rooms was scheduled to be one of Paramount's talking pictures "within the next two months," with an accompanying silent production, under the aegis of director Joseph von Sternberg. A Paramount advertisement in the 14 December 1928 Film Daily named William Powell as the star of the picture. A month later, the 14 January 1929 issue of the same publication announced that Lothar Mendez would be directing Powell and former Universal actress Evelyn Brent in her first starring role; shooting was set to begin on 11 February 1929. Ultimately, Sternberg, Mendez, and Powell were not involved with the final project, and filming was postponed for several months.
A new announcement in the 28 June 1929 Film Daily named French veteran Louis Gasnier as the director, with Neil Hamilton in the William Powell role. Jean Arthur had a supporting role as an heiress, but because of a schedule change, she was replaced by Doris Hill a week later.
According to a studio directory in the 10 August 1929 Exhibitors Herald-World, production began on 27 July 1929 at Paramount Studios, 5451 Marathon Street, in Hollywood. A little more than a month later, the 7 September 1929 Motion Picture News mentioned that Gasnier had completed the picture "on a 12-day schedule and $32,000 under estimate," prompting Paramount to put him under contract.
Paramount costumer Travis Banton told the 31 August 1929 Hollywood Filmograph that Evelyn Brent would be wearing the very latest New York- and Paris-inspired gowns in Darkened Rooms: "Feminism will be the keynote of fall ...
As early as the 9 November 1928 Film Daily, Darkened Rooms was scheduled to be one of Paramount's talking pictures "within the next two months," with an accompanying silent production, under the aegis of director Joseph von Sternberg. A Paramount advertisement in the 14 December 1928 Film Daily named William Powell as the star of the picture. A month later, the 14 January 1929 issue of the same publication announced that Lothar Mendez would be directing Powell and former Universal actress Evelyn Brent in her first starring role; shooting was set to begin on 11 February 1929. Ultimately, Sternberg, Mendez, and Powell were not involved with the final project, and filming was postponed for several months.
A new announcement in the 28 June 1929 Film Daily named French veteran Louis Gasnier as the director, with Neil Hamilton in the William Powell role. Jean Arthur had a supporting role as an heiress, but because of a schedule change, she was replaced by Doris Hill a week later.
According to a studio directory in the 10 August 1929 Exhibitors Herald-World, production began on 27 July 1929 at Paramount Studios, 5451 Marathon Street, in Hollywood. A little more than a month later, the 7 September 1929 Motion Picture News mentioned that Gasnier had completed the picture "on a 12-day schedule and $32,000 under estimate," prompting Paramount to put him under contract.
Paramount costumer Travis Banton told the 31 August 1929 Hollywood Filmograph that Evelyn Brent would be wearing the very latest New York- and Paris-inspired gowns in Darkened Rooms: "Feminism will be the keynote of fall fashions," replacing the prevailing masculine mode of the past several seasons. Softer lines, and longer skirts four inches below the knee.
Darkened Rooms opened on a double bill on Broadway for one day, 13 December 1929, at Loew's New York Theater, according to the 18 December 1929 Variety, which commented, "Throughout, the subject matter spiritualism is treated as a grafting racket. A few of the more obvious and minor tricks practiced by mediums are exposed." Dialogue was "distinctly audible and well handled."
The 15 December 1929 Film Daily headlined its review: "All-Talker....Fairly Engrossing Story with Expose of Spiritualistic Mediums and Their Fakeries."
The talking version of Darkened Rooms is extant. There is no record of a released silent version, and it is not listed with the Library of Congress.
Emory Jago, a seaside boardwalk photographer who makes false photographs for seance medium Madame Silvara on the side, decides use spiritualism to fleece wealthy widows and widowers. When Ellen, an unemployed and starving chorus girl who needs photographs for an agent, faints from exhaustion during a visit to his studio, Emory takes her out for a meal and engages her to act as his "medium." Madame Silvara arranges an appointment for a seance at the home of wealthy Mr. Clayton; they learn that his daughter, Joyce, now engaged to Billy, once loved an aviator who died in a crash; and gaining her confidence, Emory lures the young heiress to his studio, but Billy intervenes and takes her away. When Joyce returns for another seance, Ellen, determined to get Emory out of the occult grift and back into his legitimate snapshot business, engages Bert Nelson, an actor friend, to pose as the dead lover, who in sepulchral tones exposes Emory as a fraud during the seance and genuinely frightens him. Unaware that Ellen tricked him, Emory reconciles with her, and returns to snapping sailors and their sweethearts on the boardwalk, with Ellen as his ...
Emory Jago, a seaside boardwalk photographer who makes false photographs for seance medium Madame Silvara on the side, decides use spiritualism to fleece wealthy widows and widowers. When Ellen, an unemployed and starving chorus girl who needs photographs for an agent, faints from exhaustion during a visit to his studio, Emory takes her out for a meal and engages her to act as his "medium." Madame Silvara arranges an appointment for a seance at the home of wealthy Mr. Clayton; they learn that his daughter, Joyce, now engaged to Billy, once loved an aviator who died in a crash; and gaining her confidence, Emory lures the young heiress to his studio, but Billy intervenes and takes her away. When Joyce returns for another seance, Ellen, determined to get Emory out of the occult grift and back into his legitimate snapshot business, engages Bert Nelson, an actor friend, to pose as the dead lover, who in sepulchral tones exposes Emory as a fraud during the seance and genuinely frightens him. Unaware that Ellen tricked him, Emory reconciles with her, and returns to snapping sailors and their sweethearts on the boardwalk, with Ellen as his assistant.
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