“The jazz mad girl, the jazz mad whirl. A romance of flaming youth, the children of the rich, and the jazz-mad age.” 

 The film that reputedly catapulted Joan Crawford to stardom fizzes with all the sumptuous elegance and gin-fuelled glamour any wannabe-flapper could hope for. Crawford plays Diana – a fun-loving gal who is the life and soul of every party in town. When handsome, rich Ben joins the social scene, Diana finds herself falling hard, but her scheming and avaricious friend Ann sets her sights on the same man. Nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Writing and Best Cinematography, and with sets by Cedric Gibbons, this is the closest you can get to reliving the Roaring 20s without an actual time machine.

Dir. Harry Beaumont | US | 1928 | N/C 12A | 1h 23m

With: Joan Crawford, Johnny Mack Brown, Anita Page 

Performing live Maud Nelissen (piano)

Screening courtesy of Park Circus

Online programme notes by Jenny Hammerton