"Sunny Side Up" (1926) [and, no, NOT the 1929 Janet Gaynor/Charles Farrell same title film] stars Vera Reynolds, Edmund Burns, George K. Arthur, ZaSu Pitts, Ethel Clayton, Sally Rand, Louis Natheaux, and others. This was directed by Donald Crisp for DeMille Pictures Corporation, then distributed through Producers Distributing Company, the company through which most of Reynolds', Priscilla Dean's, Marie Prevost's, Joseph Schildkraut's and even Harry Carey's pictures got distributed in the middle to late 20's. There were probably budget restraints on "Sunny Side Up" because plot points shift almost abruptly, unexpectedly, and only a title card gets viewers into how things arrived where they suddenly are, though even this is handled rather deftly by Crisp. The comedy/drama has loads of both: not only is the kitchen sink thrown into the mix, but the dishwashing soap and a drying towel are thrown in free for good measure. For only 66 minutes we're given a huge range of talented actors and actresses strutting their stuff. Reynolds and Arthur (obviously "pals" from way back) begin the film working in a pickle factory for a German owner/boss. Very pat, but nevertheless funny, things happen immediately. The title cards are anything-for-a-laugh, but the laughs come anyway. But suddenly we're watching Reynolds and Arthur (but especially Reynolds) become stars in a stage revue under the aegis of Edmund Burns. Burns doesn't just become enamored of Reynolds, over some time it gets to the point he asks her to marry him. Enter Ethel Clayton. Guess who she is? Yes, she's Burns' wife. Then comes the drama. Meanwhile, back at Arthur and ZaSu Pitts: they've become a something, and just when the drama is hitting the highpoint with Reynolds and Burns, Arthur and Pitts are married! Now the drama of everything is suddenly on fire...I didn't say literally, but I might have...
Reynolds shows she's a really talented actress. She ranges from comedy through drama with a very sure deftness that really captures the viewer. I've seen her before, but never have I noticed her as much as this film. It may be the equivalent of a programmer - though I'm not sure a DeMille produced film is ever a programmer - but it's good, potboiler though it might be. Well worth the look! This is available through Grapevine, but my print was the second show on an Alpha Video that has a Reginald Denny picture, "A Cheerful Fraud", as the main attraction. "Sunny Side Up" on this DVD is not in great condition, with scratches out the wazoo and fading in much of the picture, but overall it still is quite attractive anyway and is certainly an inviting watch because of Reynolds.
