The Shannons of Broadway

The Shannons, a vaudeville act, are performing in a New England town when the local hotel owner barges in and yanks his daughter Tessie, who is in the audience with her boyfriend Chuck, out of the theater. Young Mickey Shannon confronts the father, and the upshot is that Chuck's wealthy father threatens to foreclose on the hotel. The Shannons wind up buying the hotel, but it turns out not to be quite the deal they thought it was.

Directed by Emmett J. Flynn, The Shannons of Broadway leans on a strong ensemble — James Gleason, Lucile Gleason, Mary Philbin — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1929.