Spring Fever (1927)

“Spring Fever was a waste of everyone`s time and money. God, golf is dull on film!” – Joan Crawford.

The year 1927 was particularly busy for the young rising star Joan Crawford. She gradually got better and more important roles until she finally achieved real stardom with Our Dancing Daughters in 1928. She was willing to and actually played any kind of roles she could put her claws on… and all to show how good she was. In fact, few people worked as hard as she did. She would spend her time exercising tirelessly or walking around the MGM lot watching the great ones perform.

In 1927 she filmed the following titles:  Winner of the Wilderness, The understanding heart, The Unknown, Twelve Miles Out and Spring Fever. She was getting better reviews and the fact that she co-starred with Lon Chaney in The Unknown was key to her career, but we will focus on her last film of that year, Spring Fever.

Contrary to what most people say about the film (boring, dull, silly) I found it to be very charming and appropriate to have a great rainy afternoon at home. The plot is simple but effective; about a young, handsome and charming man working as a shipping clerk for a rich hard-boiled boss. Soon Jack Kelly (William Haines) gains the boss`s favor by teaching him a few things about golf. The boss, ever thankful, takes him to a very exclusive golf club and presents him as his nephew. Kelly is given new clothing and soon he becomes very popular due to his looks and great talent at playing golf. He loved to play the millionaire, and everyone believed it.

There he meets Allie Monte (Joan Crawford) a beautiful socialite whom is the main love interest of the current golf champion, but soon falls for Jack. They were both in love and they both lied to each other: Jack told her that he had plenty of money (when in fact he had none, he was even very ashamed of his own father, who´s ragged clothing gave away his humble origins); and she told him that she had lost all her money, and that she was ready to marry for money. When Allie was about to marry the snobbish – now former- golf champion, for Jack had beaten his record quite easily; they ran away and got married. Soon, Jack confesses and Allie asks him to leave.

Jack, decided to succeed, participates in a golf tournament and wins 10.000 dollars. Jack and Allie get back together and live happily ever after.

Spring Fever is an interesting tale of a young ambitious man that is ready to climb the ladder to success. I am sure many men could have identified with Haines` character: a poor worker struggling with the system of which he was a slave, and ready to use his looks and talent to get to the so famous, misused and fake American dream; when given the chance of course.

William Haines and Joan Crawford are a delight to watch. Haines is funny, expressive and a wonderful actor and the chemistry with Crawford (although never as steamy as the Clark-Joan combination) was marvelous. Joan was beautiful, fresh and still did not have that devouring mouth and those thick brows that would make her a parody of herself.

Haines and Crawford became close friends and co-starred in more films together, for their combination was very effective. It is worth to notice, however, that Haines was the top star of the films while Crawford was limited to supporting roles. It was the old MGM technique of using an already established star (whom would ensure the movie`s success) to promote the new “hot property” whom held promise and was given a few try ons, until finally became a recognizable face. Joan held a lot of promise and was already a very recognizable face by then, but she still needed to create the “Crawford-persona”, which was a work in progress at the time.

William Haines was notorious for being the first openly gay star. MGM threaten him with ending his career if he decided to continue pursuing his desires. He chose his life partner over a career. They spent their life together, until Haines died. Shortly after, his partner took an overdose of pills and cuddled on his bed, and died.

Joan Crawford & William Haines

 

Below: Jimmy Shields and his partner, William Haines; Joan Crawford and husband Alfred Steele

Below:  Edith Gwynne Wilkerson, Jean Harlow, William Powell, William Haines' partner Jimmy Shields (standing), Anderson Lawler, unidentified man (standing), William Haines, Edith's sister Marge. (1935)