The Song of Love (1929)

Genres - Musical  |   Release Date - Nov 13, 1929 (USA - Unknown)  |   Run Time - 76 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Review by Janiss Garza

Once called (and rightfully so) "the female Al Jolson and the Sarah Bernhardt of song," it's amazing that Belle Baker is forgotten today. She was hugely famous in her time and introduced 163 songs, including "Blue Skies." Perhaps one of the reasons she has virtually been lost to history is because she made only a handful of films. In addition, she was no great beauty -- even if she slimmed down for The Song of Love as is rumored, she still appears hefty in the film and is obviously middle-aged. Baker looks like somebody's lovely but unspectacular mother, so when she opens her mouth and breaks into song, it's quite a revelation -- the lady is nothing less than brilliant, a singer who can make you laugh one moment and then turn around and break your heart. This film was thought lost for many years but was finally discovered sitting on a shelf at Columbia, and it shows Bennett at the height of her talent (although perhaps not at the height of her beauty). The story is all-too trite, the usual backstage stuff. Baker is Anna, a singer whose husband and partner, Tom (Ralph Graves) is a drunk and a womanizer. Their son, Buddy (David Durand), is also part of the act, and when Anna retires to give him a real childhood, Tom gets involved with Mazie, a second-rate performer (Eunice Quedens, better known later on as Eve Arden). Tom hits the skids, but you know by the final frame that the family will be reunited. The throwaway plot isn't really of much importance. The real story here is a rare chance to both see and hear Baker's incredible singing talent.