Tell Me Pretty Maiden (1930)

[@catlover34fl]

My grandfather saw this show in Philadelphia when he was 18/19 years old 1901 or 1902. He knew all the words including the girls' part and would sing this to my grandmother when I lived with them as a teenager.. I still remember his gestures and pretending to tip his hat at certain intervals. He expressed how much he loved this song and the show. They shared so much of their youth with me, and it was fascinating. I have great pictures of my grandmother dressed in long dresses wearing big hats. This posting brought it all back again.

[@LazlosPlane]

You're quite lucky. That is a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing.

[@ademcarroll658]

wow!

[@jamessheridan4306]

Floradora was a HUGE success on both sides of the pond when it first opened. Music by Leslie Stuart.

[@hannahs1683]

I’ve heard references to it in old movies, must have been a big deal

[@ibmsst]

Chills down my back, your fortunate to have had such grandparents that were happy to share this with you. So special. I think all of us on this thread agree! ❤️ any more stories you could share of them?

[@victorseddon3730]

My family is still mostly located in Leslie Stuart's home area; West Lancashire, England. Although he died in 1928, this song was still being sung around the piano in the 1940s, when I was a child. Young couples sang it and it was seen as a tribute to "local boy" Leslie Stuart as well as a nice romantic song.

[@miketarrant7853]

I was born in 1945 and recall with pleasure this song often being played on the BBC "Light Programme"

[@erzbet07]

A charming, nostalgic classic from the early days of talkie films. Really like the syncopated melody of this famous sextette from "Florodora". Thanks for posting.

[@FRANKTHRING1]

This was the hit song of "Floradora" (1899) the first modern musical as we think of musicals today (as opposed to operettas). The composer was Leslie Stuart, an Englishman also famous for the British hit song of 1897, "Soldiers of the Queen". This movie clip is fascinating because it gives an idea of how this famous song was staged; the men were chosen partly on their looks, the girls entirely on their faces and figures. Audiences in London and New York went nuts to see this show and most of the girls - the Angelina Jolies and Beyonces of their Age - married millionaires, dukes and princes.

[@honey_bee65]

william wright - All the Florodora Girls were 5'4" and 130lbs and looked similar too

[@Dr.Pepper001]

Without the miracle of the Internet, hundreds of movies from that era would be lost to history.

[@resborzage]

Marion is adorable, as usual. Too bad about the splices, as this is a remarkably sophisticated piece of music - almost on the level of Sullivan's.

[@bigbandsrock1]

My former mother in law, was the daughter of one of the original Flora Dora girls! She used to tell me things about her mother, but gosh, how I wish there was some original film footage of the original ladies!

[@Bunny2874]

Just as you were fascinated with ur granparents stories is how I felt with your life experiences and changes you shared with me this afternoon. Who would of thought u would have ever been on you tube?!Thanks for sharing Howard!

[@solongago57]

Every once in a while, like now, I get this song stuck in my mind. I was slightly younger in the 1890s. I'd love to see the full original performance. I wish this clip had clearer sound.

[@Smokefreethefirst]

Some beautiful antiphonal interplay in the melody. Just catches your breath to see the soaring heights, reached by our disciplined grandparents.

[@Pamactres]

I think this song must be what was being parodied in the famous Off-Broadway hi musicalt, "Little Mary Sunshine." The song there was entitled, "Tell A Handsome Stranger." Very sweet.

[@LazlosPlane]

Utterly charming. Thanks.

[@robertsmith-qb2ke]

Yes, from THE FLORADORA GIRL (1930). I saw an otherwise excellent copy of this at London's NFT in 1980 with this sequence in b/w and, if I remember right, some tinting or possible fading to sepia or similar. Perhaps this clip could be cross-filed under this title as orig looked under THE FLORADORA GIRL. Delighted to see the original two-color Technicolor at long last! Robert Smith

[@oliver91ist]

So sad that the film has faded when it was shown the colors must of been beautiful

[@mainaccount131]

Super excellent with very good interesting video

[@Jotaemesg]

Were it not for Marion Davies, it woukd be hard to spot this sequence in 1930. Pay attention to the styles and to the whole performance, including music. They made their utmost to make the observer see and hear the eighteen nineties. I'm sure the 2strip technicolor must have looked glorius back in the days of early talkies.

[@josephciolino2865]

@@truesoundchris Where can one see the original choreography?

[@jimstevens1726]

Loved it!

[@calvinnme2]

I think this is a Technicolor sequence from 1930's "The Floradora Girl". Am I correct?

[@honey_bee65]

What's wrong with the editing in this clip? It sounds like there are parts that are cut out

[@ClarasBeau]

A delight... Thanks!

[@paulj0557tonehead]

If you notice the audience cuts look much better than the stage shots. The exposure was much higher from the stage lights hitting the lighter colored costumes . It makes you wonder if playing the films caused severe damage because of the intense light. Would a film that was never shown before look far better than this one if it were played for the first time.

[@wiverdano1]

i was in the terrys junivnile inthe 1950royal varityperformance we sang that to the royal family dresed in crilolines

[@almeggs3247]

These clips seem to be part of a movie?

[@sanhanana8772]

merci et en entier c'est possible. merci san

[@michaelmcgee8543]

one of the technicolor layers is slightly shrunk making the skin tones of Marian Davies a bit pale. In her documentary ,on tcm . they got the original color negative and enhanced it to look three colors inspite of this , it was the color negative . they haven't remastered this in the original print yet

[@albanybeardguy]

@Jotaemesg The film audience probably had some familiarity with the musical. It played for years and had even had a nostalgic revival in the 1920's- after the sextette they brought on a group of children to do the number as the Floradora Sextette of the Future.

[@MissGoldenDreams13]

@Eddy2370: Compared to some of the other two-strip technicolor efforts in say, the previous five years before it, this film actually looks pretty good by today's standards. For example, I couldn't watch "Toll of the Sea" on Turner Classic Movies because the highly saturated colors were such an eyesore.

[@Arthur_McGowan]

You couldn't adjust the saturation on your TV?

[@Eddy2730]

@calvinnme2 Being produced in 1930, the colourisation of films then looked rather clumsy but as far as I know, the first proper Technicolour (pardon the British spelling!) film was produced in 1935.

[@honey_bee65]

Eddy2730 - Dr. X (1932) and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) look great for two-strip Technicolor

[@anthonycrnkovich5241]

@@honey_bee65 Also THE KING OF JAZZ (1930).

[@Arthur_McGowan]

Nope. Technicolor was founded in 1915. First feature, 1922. First 3-color cartoons, 1932. First 3-color shorts, 1934. First 3-color feature, 1935.

[@Fisarmonica23]

Which one is Flora? Dora? Cora? Nora? LOL!

[@jrakg]

Laurence Olivier is seen as an audience member. - John Austin, Australia

[@honey_bee65]

John Austin - You know, you don't have to sign your name..... we can all see it under your picture right next to the comment.

[@LazlosPlane]

Olivier?

[@postscript67]

It's not Laurence Olivier, it's Lawrence Gray.

[@intrinsictoreazoning]

1:19 Did they felt like kicking the ladies, is that why they did that?😂

[@weikko79]

The Cocoanuts brought me here.

[@chrisivision07]

Me too

[@m2worldly]

The 1930s movie "The Florodora Girl" had nothing to do with the original Stuart musical. The original Florodora play was set in the Philippines and involved a sextet of star crossed lovers on the mythical , perfume-making island of Florodora. That would explain the incongruous European castle as backdrop!

[@biggerock]

Oh dear, two years late to the game, but, I believe act 2 of Florodora took place in Scotland and that's where this sextette takes place.

[@josephciolino2865]

@@biggerock Quite corrrect. It is a fine reprodcution, similar to the original production which can be seen in photos.

[@parapoliticos52]

at first glance..meh..but then when you get pass the cultural age gap it becomes addictive

[@willschautz2664]

This is The very 1st Music Video. Lol

[@josephciolino2865]

Not even close.