Sunny (1930) ** (out of 4) The second of three pictures that Broadway star Marilyn Miller would make at First National. This one here has her playing Sunny, a girl working at a circus who sneaks on a boat heading for America so that she can find a better life. Along the way she ends up marrying Tom (Lawrence Gray) but their hopes for a good future are challenged. SUNNY isn't nearly as good as Miller's previous film (SALLY) but fans of the actress will probably still want to watch it and especially when you considering how few movies she made due to her early death. The biggest problem with this film is actually the sound quality. I'm really not sure what happened during the making of this movie but the sound quality is downright awful from start to finish. It doesn't seem to be an issue with the discs today because if it was the case of a movie just having a poor soundtrack then it would be uneven from reel to reel. This film sounds the same from start to finish so this leads me to believe it was something done during production. Every time someone talks it's as if they're standing in a cave to where we get an echo as well as some hiss. This is annoying at first but overtime you just get used to it. Miller is without question the real reason to watch this film as she has a certain charm and energy that was made for the big screen. Gray, on the other hand, comes across pretty bland and boring as does the majority of the supporting cast, although BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN fans will get a look at O.P. Heggie in a role here. SUNNY also features some rather mediocre music and songs, which certainly doesn't help matters.

The Vitaphone/Warner Brothers folks were the foremost studio when it came to sound. Because of that, I was a bit confused when I watched "Sunny" as the sound was really, really bad. It seriously sounded as if the sound was recorded in a telephone booth--and you were outside trying to listen! Fortunately, the version shown on Turner Classic movies IS captioned and I strongly advise you to turn on your television's captioning for this film. You'll need it! "Sunny" stars Marilyn Miller--a very talented Broadway star who only made three early sound films before dying at age 37! The film begins with Miller feeling fed up with life in the circus and she disappears dressed as a man. She then stows away on a ship bound for America--not realizing her father is in pursuit. He is determined that she should marry a rich but dreadfully dull Brit--who Marilyn keeps referring to as 'the fish'. Can she manage to make it to America or is it an unhappy marriage to a weenie instead? While this film is a bit antiquated, you can clearly see the formula that would become the norm in future musicals of its type. The film features a few songs (actually not that many for a musical) and several dance numbers from Miller. And, true to the formula, a bit of comic relief to keep the overall mood very light. If it weren't for the bad sound, I'd strongly encourage you to see it. In its present form, however, it's one you might just want to skip.By the way, in the wedding scene on the ship, how did they get a bridal gown for Miller and all the bridesmaids? After all, they were in the middle of the ocean and the wedding was unplanned!!

Sunny was the second of three films Marilyn Miller did with First National films and the second of her Broadway hits that made it to the big screen. For that reason it should be treasured.Unlike the good copy I saw of Sally, the print of Sunny was really bad and you could tell portions of it were chopped out. As was the Kern- Harbach-Hammerstein score which fortunately the hit song from the show, Who, was featured. No, that's not the guy who played first base.The plot's an ancient one. Marilyn's a circus bareback rider who falls for a Long Island society playboy. The circus is touring the United Kingdom and while saying some goodbyes to some friends sailing from Southampton for America, she gets stranded on board. At first she does a Sylvia Scarlett number, but fools no one. In order to preserve proprieties and mores of the time, she marries Joe Donahue with the understanding that they'll divorce and she'll be able to marry her beloved Lawrence Gray.That sounds real silly today, but that's what people did and thought at the time. And this was even before the Code. If you care to see who she winds up with than hope you see a better copy than I got.If you do you will see a marvelous dancer and a decent singer. Marilyn Miller was legendary in that she wanted her audience to get the total package that included dance which was her strength. For that reason she refused to make phonograph records and even radio appearances. So her three films are our only inkling of her talent.Sunny came out in the midst of the Depression and flopped badly. Even though she was having one major affair with Jack Warner, after her next picture, Warner gave her the studio gate. I might have given this a better review had I seen a decent copy. A star like Marilyn Miller deserves so much better.

I have only recently been able to catch up with the films of Marilyn Miller since they are not shown on TCM in the UK.I have been much intrigued over the years because this was one of the superstars of the 20s.What was she really like.To some stars of this era like Jolson some of the magic still shines through,but alas not for Miller.Her dancing seems awkward and poorly choreographed,her singing somewhat limited and as an actress she makes Ruby Keeler seem like Hepburn.Even worse in this film as the public had grown tired of musicals virtually all of the musical numbers have been deleted.So we are left with a comedy of that period with little real appeal.She was being paid $500000 for this!So i have only two conclusion.Either she was poorly served by the cinema or she had no talent at all.I think that the truth is nearer the later than the former.