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They Learned About Women

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They Learned About Women
BERJAYA
Directed by
Written by
Starring
CinematographyLeonard Smith
Edited by
Music by
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • January 31, 1930 (1930-01-31) (U.S.)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

They Learned About Women is a 1930 American Pre-Code sports drama musical film directed by Jack Conway and Sam Wood, and starring Van and Schenck in their final film appearance together.

Although predominantly a black and white film, the "Harlem Madness" number was filmed in Technicolor under the direction of Sammy Lee.[1] The film is a "talkie", but MGM also issued it in a silent version, with Alfred Block writing the titles. The film was remade in 1949 as Take Me Out to the Ball Game. During production, it was known by at least two other titles, "Take It Big," and "Playing the Field."

The film entered the American public domain on January 1, 2026 when its copyright expired.

Plot

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The film.

Major league baseball player Jack Glennon watches out for alcoholic teammate Jerry Burke. Both men are interested in Mary, but Jack marries the gold-digging Daisy, who lures him away from baseball to the vaudeville stage.

Later, Jerry and Mary become romantically involved, and Jack rejoins the baseball team after divorcing Daisy. Jerry notices that Jack is not playing well and is unhappy, and realizes that he must still be in love with Mary. He steps away from Mary, allowing her to be with Jack. Jack plays baseball well once again, and the team wins the World Series.[2][3][4]

Cast

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Reception

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The film received lukewarm reviews.[3][4]

Censorship

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Before They Learned About Women could be exhibited in Kansas, the Kansas Board of Review required the elimination of a scene where the leader of a group of black chorus girls was doing "excessive wiggling."[6]

Soundtrack

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Music for the film was composed by Milton Ager with lyrics by Jack Yellen, unless otherwise noted.

  • "Ain't You, Baby?", performed by Gus Van
  • "Does My Baby Love?", performed by Gus Van and Joe Schenck
  • "Harlem Madness", performed by Gus Van and Joe Schenck; reprised by Nina Mae McKinney and chorus in Technicolor
  • "He's That Kind of a Pal", performed twice by Gus Van and Joe Schenck
  • "A Man of My Own", performed by Bessie Love
  • "Ten Sweet Mamas", performed by Gus Van, Joe Schenck, and ball players
  • "There Will Never Be Another Mary", performed by Joe Schenck
  • "Dougherty Is the Name", lyrics by Yellen and Gus Van; performed by Gus Van and Joe Schenck
  • "I'm an Old-Fashioned Guy", lyrics by Yellen and Gus Van; performed by Gus Van and Joe Schenck
  • "When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose" (1924, music by Percy Wenrich, lyrics by Jack Mahoney), sung by the players in the hotel lobby
  • "When You Were Sweet Sixteen" (1898, by James Thornton), sung partially by Tom Dugan and Benny Rubin

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "All-Colored Revue Hit Featured in Centre Film". Ottawa Citizen. July 18, 1930. p. 21.
  2. ↑ Munden, Kenneth W., ed. (1971). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films 1921–1930. New York: R. R. Bowker Company. p. 798. ISBN 978-0-520-21521-4. OCLC 664500075.
  3. 1 2 Bradley, Edwin M. (August 11, 2004). "There's a Tear for Every Smile in Hollywood". The First Hollywood Musicals: A Critical Filmography of 171 Features, 1927 through 1932. McFarland. pp. 216–8. ISBN 978-0-7864-2029-2.
  4. 1 2 Motion Picture Reviews. Los Angeles, CA: Women's University Club. 1930. p. 6.
  5. ↑ Doherty, Thomas Patrick (1999). Pre-code Hollywood: sex, immorality, and insurrection in American cinema, 1930-1934. Film and culture. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-231-11094-5.
  6. ↑ "Kansas Board of Review Movie Index". Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
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