WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Claire Dunne One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Michael Morrison For some reason, most of the Morrisons had to change their names -- or thought they had to change their names -- to become famous.Kathleen Morrison got into pictures somewhat accidentally, as someone was doing a favor for one of her important relatives. And it was figured that, in six months or so, she'd be tired of movies and go back home.Ha.In fact, as Colleen Moore, she became one of the most popular stars of filmdom, and when you see her in "Why Be Good?" you will immediately understand why.Naturally I might seem prejudiced toward my cousin, but even before I learned she had been born a Morrison, I loved and admired her. In the late lamented Silent Movie Theatre, the great John Hampton presented her "Orchids and Ermine" about every year.She just stole my heart, even with a very, VERY young Mickey Rooney trying to steal the movie. (In a wonderfully whimsical touch, the then-7-year-old was still "Mickey McGuire" and his character was a Texas midget. And even at 7, he was fully capable of stealing a scene or a whole movie.)In "Why Be Good?" she plays a character with the appropriate name of "Pert Kelly" (making me think of the long-time actress Pert Kelton). Pert and perky she was, just totally adorable.And beautiful.Colleen Moore could express any emotion, and was an actress dedicated to being a good actress, not just a star.Her autobiography, "Silent Star," is a very good read, and her fame continues, with a website dedicated to her: https://sites.google.com/site/colleenmooresite/"Why Be Good?" was presented by Turner Classic Movies on 5 December 2016 as part of a tribute to Vitaphone on its 90th birthday. "Good" was originally produced with synchronized sound on a disc, and its restoration is a story in itself."Why Be Good?" is now available, according to the above website, as a DVD and I know I want a copy. It's a good movie, but it's a great performance by and a great chance to see Colleen Moore.There is a preview clip, and other videos, including supposed full movies of Colleen Moore at YouTube.

Art Vandelay With stellar jazz-age tunes this movie starts on fire and never fades.It's funny. It's sexy. It challenges the boundaries of the day. I kept thinking: I was born several decades too late. Makes me sad Colleen Moore didn't make many movies after this, before retiring in the mid-30s. Also fun to see ''Commissioner Gordon'' in the silent era. Supporting cast is well above average. And maybe most surprising of all it's all so natural. None of that ham- boned silent-era acting. It's almost as if the actors were delivering their lines in a talkie. Thank heavens for TCM, or we'd never see this great movie.I could watch this movie over and over again.

MissSimonetta No movie better illustrates the inherent contradiction of the Hollywood flapper than Why Be Good? (1929). Colleen Moore is a party girl who wears make-up, bobbed hair, and short skirts. She flirts with young men and has built quite the reputation for herself; however, she (and the film) makes it clear that she is a "good girl" despite everything. Sexual liberation hand in hand with conservative values so that the audience isn't too radicalized.This quality was my biggest issue with that second most famous of flapper pictures Our Dancing Daughters (1928) with Joan Crawford as the virginal flapper who is held up as an ideal modern girl in comparison with the Anita Page character, who sleeps around and is thus a horrible person who must be punished. Though that film claims to be modern, it upholds Victorian morality with relish. Yet in Why Be Good? the double standard is firmly attacked. While we are assured that Moore is a virgin with some conservative sexual values, the movie stands up against the double standard. When the male love interest is swayed by his sexist father into thinking Moore is trash because she flirts and parties, Moore shoots him down, claiming that if she stayed home and "darned socks" she would have hardly attracted his attention in the first place. In a society where a good girl is labeled a "prude" and a party girl a "tramp," a woman just can't win.Well not here. In the end, the flapper wins the boy and the day. The message is quite progressive for the time, far ahead of Our Dancing Daughters. It's also more fun, with Moore showing off her charm and comic talent to great effect. She also sports some great playful sex appeal here. The Vitaphone score paired with the film is excellent, giving you a great sense of the time period, all jazz and Charlestons.I've rambled on enough, so let me make it brief: watch this movie. Colleen Moore is funny and the message quite modern, one society still has not fully taken to heart, even in the 21st century.

cynthiahost You can say that this is a mix of It,Saturday Night kid and Love Trap and our Modern Maiden. Colleen Moore did a few of her vehicles ,back in the twentieth ,focusing on the flapper, such as Flaming Youth, which only a fragment survives.The music that was used in this silent film sounded exactly like the music of Hugo Riesenfeld , that was used in the King of Kings.I though First national had used him,but, the credit stated Max Terr and Irving Talbot.So they were copying some of his king of king score.They had also include pop tunes of that times in the score,some that I heard live 365 oldies station.What made me think of Saturday night kid was the fact that Jean Harlow played a part in it and she had an uncredited part in This feature.I did not notice her .I also did not notice Micha Auer in it neither.Like Clara Bow,Colleens character is a good girl who pretends to be sexually wild ,out of fear she won't be excepted .A working girl in a department store She goes out with her friends for dancing and drink booze moderately.She live with her parents,played by Edward Martindel and Bodil Rosing.Her father disproves of it , but her mother is understanding knowing she does not do wrong.I got the impression that it was made in 1927 and held back until 29,because it looked that way,but, in the inter title card the date mentions 1929.It's when Colleen is going out with her new beau played by Louise Natheaux, is when she meets Winthrop ,played by Neil Hamilton, practically almost the same similar role he played in the Love trap, that she falls in love with him.His father ,who runs the department store,in which Winthrop manages,does not think she good for him ,so he fired her.Collen thinks it might of been Winthrop,but Winthrop did not realize it.The father disapproving the engagement for the ex shop girl,suggest to test her of her virtue.The test all falls out,that she hold her virtue.Considered a lost classic for years and was restored last year with the aid of the Vitaphone project .Worth collecting 11/14/14