In Gay Madrid is a 1930 American pre-Code musical comedy film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Ramón Novarro, Dorothy Jordan, and Lottice Howell. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on May 17, 1930.

In Gay Madrid
Directed byRobert Z. Leonard
Written byBess Meredyth
Salisbury Field
Edwin Justus Mayer
Based on
Produced byRobert Z. Leonard
StarringRamón Novarro
Dorothy Jordan
Lottice Howell
Claude King
Eugenie Besserer
William V. Mong
Beryl Mercer
CinematographyOliver T. Marsh
Edited byWilliam S. Gray
Music byXavier Cugat
Fred Ahlert
Herbert Stothart
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • May 17, 1930 (1930-05-17)
Running time
82 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

edit

A carefree Madrid law student named Ricardo is sent to a rural school in Santiago in hopes of curbing his playboy lifestyle. There, he continues flirting, serenading, and ultimately courting his guardian’s daughter, Carmina—until his former lover Goyita arrives and complicates everything.

Cast

edit

Songs

edit

The film features two songs by Fred E Ahlert and Roy Turk ('Smile While We May' and 'Into My Heart'), and two by Clifford Grey, Herbert Stothart and Xavier Cugat ('Santiago' and 'Dark Night'). All are sung by Ramon Novarro. A fifth song is performed at the start of the film by Lottice Howell. Its title is not certain, but is probably 'Let Me Give You Love,' by Ahlert and Turk.[1]

Production

edit

Under the working title The House of Troy, filming of In Gay Madrid began on November 14, 1929 and concluded on December 21.[2] Some retakes were directed by Robert Ober in January 1930.

Release

edit

In Gay Madrid was released on May 17, 1930, and was moderately successful at the box office.[3] though it was critically panned.[4] The film's financial under-performance could, in part, be attributed to American audiences growing tired of musicals.[5] It was paired with the comedy short, The Home Edition, starring Jay C. Flippen, in some U.S. theaters.[6] It was released in Ottawa on June 23, 1930, along with the short Memories, a Musical Fantasy.[7] In Gay Madrid has had a DVD release from Warner Archive in November 2015.

References

edit
  1. "In Gay Madrid". The Musicals of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  2. In Gay Madrid, imdb.com; accessed August 8, 2015.
  3. IMDB entry
  4. Soares, André. Beyond Paradise: The Life of Ramón Novarro (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2002) p. 156 ISBN 0-312-28231-1
  5. Soares, André. Beyond Paradise: The Life of Ramón Novarro (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2002) p. 157 ISBN 0-312-28231-1
  6. Lodi Sentinel. August 5, 1930. p 2; February 26, 2014
  7. Ottawa Citizen. June 23, 1930. pg. 14; February 26, 2014.
edit