Her Wild Oat

media release: Valentine’s Day is a few weeks away, and if you’re still searching for a fun date idea, Overture Center has you covered! We are reclaiming the silent film heritage of the Capitol Theater with our silent film series, Duck Soup Cinema, featuring “Her Wild Oat,” a romantic comedy, on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets ($9 for adults, $3 for ages 12 and under) are available at overture.org.

Nationally known for providing an authentic silent film experience, the Duck Soup Cinema film screenings include local vaudeville entertainment with an emcee, door prizes and a classic feature film. A skilled organist plays live organ accompaniment on Overture’s original Grand Barton Organ, mirroring the actors’ emotions, just as it was done in 1928.

“Her Wild Oat” (Marshall Neilan, USA, 1927) was the first feature film to screen at the Capitol Theater when it opened in 1928. It features comedienne and a dramatic actress Colleen Moore, one of the most popular female stars of the 1920s. Moore broke away from a sweet and innocent image when director Marshall Neilan cast her as the female lead in “Dinty” (1920). After achieving stardom, Moore reunited with Neilan for the romantic comedy “Her Wild Oat” (1927).

In “Her Wild Oat,” small-business owner Mary Brown (Moore) is spurned by guests during her vacation at an exclusive resort. She disguises herself as the Duchesse de Granville, and her treatment improves. Then her ruse is complicated by the arrival of Philip Latour (Larry Kent), son of the Duke of Granville. Comedy and romance ensue.

35mm film print provided by Academy Film Archive.

Organist: Jelani Eddington

Vaudeville: Blue Skies Saxophone Ensemble

Preshow lobby entertainment: Doc the Rube and Wayne the Wizard

Emcee: Joe Thompson

To learn more about Duck Soup Cinema, check out this article on the Overture Blog: 6 reasons why you shouldn’t miss Duck Soup Cinema on Feb. 10.