Reaching for the Moon (1930)

Directed by Edmund Goulding and starring Douglas Fairbanks and Bebe Daniels, Reaching for the Moon is a fascinating artifact from the early sound era—an ambitious romantic comedy that collided with shifting audience tastes and behind-the-scenes drama. Originally conceived as a full-blown musical, the film was drastically reworked mid-production, leaving behind a trail of unused songs and creative tension.

Plot Summary
Fairbanks plays Larry Day, a wealthy Wall Street tycoon who’s brilliant with numbers but hopeless in matters of the heart. When he falls for the charming Vivian Benton (Daniels), he follows her aboard an ocean liner bound for Europe. A cocktail laced with a “love potion” sets the stage for romantic misadventures, but the looming stock market crash threatens both his fortune and his future with Vivian

Cast Highlights

• Douglas Fairbanks as Larry Day
• Bebe Daniels as Vivian Benton
• Edward Everett Horton as the valet
• June MacCloy, Walter Walker, and Jack Mulhall in supporting roles
• Features a brief musical moment with Bing Crosby, marking his first solo film appearance

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

• The film was originally packed with songs by Irving Berlin, but most were cut when musicals fell out of favor in 1930
• Berlin reportedly walked off the production, frustrated with Goulding’s direction and the film’s concept
• Only one Berlin song survived: “When the Folks High Up Do the Mean Low Down”, performed in part by Bing Crosby, Daniels, and MacCloy in a fragmented musical sequence
• The film cost nearly $1 million to produce, a massive budget for the time, and failed to recoup its investment
• It aired on early television as far back as 1940, making it one of the first films to reach American audiences via broadcast