Log in / Sign up
 
    Share this page

    Why Be Good?

    Reviewed by
    maverick@

    A romantic comedy set in the Jitterbug era of the Roaring 20's, the film attempts to respond to the question posed in its title. Colleen Moore (1899-1988) plays the chaste but not so dewy-eyed lass who loves to dance, 'spoon', and generally have fun without compromising herself. However she is continually being blockaded by the ethical and social mores of that time.

    Not surprisingly these ethical and social problems still exist today to a large degree. Ms. Moore, using author Carey Wilson's story under the direction of William A. Seiter, tackles the issues of...

    a) wealthy / working class relationships, and

    b) subjugation of women to men in many areas of life.

    In a great instance of story telling, Ms. Moore was cast as a sales clerk in the Men's Haberdashery Dept. Of her amour's huge department store. She played the part willingly, being a 'feminist' by inclination.

    She delightfully played a pert flapper dancing up a storm, was always ready with a wisecrack, and let the boys get only as close as she wished. The movie was fun.

    It is always interesting to pick up a little history on the principals from movies of another era. I had not heard of Ms. Moore, Carey Wilson or William A. Seiter previously. Colleen Moore had over sixty credits in films as a featured performer between ages 16-35. Carey Wilson was one of the founding members of 'The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' and Seiter was one of the founding members of 'The Director's Guild'. All three have their footprints on the Hollywood 'Walk of Fame'.

    In order to placate Hollywood's wishes for younger women in films, Miss Moore lied about her age at one point. She died at 88, but if you had been able to ask her how old she was then she would have told you "I was only 85".

    7
    HelpfulNot helpful  Reply
    maverick@  10.4.2016 age: 50+ 470 reviews

    Show all reviews for this movie
    Note: The movie review posted on this page reflects a personal opinion of one user. We are not responsible for its content.

    Did you see ''Why Be Good?''?

    There is a problem with your e-mail address and we are unable to communicate with you. Please go to My Account to update your email.

    How do you rate this movie?

    Select stars from 1 to 10.
    10 - A masterpiece, go, see it now
    9 - Excellent movie, a must see
    8 - Great movie, don't miss it
    7 - Good movie, worth seeing
    6 - Not bad, could be much better
    5 - So so, okay if you don't pay
    4 - Not good, even if you don't pay
    3 - Poor movie, not recommended
    2 - Very bad, forget about it
    1 - Worst ever, avoid at all costs

    Please explain. Write your comment here:

    Please choose a username to sign your comments. Only letters, digits, dash - or period. Minimum 4 characters.

    Your age and sex:

    We publish all comments, except abusive, at our discretion.