Underplayed Gems

On Your Back (1930)

On Your Back poster
Directed by
Guthrie McClintic
Genre
drama film
Country
United States
Runtime
1h 10m
Rating
8.0 of 10 from 1 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A pre-Code drama about a young actress on loan to a studio who finds herself overshadowed by a more established star. When she finally gets a chance to confront her rival in a climactic scene, the director's choices undermine her performance.

melodramaticvintagestylizedtensetheatricalbittersweetcharacter-drivendated

What happens

On Your Back is a 1930 American pre-Code drama film directed by Guthrie McClintic and written by Howard J. Green. The film stars Irene Rich, Raymond Hackett, H. B. Warner, Wheeler Oakman, Marion Shilling and Ilka Chase. The film was released on September 14, 1930, by Fox Film Corporation. A trailer exists in the Library of Congress collection. Actress Marion Shilling was frustrated when it became obvious that the studio was more interested in promoting Irene Rich than featuring an actress on loan. At a preview of the film, it was clear that Shilling was the standout, so cuts and re-shots were ordered. "For instance, the climactic scene of the film was one in which I, Irene's victim, at last had a chance to tell her off. My speech, to which I gave all the power I was capable of, covered an entire page of script. In the final version, how was the scene presented? Throughout the speech I was shown with my back to camera in a long shot. At frequent intervals, during my outpouring, the camera cut from my back to a huge idealized close-up of Irene." (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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