Bright Lights (1930): Cast & Plot
Bright Lights is a 1930 music drama directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Dorothy Mackaill as Louanne, Frank Fay and Noah Beery. It runs 1 hour 9 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 9m (69 min)
- Director
- Michael Curtiz
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- First National Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Bright Lights About?
The premise of Bright Lights without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A celebrated Broadway performer, poised to quit her wild, high‑energy career, announces her engagement, only to have her turbulent past catch up with her. The film brims with drama, music, rivalries among women, lingering hatred, and even a humorous hula‑hoop scene featuring Dorothy.
Bright Lights Themes & Keywords
· 24 tags- pre code
- lie
- rape atempt
- last show
- newspaper man
- goldigger
- police investigation
- dancing
- singing
- pocket knife
- drinking
- show
+12 more Show fewer
- marriage proposal
- past
- theater
- carnival
- smuggling
- south africa
- dancer
- vaudeville
- murder
- reporter
- police
- showgirl
Bright Lights Cast & Characters
Dorothy Mackaill leads the cast as Louanne, with Frank Fay as Wally Dean and Noah Beery as Miguel Parada. Directed by Michael Curtiz; 14 actors are credited in all.
-
Director Michael Curtiz
- Dorothy Mackaill as Louanne
-
Frank Fay as Wally Dean - Noah Beery as Miguel Parada
-
Frank McHugh as Fish
Also Starring in Bright Lights
· 10 more- James Murray Connie Lamont
- Inez Courtney Peggy North
- Philip Strange Emerson Fairchild
- John Carradine Newspaper reporter / photographer
- Tom Dugan Tom Avery
- Louise Beavers Angela
- Virginia Sale Newspaper reporter
- Edward Nugent Windy Jones
- Edmund Breese Franklin Harris
- Daphne Pollard Mame Avery
More from Michael Curtiz
More films directed by Michael Curtiz, best-rated first: Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, Captain Blood and Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Bright Lights Plot Summary
What happens in Bright Lights from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Successful actress Louanne, Dorothy Mackaill, is giving her last performance before she retires to marry a rich man instead of the man she really loves, Wally Dean, Frank Fay. As reporters interview her, she tells a false story but remembers her troubled past through flashback sequences.
Louanne is shown as a dancer at a low-class café where Portuguese smuggler Miguel Parada, Noah Beery, attempts to force his attentions on her. With a riot about to start, she escapes with Wally. Another flashback shows Wally as a barker at a carnival with Louanne as a dancer. Wally again saves her from an imminent riot. Back in the present, Louanne continues to lie to the reporters and tell them about her genteel background.
Full summary
The whole story of Bright Lights, scene by scene
Seen Bright Lights?
Movies Like Bright Lights
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Broadway Hostess, Bright Eyes and Broadway Thru a Keyhole.
Bright Lights FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Bright Lights, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Bright Lights?
Bright Lights runs 1 hour 9 minutes (69 minutes).
When was Bright Lights released?
Bright Lights was released on September 21, 1930.
Who directed Bright Lights?
Bright Lights was directed by Michael Curtiz.
More films by Michael Curtiz Who is in the cast of Bright Lights?
Bright Lights stars Dorothy Mackaill as Louanne, Frank Fay as Wally Dean and Noah Beery as Miguel Parada, among 14 credited actors.
Does Bright Lights have a post-credit scene?
No. Bright Lights has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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