Figure 1.--This 1929 silent film, "Mairrage Playground," shows what look like relatively affluent children might wear. Both boys wear short pants suits with kneesocks. One boy has a beret while the other, Philippe de Lacey, has a peaked cap.

This romance drama included several children who were pictured as coming from an affluent family. The best known child was French-born child star Philippe de Lacey was in it. The still shown here show how realtively affluent children were dressed in the 1920s. Note that it is a winter scene, yet the boys wear short pants suits. Boys from less-affluent families would have more likely worn knickers. One boys wears a double breasted overcoat with his short pants suit and hold a beret. Philip has a winter scarfe and a peaked cap. Both boys wear kneesocks. The ones Philip wears are patterened. Philippe and presumably the other children appear in various other natty outfits.

Filography

We have little information about this silent film, except that it is an American silent film made in 1929. Thus it is one of the last silents. It was a Paramount film. The director was Lothar Mendes. Victor Milner was responsible for the Photography. J. Walter Ruben produced the Screenplay. It was released just before Christas but in pre Code days all the marriages and divorces do not seem very uplifting. There is, however, a happy ending.

Cast

The principal roles were Mary Brian (Judith Wheater), Fredric March (Martin Boyne), Lilyan Tashman (Joyce Wheater), Huntley Gordon (Cliffe Wheater), Huntley Gordon (Cliffe Wheater). and Kay Francis (Zinnia La Crosse). We know that French-born child star Philippe de Lacey was in it. He played Terry. Two of the girls are Anita Louise (Blanca) and Little Mitzi (Zinnie).

Setting

Although the children are Americans, the film is set in France and Switzeland.

Figure 2.--Philippe in this shot wears a white sweater and matching shorts. His white kneesocks look vaguely similar to the tube socks of the 1970s. Notice the shoes.

Plot

This was a pre-Code commedy. Thus marriage and divorse are opemlt dealt with. There are three couples and a mixture of children and step children. An American couple who had previously divorced take off on a European tour. They drag the kids along, but there interest is having fun at the fashionable resorts. . They have seven children. Their oldest daughter, Judirh, is left to take care of her brothers and sisters. Their wealthy parents pursue life in high society with little thought of their kids. The older sister is rescued by an American who has come to Italy for vacation. He befriends her and her brothers and sisters also like him. Of course they soon fall in love. The plot thickens because of his fiancee, Rose Sellers, who is impatiently waiting in Switzerland. He must break off with the American girl. He soon realizes that he has made a mistake, breaks off the engagement, and comes back to her.

Costuming

The still shown here show how realtively affluent children were dressed in the 1920s. Note that it is a winter scene, yet the boys wear short panrs suits. Boys from less-affluent families would have more likely worn knickers. One boys wears a double breasted overcoat with his short pants suit and hold a beret. Philip has a winter scarfe and a peaked cap. Both boys wear kneesocks. The ones Philip wears are patterened. Philippe and presumably the other children appear in various other natty outfits. The film is set in Europe, but I do not think a point is made of dressing the children in French fasjions once they get over there.

Created: August 5, 2001
Last updated: April 16, 2004