A Song of Kentucky Review: Horses, Music, and Early Talkie Drama

If you are the kind of person who enjoys watching movies where the audio sounds like it was recorded inside a tin can, you might actually like this one. It is a 1929 flick called A Song of Kentucky and it is definitely worth a look if you have a soft spot for early sound films. But if you hate melodramas where people make life-changing decisions based on a horse race, you should probably skip it. 🐎

The movie follows Jerry, a songwriter played by Joseph Wagstaff. He has one of those faces that looks like it belongs on a vintage cereal box. He’s very earnest and spends a lot of time looking at pianos like they are his best friends.

Then we have Lee Coleman, who is played by Lois Moran. She is a wealthy Southern girl with a family that clearly has too much money and not enough hobbies. They live in that world where everyone wears fancy hats even when they are just sitting around the house. 👒

Jerry and Lee fall in love pretty fast. It is one of those movie romances where they look at each other twice and decide they are soulmates. It’s cute, I guess, but a little bit rushed even for 1929.

But of course, there is a bad guy. Every movie from this era needs a guy who looks like he spends his weekends practicing his evil laugh in the mirror. His name is Douglas Gilmore in real life, but in the movie, he is just a fortune hunter who wants Lee’s inheritance.

The villain's plan is so weirdly specific. He pays off Jerry’s old vaudeville partner to frame him for something. I honestly had to rewind it because the the explanation for the frame-up was so clunky. 🤨

Lee just believes the lie immediately. She doesn't even ask for proof or a phone call. She just packs her bags and heads back to Kentucky to be miserable in a big mansion.

This is where the movie gets really strange. Lee makes a bet with the bad guy about the Kentucky Derby. She says if her horse doesn't win, she will marry him. Who does that? Why would you bet your entire life on a horse’s legs?

It reminds me a bit of the heavy drama you see in A Chapter in Her Life. People in these old movies really loved making these massive, sweeping gestures that don't make any sense in the real world.

The horse loses, because this is a drama and we need some tension. So now Lee is stuck getting ready for a wedding she doesn't want. She looks absolutely miserable in her wedding dress, like she’s going to a funeral instead of a ceremony.

Meanwhile, Jerry is in New York directing a symphony. It is called A Song of Kentucky, which is very convenient for the title of the movie. The music is actually pretty good, though the sound quality is a bit fuzzy.

I noticed that when Jerry is conducting, he moves his arms in a way that doesn't really match the beat. It’s one of those small things you notice when the camera stays on a performer for too long. 🎶

The girl who helped frame Jerry suddenly feels guilty. She just shows up at the concert and tells the truth. Just like that, the whole plot is resolved in about two minutes of dialogue. It’s so fast it almost feels like the filmmakers were running out of film and needed to go home.

Lee hears the truth and just leaves her wedding. She just walks out! I love the idea of the guests just sitting there with their cake while the bride runs off to a concert hall.

The reunion at the end is very sweet, if you like that sort of thing. They hug and everything is fine. The bad guy just disappears from the story, and I assume he went back to being a jerk somewhere else.

I was surprised to see Hedda Hopper in the cast. She plays a socialite, which I suppose is what she was doing in real life too. She has this very sharp way of speaking that makes her stand out from the other actors.

The movie is a bit like A Rogue's Romance in how it treats its characters like pieces on a board. They move where the plot needs them to move, even if it doesn't make much sense for a human being to act that way.

The horse racing footage looks like it might be real stock footage from a Derby. It is very grainy compared to the rest of the film. It gives the movie a weird, documentary feel for about five minutes before going back to the studio sets. 🏇

One reaction shot of the villain lingers for a few seconds too long. He just stares into the distance with this blank expression that made me laugh. I don't think it was supposed to be funny, but it was.

It is not a masterpiece, but it is a fun little time capsule. If you can get past the scratchy audio and the silly logic of the horse bet, it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon. Just don't try to make any marriage bets based on sports in real life. It probably won't end as well as it did for Lee and Jerry. ✨