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Sal of Singapore
(1928) United States of America
B&W : [?] Seven? reels / [?] 6389 or 6804? feet
Directed by Howard Higgin
Cast: Phyllis Haver [Sal], Alan Hale [Captain Erickson], Fred Kohler [Captain Sunday], Noble Johnson [Erickson’s first mate], Dan Wolheim [Erickson’s second mate], Jules Cowles [the cook], Pat Harmon [Sunday’s first mate], Harold William Hill [a baby]
Pathé Exchange, Incorporated, production; distributed by Pathé Exchange, Incorporated [Pathé Picture]. / Scenario by Elliott J. Clawson, with dialogue by Howard Higgin and Pierre Gendron, from the novel The Sentimentalists by Dale Collins. Production management by Richard Blaydon. Art direction by Edward C. Jewell. Cinematography by John J. Mescall. Film editor, Claude Berkeley. Intertitles written by Edwin Justus Mayer. Presented by Pathé Exchange, Incorporated. / © 26 November 1928 by Pathé Exchange, Incorporated [LP25867]. Released 4 November 1928. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Working title: Singapore Sal. The film was rereleased in the USA (at 6389 feet), with added talking sequences, synchronized music and sound effects utilizing the RCA Photophone sound-on-film synchronized sound system, by Pathé Exchange, Incorporated, on 4 January 1929, with a music score by Josiah Zuro + [Francis Gromon]; and songs, “Singapore Sal” by Al Koppell, Billy Stone and Charles Weinberg [music and lyrics]; and “Lullaby” by Jack Grun [music] and Charley Wynn [lyrics]. The novel was subsequently filmed as His Woman (1931). / Silent film.
Drama.
Survival status: Prints exist in the UCLA Film and Television Archive film archive [35mm nitrate positive]; in the Centre National du Cinéma et de l’image animée [CNC] film archive; and in the Gosfilmofond film archive.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 31 January 2025.
References: Website-AFI; Website-ASFFDb; Website-IMDb.
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[The Film Daily, 4 January 1929, pages 1, 9] Firm Gets Temporary Writ Preventing N.Y. Censors Stopping Sound Film. / Showdown on the question of whether New York censors have the power to censor sound and dialogue used in or with films has been called for by Pathe, which has secured a temporary restraining order returnable in Supreme Court Monday, enjoining the censors from interfering with showings of “Sal of Singapore,” which is to be released today. / The picture, in silent version, was passed some time ago by the censors, and later synchronized with talking sequences. When application for duplicate license was made, the duplicate license was issued, but with the following limitation, stamped upon it: / “This license is invalid when the film or any part thereof is used on conjunction with mechanical devices for the reproduction of sound or by the use of persons for the utterance of language.” / Censors have no right to issue a limited license, Pathe contends, pointing out that the law makes manditory the issuing of a license, except for those pictures which are obscene, indecent, immoral, inhuman, sacriligious or of a character tending to corrupt morals or incite to crime. / In the case of sound pictures, there is no law authorizing the censors to pass upon sound, music or language recorded for reproduction in synchronism with films, Pathe claims and brands the attempted limitation “arbitrary and capricious” and an assumption of power. / Upholding of the censors’ stand, Pathe contends, would prohibit lectures in the state illustrated with films, as well as an abridgement of freedom of speech. Condert Bros., are Pathe’s attorneys in the action.
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