Sally of the Sawdust

Rating:
Summary: A "must" for Fields fans
Review: A sentimental comedy with an inevitable happy ending but still good fun. Carol Dempster does a convincing job as a free spirited circus girl, Sally, brought up by McGargle (Fields, of course)after the death of her parents. The silent Fields shows his physical comedy skills, which are often forgotten due the later strength of his spoken comedy. The quality of the picture is excellent - again showing for me that B & W movies gain most from DVD if the manufacturers make an effort. A good movie for anyone to watch, it is a must for the Fields fans to see the earlier stages of the character that was to become so familiar in the later films.

Rating:
Summary: W.C. Fields as a con-man who discovers he has a heart
Review: At its core "Sally of the Sawdust" is an old fashioned melodrama: Judge Foster (Erville Alderson) disowns his daughter because she marries a circus performer. A few years later she has a child and dies. What redeems this 1925 film directed by D.W. Griffith and adopted by Forrest Halsey from the stage play "Poppy" by Dorothy Donnelly, is W.C. Fields, in his first starring role, as Professor Eustace McCargle, part juggler and part con man, who is entrusted with young Sally. Because of his new found responsibility McCargle gests a steady job with a carnival. Sally (Carole Dempster) grows up to be a great dancer and Peyton Lennox (Alfred Lunt, in one of the few films of this great Broadway actor still available to be seen), rich son of a friend of Judge Foster, falls in love with her. Of course, the Peyton's father and the Judge vow to put an end to this by having Sally and McCargle arrested. However, eventual reconciliation and eternal happiness is just a matter of time.

Dempster is captivating as the title character, but Fields steals the show in this picture, especially as the obstacles mount that he has to overcome to save Sally. "Sally of the Sawdust" was the second of a trio of films Griffith directed for Paramount. The first, "That Royle Girl" also featured Fields and is one of the few Griffith films apparently lost. In 1936 Fields did a talking remake of this silent film until the play's original title of "Poppy." With Rochelle Hudson as the young girl, the remake suffers from Fields being so entrenched in his comic persona that the emotional elements of the story now fall flat. His performance and the overall effect are much better in this silent version, although certainly there is nothing to stop you from doing the two as a double-feature.

Rating:
Summary: W.C. Fields as a con-man who discovers he has a heart
Review: At its core "Sally of the Sawdust" is an old fashioned melodrama: Judge Foster (Erville Alderson) disowns his daughter because she marries a circus performer. A few years later she has a child and dies. What redeems this 1925 film directed by D.W. Griffith and adopted by Forrest Halsey from the stage play "Poppy" by Dorothy Donnelly, is W.C. Fields, in his first starring role, as Professor Eustace McCargle, part juggler and part con man, who is entrusted with young Sally. Because of his new found responsibility McCargle gests a steady job with a carnival. Sally (Carole Dempster) grows up to be a great dancer and Peyton Lennox (Alfred Lunt, in one of the few films of this great Broadway actor still available to be seen), rich son of a friend of Judge Foster, falls in love with her. Of course, the Peyton's father and the Judge vow to put an end to this by having Sally and McCargle arrested. However, eventual reconciliation and eternal happiness is just a matter of time.

Dempster is captivating as the title character, but Fields steals the show in this picture, especially as the obstacles mount that he has to overcome to save Sally. "Sally of the Sawdust" was the second of a trio of films Griffith directed for Paramount. The first, "That Royle Girl" also featured Fields and is one of the few Griffith films apparently lost. In 1936 Fields did a talking remake of this silent film until the play's original title of "Poppy." With Rochelle Hudson as the young girl, the remake suffers from Fields being so entrenched in his comic persona that the emotional elements of the story now fall flat. His performance and the overall effect are much better in this silent version, although certainly there is nothing to stop you from doing the two as a double-feature.

Rating:
Summary: W.C. Fields as a con-man who discovers he has a heart
Review: At its core "Sally of the Sawdust" is an old fashioned melodrama: Judge Foster (Erville Alderson) disowns his daughter because she marries a circus performer. A few years later she has a child and dies. What redeems this 1925 film directed by D.W. Griffith and adopted by Forrest Halsey from the stage play "Poppy" by Dorothy Donnelly, is W.C. Fields, in his first starring role, as Professor Eustace McCargle, part juggler and part con man, who is entrusted with young Sally. Because of his new found responsibility McCargle gests a steady job with a carnival. Sally (Carole Dempster) grows up to be a great dancer and Peyton Lennox (Alfred Lunt, in one of the few films of this great Broadway actor still available to be seen), rich son of a friend of Judge Foster, falls in love with her. Of course, the Peyton's father and the Judge vow to put an end to this by having Sally and McCargle arrested. However, eventual reconciliation and eternal happiness is just a matter of time.

Dempster is captivating as the title character, but Fields steals the show in this picture, especially as the obstacles mount that he has to overcome to save Sally. "Sally of the Sawdust" was the second of a trio of films Griffith directed for Paramount. The first, "That Royle Girl" also featured Fields and is one of the few Griffith films apparently lost. In 1936 Fields did a talking remake of this silent film until the play's original title of "Poppy." With Rochelle Hudson as the young girl, the remake suffers from Fields being so entrenched in his comic persona that the emotional elements of the story now fall flat. His performance and the overall effect are much better in this silent version, although certainly there is nothing to stop you from doing the two as a double-feature.

Rating:
Summary: Original Fields at his best in the role he was born to play!
Review: Quality of the DVD; The picture quality was great, and was taken from an obviously well restored print. Sound was excellent as well, (although this is a silent movie). I have seen very good silent movies with terrible sound tracks of ill fitting music, but with this movie they used the original sheet music that was made for it, with delightful results. This is a silent movie, but if you are a Fields fan, you will not want to miss this one. The movie captures the essence of all of Fields' future movies, utilizing the formula of where he is the down trodden father with the loving and devoted daughter and they see it through with each other's help and find the golden lining of the grey clouds. You even get a peek at some of Fields' juggling. Best viewing wishes, Dave

Rating:
Summary: Original Fields at his best in the role he was born to play!
Review: Quality of the DVD; The picture quality was great, and was taken from an obviously well restored print. Sound was excellent as well, (although this is a silent movie). I have seen very good silent movies with terrible sound tracks of ill fitting music, but with this movie they used the original sheet music that was made for it, with delightful results. This is a silent movie, but if you are a Fields fan, you will not want to miss this one. The movie captures the essence of all of Fields' future movies, utilizing the formula of where he is the down trodden father with the loving and devoted daughter and they see it through with each other's help and find the golden lining of the grey clouds. You even get a peek at some of Fields' juggling. Best viewing wishes, Dave

Rating:
Summary: Poppy is a must see!
Review: The 1936 version, entitled 'Poppy', as was the original play, is a must see, hilarious film! Got to agree with the other reviewer, it contains some classic Fields scenes... how about the croquet game, or the get-away on the mayor's horse... or the scene where Poppy announces that she is indeed the heiress... to which Fields replies, "Well my dear, I'm glad to see you've finally come around"!.. or the toothless guy who spends the entire movies chasing the $5 Fields has bilked him out of in the first 5 minutes!

Please, please, please WHOEVER put the 1936 Poppy on a DVD!

Rating:
Summary: Poppy is a must see!
Review: The 1936 version, entitled 'Poppy', as was the original play, is a must see, hilarious film! Got to agree with the other reviewer, it contains some classic Fields scenes... how about the croquet game, or the get-away on the mayor's horse... or the scene where Poppy announces that she is indeed the heiress... to which Fields replies, "Well my dear, I'm glad to see you've finally come around"!.. or the toothless guy who spends the entire movies chasing the $5 Fields has bilked him out of in the first 5 minutes!

Please, please, please WHOEVER put the 1936 Poppy on a DVD!

Rating:
Summary: sally of sawdust
Review: to bad for wc field fans .somebody has rated the remake of this movie named poppy is rated done badly.who ever did this must have no sense of humer.to name a few memerable scenes;the hot dog stand,the shower scene with queeny,the ping pong game.any ?call [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Introducing Professor Eustace McGargle
Review: W.C. Fields made his first real mark on the movie world with this film. In fact, this film was also the first to present Bill Fields in his "traditional" costume: gray top hat, cutaway coat, checked pants, and spats. One longs to hear that nasal drawl spouting flowery epigrams and thinly veiled insults, but Fields does an excellent job nonetheless. His pantomime background (from his years as a silent juggling act in vaudeville) provides him with a wealth of funny bits of business."Sally" is based on "Poppy," a Broadway musical that was a hit largely because of Fields. The same is true here: Carol Dempster gets top billing, but it's Bill's show all the way. He does part of his juggling act, displays a couple of Rube Goldbergish props built for other stage shows, and presents us with the initial version of his marvelous carnival/medicine show grifter, who would resurface later under such patently phony monickers as Larson E. Whipsnade and J. Cuthbert Twillie.