The Pagan, Ramon Novarro's first sound vehicle — with a pre-recorded soundtrack but no dialogue — became one of the biggest hits at the U.S. box office in 1929, and a huge success overseas as well. In this fresh-as-an-ocean-breeze comedy-drama-romance, Novarro, at his most natural, is a half-native young man idling his life away in a tropical paradise in the South Pacific. Things change with the arrival of a devout (and hypocritical) Christian, played by future Oscar winner Donald Crisp, and his charge, a half-native girl played by newcomer Dorothy Janis in her first and only important film role.
(It should be noted that miscegenation used to be not only frowned upon but downright condemned in American movies. In fact, it's still quite rare. That said, if a film's lead characters were the offspring of sinful interethnic acts committed before the story began, then their mixed ethnicity was — or at least could be — perfectly ok.)
Directed by W. S. Van Dyke, one of the most prolific MGM directors of the 1930s, The Pagan was adapted by Dorothy Farnum — actually, many other hands were also involved in the project — from a story by John Russell. John Howard Lawson, one of the future Hollywood Ten, wrote the natural-sounding (or rather, natural-reading) dialogue, which also offers bits of highly effective social commentary.
Clyde De Vinna was the man responsible for the film's lush cinematography.
In The Pagan, Ramon Novarro — a trained singer with operatic aspirations — introduced Arthur Freed (the future producer of numerous MGM musicals) and Nacio Herb Brown's "Pagan Love Song," which became a worldwide hit. Dorothy Janis also got to sing the song in the film, though the voice we hear in the soundtrack actually belonged to somebody else.
Janis ended up not having much of a film career, but she did get to marry bandleader Wayne King. To the best of my knowledge, she is still alive, and will be turning 98 next February. (Check out a few 2004 photos of Dorothy Janis at the the Stevens Orchestra Project.)
The video at the top of this article was posted by author Derek Taylor Shayne, who, rumor has it, lives in the Florida wilderness with two giant eco-conscious alligators that do their bit for the environment by feeding on stupid people.
Sherry in Florida,
I think it's Thelma Todd who you're referring to: a bubbly comedienne in the 30s with a decent amount of fame. She starred with Zasu Pitts, Patsy Kelly, the Marx Bros, Buster Keaton, Laurel & Hardy. She had a mysterious death, unsolved, apparently happening in a Hollywood garage.
I have the book They Had Faces Then, a wonderful reference book of stars and newcomers from talkies through the 40's. Dorothy Janis was truly a great beauty. It will be worthwhile to track down some of her films and see the star behind the image.
Hi
Dorothy Janis is my grandmother. She is still alive and living in Arizona. Would love to find a copy of The Pagan. Do you have any idea where we could come across a copy?
What a beautiful photo. Why doesn't Turner or Warner or whoever release The Pagan on DVD? Hopefully with a good audio commentary, a few extras, a Pagan Love Song bonus record…
Great pictures of Dorothy Janis!
Sherry,
The only blonde female star who died in the 30s that I can think of is Jean Harlow, though she didn’t have bobbed hair.
Jeanne Eagels was also blonde, though she wasn’t quite a “talkie star.” She only made a couple of talkies, and died in 1929.
I have been searching for the name of an early talkie star ( very popular) who died at the height of her career. She was blonde curly short bobbed flapper type hair style..She was pictured on the front page in a large color photo when she died. ( in the 30’s, I believe.) My mother had the clipping in the attic for years, and she never kept things like this… It is gone now… It haunts me still just who could this woman be?
Any help is appreciated!
Sherry Keith
Daytona Beach, FL