Crying for the Carolines

Crying for the Carolines is a 1930 short film made by Leon Schlesinger. The theme for this short film is played on the Wurlitzer organ formerly installed at Warner Brothers studios by Milton Charles, a theatre organist during the silent era of film. He is dubbed the 'Singing Organist' in the film.

The film, which was recorded on Western Electric apparatus, was the only one made in a planned series called Spooney Melodies (rechristened "Song'nata" for another four shorts). The film is a music video to advertise the song sung by Charles. The organ music was written by Frank Marsales, who would go on to write the musical arrangements for the Merrie Melodies series, including the cartoon Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!

Plot
The film opens, with art deco style animation, set to organ music. It cuts to Charles playing the organ and singing Cryin' for the Carolines, a song written by Harry Warren, Sam Lewis, and Joe Young the same year. The animation which is shown throughout the film includes, a forest, a city and a sun shining over a country plain. Milton Charles is portrayed in voice and live action footage throughout the short, as he sings the song.

Background
The song, Cryin' for the Carolines, was originally featured in the 1930 Warner Bros. film Spring is Here. The song was issued on the sound system Vitaphone, accomplished with a record player which played a disk in time with the projector. This would be higher quality than sound-on-film. In the film, the song was sung by The Brox Sisters.

Availability
The planned series was short-lived, with Warner Brothers instead going for the Merrie Melodies series, beginning with 1931's Lady, Play Your Mandolin! This short is available on the Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 6's 3rd disc.

Reception
Crying for the Carolines was reviewed by the magazine Photoplay in its 1930 December issue. The magazine spoke positively about the film, citing that the film is a "distinct relief from the monotony of many sound shorts". The magazine also said that the short is notable for the "beauty of the results obtained", from the painting and the drawings featured in the film, "as well as the novelty of the film."