Road to Happiness
Cast & Crew
Phil Rosen
John Boles
Mona Barrie
Billy Lee
Roscoe Karns
Lillian Elliott
Film Details
Synopsis
Opera singer Jeff Carter returns from Europe after several years of voice training and learns that his wife Millie divorced him eight months earlier, is now remarried to the wealthy Sam Rankin, and has enrolled their son Danny in military school. Jeff is outraged that Millie coldly sent their son away and threatens to reopen their divorce case if she does not release Danny to him. Danny is thrilled to be reunited his father, even though Jeff is unemployed and they have to live in a boardinghouse. Charley Grady, Jeff's friend and agent, tries to get him work with impresario Pietro Pacelli, but Pacelli refuses to see him. Danny is deeply hurt when his mother reneges on her promise of a birthday party and does not see him. Meanwhile, Jeff sells his music sheets to a kindly pawnbroker so that he can buy Danny a birthday gift, and when he learns about Millie's disgraceful behavior, he insists that she give Danny a party the next week. Jeff's employment prospects continue to be bleak until his landlady, Mrs. Price, gets him an audition with a radio show. Although he will not be singing, Jeff accepts a low-paying part of an Indian on a cowboy show so that he can support Danny, and Danny is thrilled by his father's new role. When Danny next visits Millie, he spends more time with Sam than his disinterested mother, and Sam is appalled by his wife's callous behavior. Millie then refuses to allow Danny to listen to Jeff's radio show because it interferes with her fun. Danny is brokenhearted, but for his father's sake, pretends he had a great time with his mother. Jeff refuses Charley's offer of a job with a touring opera company so that he can remain with Danny, and also refuses Sam's offer to adopt Danny. When a famous opera star is too sick to go on the air, Danny alerts Jeff, who is rehearsing for his show next door. The opera producers hire Jeff rather than cancel the show, and Charley pushes his way into Pacelli's office to force him to listen to the broadcast. Pacelli is so impressed with Jeff's glorious voice that he immediately gives him a contract with his opera company, and Jeff is now able to lavish the good life on Danny.
Director
Phil Rosen
Cast
John Boles
Mona Barrie
Billy Lee
Roscoe Karns
Lillian Elliott
Selmer Jackson
Paul Porcasi
Sam Flint
Brandon Hurst
Byron Foulger
Harlan Tucker
Antonio Filauri
Crew
Robert D. Andrews
C. J. Bigelow
Henry Carey
Scott R. Dunlap
Henri Grémont
E. R. Hickson
Edward Kay
Jules Massenet
Paul Milliet
Harry Neumann
Carl Pierson
Samuel Francis Smith
Frederick E. Weatherly
Allen Wood
Karl Zint
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were First Performance and Boy of Mine. Actress Lillian Elliott's name is misspelled in the opening credits as "Lillian Elliot," and actor Byron Foulger's name is misspelled as "Byron Folger." According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, Martin Spellman, a former M-G-M newsboy, was at one time cast as "Danny Carter." This film marked John Boles' first screen appearance in three years. His previous film was the 1938 picture Sinners in Paradise (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.4097).
