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If the 1931 cheapie Swanee River had a plot, one would never know it from the contemporary reviews. As near as can be determined, the story concerns an ill-fated romance between a Southern aristocrat and a person of lower origins. Every so often, an African-American chorus showed up to provide atmospheric songs to the proceedings (some of the lyrics were written by Harry Woods, better known as "B"-western bad guy). Handsome Grant Withers and gorgeous Thelma Todd played the leading roles, and one suspects that Todd looked as uncomfortable as she always did in a straight dramatic part. One thing is certain: the 1939 Stephen Foster biopic Swanee River was not a remake.