Mary Louise Brooks started her career at 15 as a dancer with various touring dancing troupes. Her appearance on ‘Ziegfeld Follies’ led to a contract with Paramount Pictures. Her first screen appearance was in a minor role in the silent crime melodrama ‘The Street of Forgotten Men’ (1925), followed by many silent films of 1926 (‘The American Venus,’ ‘A Social Celebrity,’ ‘It’s the Old Army Game,’ ‘The Show-Off,’ ‘Just Another Blonde,’ and ‘Love ‘Em and Leave ‘Em’).
In 1927, Brooks appeared in silent comedies ‘Evening Clothes,’ ‘Rolled Stockings,’ ‘The City Gone Wild,’ and a dual role in ‘Now We’re in the Air.’ She played a girl who dresses as a young man to escape the law in an early sound film ‘Beggars of Life’ (1928), followed by the silent comedy ‘A Girl in Every Port’ (1928) and the pre-code crime mystery film ‘The Canary Murder Case’ (1929).
Thereafter, Brooks moved to Europe and starred in German director Pabst’s silent drama films ‘Pandora’s Box’ as ‘Lulu,’ and ‘Diary of a Lost Girl’ (both 1929). Both these films proved successful and brought her international stardom. She also starred in the European film ‘Prix de Beaute’ (1930).
After her return to Hollywood, she appeared in ‘It Pays to Advertise’ (1931), the romantic musical comedy ‘God’s Gift to Women’ (1931), and also played the lead in ‘Windy Riley Goes Hollywood’ (1931). She next appeared in the Western ‘Empty Saddles’ (1936), and bit or uncredited roles in ‘When You’re in Love’ and ‘King of Gamblers,’ and ‘Overland Stage Raiders,’ which was her last film.
In 1955, Brooks’ films were rediscovered which established her as ‘Silent Era Icon.’ Later, she became a recognized film-writer.
It’s the Old Army’s Game is a silent comedy film which tells the story of a druggist who is trying to sleep, but is woken up by anxious customers, followed by garbage collectors. Next, he is woken up by firemen on a false alarm, followed by a real fire.
Spike and Salami are two rival sailors who travel the world in search of women and adventure. Their lives take a turn when Spike tells Salami that he is planning to get married to his new girlfriend. He introduces her to Salami as well, but Salami recognizes her, as she is a former girlfriend of his. She hints that she wants to renew her relationship with Salami, but he turns her down, since he is not interested. However, he doesn’t tell Spike the truth either, thinking it would hurt his feelings.
An Australian opera star needs extra publicity, and in order to enter the U.S in time for an important music festival, she arranges a marriage of convenience with rogue Jimmy. She thinks that marrying the man will be the answer to her problems but there is more for them in store when the two of them fall in love.
The Canary Murder Case is a crime drama mystery film which revolves around a beautiful showgirl, who ends up dead. Since she had several enemies before her death, detective Philo Vance struggles to find out who killed her.
Three Mesquiteer - Lullaby Joslin, Tuscon Smith and Stony Brooke convince the Oro Grande Mining Company to ship the gold on a plane instead of shipping it on buses in order to protect the gold from being stolen. However, the thieves refuse to be outsmarted and gear up for a battle with the Three Mesquiteers- in air.
A young man wants to prove in his thesis that any product, even a non-existent one, can be merchandized if it is advertized properly. Therefore, he unites with his father’s secretary and markets a non-existent laundry soap. Things get hilarious when his non-existent “product” becomes popular, and he now has to deliver.
God’s Gift to Women is a romantic comedy film which revolves around Toto, a French womanizer, a descendant of Don Juan, who indulges in relationships with various women. Eventually, things take a turn for him, after he falls for an American woman, but in order to marry her, he has to prove himself to her disapproving father.
