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She's the queen of the dance floor. He's the boss's son with a secret. Chaos ensues.
TMDB
68
IMDb
72
Rotten Tomatoes
75
Audience Score
75
Google
93

Why Be Good? (1929)

flapper fever dreamJazz Age sassdance-til-dawn energy

Overview

ComedyDramaRomance

A flapper unwittingly falls for the boss' son.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
new york cityfather son relationshipmother daughter relationshipexuberantcomedy1920sreputationroadhouseflirtationgeneration gap+5 more
sexual double standardsgenerational rebellionperformance of respectabilityclass masquerade

Standout Aspects

Acting

Colleen Moore's bob-wagging, shimmy-shaking star power.

Costume

Authentic flapper fashion that defined an era.

Production

Rediscovered 2014 after being lost for 85 years.

Best for:Solo: Silent film curious? This is your gateway drug.·Date Night: Vintage romance with actual chemistry—rare for 1929.
William A. Seiter

Director

William A. Seiter

ReleasedFeb 28, 1929
Runtime1h 24m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacefast
Intensitymedium
Tonelight
Feellight
First National Pictures

Top Cast

Colleen Moore

Colleen Moore

Pert Kelly

Bodil Rosing

Bodil Rosing

Ma Kelly

John St. Polis

John St. Polis

Pa Kelly

Neil Hamilton

Neil Hamilton

Winthrop Peabody Jr.

Edward Martindel

Edward Martindel

Winthrop Peabody Sr.

Louis Natheaux

Louis Natheaux

Jimmy Alexander

Lincoln Stedman

Lincoln Stedman

Tom

Collette Merton

Collette Merton

Julie

Mischa Auer

Mischa Auer

Man Dancing at The Boiler (uncredited)

Phyllis Crane

Phyllis Crane

Salesgirl (uncredited)

Andy Devine

Andy Devine

Young Man at The Boiler (uncredited)

Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow

Blonde on Rooftop Bench at Junior's Second Party

Ask about Why Be Good?

Opens AI chat

Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

Released mere months before the Crash, it captures peak Roaring Twenties excess right before oblivion.

Trivia

The only surviving print was found in Italy in 2014, mislabeled and deteriorating—without that discovery, Moore's career would've remained half-forgotten.

Gallery(15 images)

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