[DAILY DOSE OF DELIGHT #3 (FROM THE LOVE PARADE)]

C'est tres amusant. Immediately, you notice the garter held by Paulette, obviously not hers as she lifts her skirt revealing her own two being worn. This gives clarification to the prior dialogue through which Alfred had told the audience she was 'so jealous.' Next we see Paulette withdraw a handgun from a very nice decorative handbag, obviously she has good taste or a wealthy benefactor....the latter to be revealed as being an additional jealous character, her husband; voice soon heard in hallway just prior to bursting through door. I found the violin composition as camera shifted between Alfred and the husband amusing. It added a sort of je ne be sais quoi to the scene, adding to the suspenseful jet whimsical mood being set as we are yet unaware the gun had been loaded with blanks. Alfred's gestures seeking for the wound were quite playful. They definitely set a certain tone for what we can expect from his character throughout the film. As he opens the drawer, adding Paulette's gun to his collection, his playful and playboy nature is further exemplified. 

[DAILY DOSE OF DELIGHT #1 (From The Great Ziegfeld)]

I have varying opinions on the lighthearted playfulness displayed throughout this clip. First off, the period of time being displayed was of the initial meeting between Flo and Anna. As their relationship began in the early 1900s (1907, I believe), it occurred just as our country was coming out of the Gilded Age, a time of great economic boom, industrialization, technological advances, etc. as well as just prior to the first panic of Wall Street which took place that same year. So, it is understandable to see  certain level of carefree and lighthearted frivolity on display. However, because the film, itself, was released smack dab in the middle of the Great Depression, it is just as likely that the film used this opportunity to remind audiences of the good times, when life was gay and carefree, to allow them the escape from the harsh reality millions were facing while simultaneously giving them that little piece of hope that such days waited around the corner.

 

2. Because this was filmed I the era of Progressivism, I would expect certain reflections of that dominating ideology to be reflected. As noted, this film made light of the competition between these two producers, Billings and Ziegfield. The idea of Progressivism was to rein in big business and end corruption. Therefore, it is only right that we see a lighter more friendly and dare say cooperative side between business adversaries. Repeated throughout this film was Ziegfields ability to rely upon Billings to come to his aid at times of great economic hardship. I have no basis to deny the validity of this occurrence, only that I do not believe it to be standard practice of today, but would definitely expect to see such lighthearted banter and cooperation in other films of the time.

 

3. Prior to watching this film, I was unaware that Flo and Anna enjoyed a common law marriage. In watching the film, although no wedding occurred, it appeared as if they were a traditional man and wife couple. I would expect that in the pre code era more emphasis of this fact may have taken place; likewise Flo's 'fondness' for his girls which precipitated their divorce.