Don’t miss this six-minute short subject with a young, dark-haired Spencer Tracy! Only eight years before he “was listed as the fifth biggest money-making star of 1938,” and twelve years before his partnership began with Katharine Hepburn. “The Hard Guy,” a 1930 Warner Brothers “Vitaphone Varieties” is a must for Tracy fans!
The film begins with Guy, a despondent WWI veteran, battling unemployment in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of NY. (Had to look it up: Hell’s Kitchen is the area from 34th to 59th street). Desperate and needing food for his family, Guy protests, “Boy, what a picnic that war was compared to this one. I was a hero once, now I’m a bust!” As he leaves to look for work, his wife discovers a hidden revolver in his coat pocket … will Guy rob for food? Don’t ditch before the plot twist.
In this clip from a Warner Brothers Vitaphone Varieties short called “Bubbles,” Frances Ethel Gumm, aka Judy Garland, is seen at the age of eight, belting out “The Land of Let’s Pretend.” Young Judy is joined by her older sisters, Mary Jane and Virginia Gumm; all three known to Hollywood as “The Gumm Sisters.” If you want tohear just Garland’s two-line solo and see her in a close-up, skip through the clip to about 1:04. Sorry, that it isn’t a better print.
The 1930 short was originally filmed in Technicolor, but did not survive in that format. However, during the 1990’s, in the Library of Congress, a black & white print was discovered. You can watch the full 7+ minutes on Dailymotion. And, to read more about Judy’s short films, please visit thejudyroom.com.
Warner Brothers made hundreds of short films showcasing many great talents of the 20’s and 30’s. Judy starred in a few more short subjects before making feature films. Isn’t it fun to see our “Wizard of Oz” girl so early in her career?
Pastimes of Mine 