Jacqueline Logan was one of the most beautiful of silent stars but because too few of her films are available, when any are found it is cause for rejoicing. This film, now fully restored was one of a group found in 2010 at a New Zealand film archive.
Jacqueline had tried her hand at many things - she had been a reporter, a model, even a Ziegfeld Follies girl before movies called. She was a popular second level leading lady who had been cast opposite many of the top male stars of the day. Clive Brook, in 1928, was heading towards his peak years in Hollywood but for "Midnight Madness" Jacqueline got top billing!!
Norma Forbes is a "bachelor girl with a bachelor boss - and hopes"!! Having to put up with a layabout father who often takes her pay for drink, as well as living at the back of a shooting gallery, she needs her dreams to become a reality fast!! She sees her future with her boss but instead he turns out to be a first class "I'm not the marrying kind" heel who encourages her to play up to wealthy diamond mine owner Richard Bream (Clive Brook) in order to find where his claim is. At first she refuses but an afternoon spent at "home, sweet home" makes her desperate!!
With Richard it is a case of love at first sight and he wants to take her to Africa the next day as his wife!! "It's madness"!! she says and it is - midnight madness!! Holy Mackerell - the next day when she sees her chiselling boss it is as Mrs. Bream. "From now on I'm travelling first class" and "He'll spend his money on me and like it"!! - the only problem is, Richard overhears. And decides to teach his wife a lesson!! Travelling second class, instead of jewels and furs - she gets a fruit basket!! - marriage isn't what Norma expected and she hasn't even arrived in the God forsaken country yet. She is convinced that Richard is a miser. As she puts it "second class, a flivver - and now this gorgeous love nest"!! She tries to flee but Richard thinks of everything - even to removing the car's spark plugs!! Then they have guests - it is Norma's boss Childers (Walter McGrail) - she had cabled him earlier to come and rescue her!! When he believes that Bream is actually poor, he wants nothing more to do with Norma, however when the lascivious overseer eyes her shapely legs and the bottle of whiskey he is all for taking her with them!!
It is cleared up very quickly (59 minutes) and involves a marauding lioness and a twinge of humanity that Norma hasn't shown in the whole length of the film. F. Harmon Weight was so obviously a hack director, you only have to look at his credits and it also explains the very pedestrian and lack lustre direction of this movie. Not great for Clive Brook who was almost at the top of the acting tree in 1928 to be given such an uninspired director. Not wonderful but any Jacqueline Logan movie is better than none at all!!
Jacqueline had tried her hand at many things - she had been a reporter, a model, even a Ziegfeld Follies girl before movies called. She was a popular second level leading lady who had been cast opposite many of the top male stars of the day. Clive Brook, in 1928, was heading towards his peak years in Hollywood but for "Midnight Madness" Jacqueline got top billing!!
Norma Forbes is a "bachelor girl with a bachelor boss - and hopes"!! Having to put up with a layabout father who often takes her pay for drink, as well as living at the back of a shooting gallery, she needs her dreams to become a reality fast!! She sees her future with her boss but instead he turns out to be a first class "I'm not the marrying kind" heel who encourages her to play up to wealthy diamond mine owner Richard Bream (Clive Brook) in order to find where his claim is. At first she refuses but an afternoon spent at "home, sweet home" makes her desperate!!
With Richard it is a case of love at first sight and he wants to take her to Africa the next day as his wife!! "It's madness"!! she says and it is - midnight madness!! Holy Mackerell - the next day when she sees her chiselling boss it is as Mrs. Bream. "From now on I'm travelling first class" and "He'll spend his money on me and like it"!! - the only problem is, Richard overhears. And decides to teach his wife a lesson!! Travelling second class, instead of jewels and furs - she gets a fruit basket!! - marriage isn't what Norma expected and she hasn't even arrived in the God forsaken country yet. She is convinced that Richard is a miser. As she puts it "second class, a flivver - and now this gorgeous love nest"!! She tries to flee but Richard thinks of everything - even to removing the car's spark plugs!! Then they have guests - it is Norma's boss Childers (Walter McGrail) - she had cabled him earlier to come and rescue her!! When he believes that Bream is actually poor, he wants nothing more to do with Norma, however when the lascivious overseer eyes her shapely legs and the bottle of whiskey he is all for taking her with them!!
It is cleared up very quickly (59 minutes) and involves a marauding lioness and a twinge of humanity that Norma hasn't shown in the whole length of the film. F. Harmon Weight was so obviously a hack director, you only have to look at his credits and it also explains the very pedestrian and lack lustre direction of this movie. Not great for Clive Brook who was almost at the top of the acting tree in 1928 to be given such an uninspired director. Not wonderful but any Jacqueline Logan movie is better than none at all!!