WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[charliechaplinfan]

I have the wonderful 2-DVD set of The Life Story of David Lloyd George from the Welsh film archive, and in the Kevin Brownlow interview on the disc he talks about how attempts to show the film on British television were rebuffed because the film wasn't commercial enough. I mean here you have a film which had been unreleased for almost 80 years, and which Kevin Brownlow insists would have revolutionized British cinema, and the response was "no, thanks". Ugh, what a shame.

Sometimes I'm ashamed of our media

[phil noir]

Last night I watched The Single Standard (1929), Garbo's penultimate silent. At first, I didn't think I was going to like it: the story seemed very novelettish, some of the character names were absurd (Ding? Packy?), and the the treatment of the great love between Garbo and Nils Asther struck me as a bit perfunctory.

The plot involves Garbo chafing at the restrictions of the sexual double standard; so when she meets and falls in love with free-spirited artist-sailor-prizefighter Nils Asther (OK, OK, he may be sensitive, but he's macho too, we get it), she takes off with him on a voyage to the South Seas, seizing the opportunity for an experiment in sexual freedom as the men of her acquaintance might. After a few months, Nils wants to get back to work and knocks the relationship on the head; Garbo returns to her old life and finds herself the subject of a public scandal. However, her old admirer, John Mack Brown is on hand, and listlessly she agrees to marry him. They have a child, and three years later, Nils returns, unable to get Garbo out of his head.

Despite the rather familiar narrative developments, I thought the film was wonderful from this point on. Garbo is tremendous throughout the film: I sometimes think with her that she was such a great actress, yet all MGM could find to do with her was to stick her in films about love. But - she is so great, with her haunted, slightly haggard beauty and amazingly expressive face that the hackneyed nature of the plot, wherein Garbo must decide between her husband and son, and her returning lover, barely matters. John Mack Brown was unexpectedly touching as a devoted and thoroughly decent man - one of the best portrayals of this familiar type I've seen, I think - and I found, waiting for Garbo to make her decision, that I was both on the edge of my seat and surprisingly moved. So, in the end, I really enjoyed this film.

(Plus, anyone who watches it, look out for a twentysomething Joel McCrea as one of the philandering husbands of Garbo's social set - he's so young and handsome, he practically glows.)

[charliechaplinfan]

I'll have to watch this again to see Joel McCrea.

I like The Single Standard, I think when Garbo is aboard the boat dressed in slacks she looks stunning. I thought the plot would be a little hackneyed and tired albeit with brilliant sets it does come alive for me when she meets Nils Asther. They have great cheimstry, I've no idea if this came from then being both Swedes, I do know Nils Asther proposed to her at one point but got turned down. He also said as a performer she didn't give very much.

I prefer Garbo's silents, her face is so expressive and says so much.

[Gagman 66]

Phil,

THE SINGLE STANDARD is my favorite Garbo Silent. The film deserves additional restoration, but it is my favorite. The Vintage Axt-Mendoza score is excellent too. I am not really a huge Garbo fan, but there is no doubt she is at her most beautiful in this picture. Have you seen A WOMAN OF AFFAIRS (1928) with John Gilbert yet? Probably my second favorite of her films, and it has such a great supporting cast too.

[phil noir]

I prefer Garbo's silents, her face is so expressive and says so much.

I know what you mean. A year or so ago, I rented Queen Christina from the library and, considering its reputation, was a bit disappointed, and I think the reason why I was was because of the pretty awful mock-historical dialogue - a critic at the time (it might have been Graham Greene) said something like, "If they can't give her poetry to speak, they should at least give her prose."

Phil,

THE SINGLE STANDARD is my favorite Garbo Silent. The film deserves additional restoration, but it is my favorite. The Vintage Axt-Mendoza score is excellent too. I am not really a huge Garbo fan, but there is no doubt she is at her most beautiful in this picture. Have you seen A WOMAN OF AFFAIRS (1928) with John Gilbert yet? Probably my second favorite of her films, and it has such a great supporting cast too.

The only other Garbo silents I've seen are The Saga of Gosta Berling, Flesh and the Devil, and - on youtube - A Woman of Affairs. I agree, it does have a great supporting cast - and I think the censorship detours they had to make when adapting Michael Arlen's then scandalous original novel are fascinating.

[charliechaplinfan]

I always think A Woman of Affairs says an awful lot about John Gilbert. He was a huge star and Neville is not the most flattering of characters. Yet, he did it, whether it was just to be with Garbo or to give her a further boost because it is her film. He made the film without complaint. I think he was a very generous performer and is a silent star that I'm very fond of.

[MichiganJ]

There are a lot of good things about The Single Standard (Garbo, for instance), but overall, I think the promising plot eventually deteriorates into what had become the Garbo staple: a choice between her husband and lover. But, in this case, "Packy" is a rich, handsome dolt (who is both an accomplished artist and boxer! And you're right, Phil, these names are something. But then again, Griffith called his characters things like "the Dear One", so Packy isn't so bad, I suppose.) Packy and Arden sail away together and are perfect in their love, so, of course Packy calls it quits. It seems so arbitrary. Director Robertson would have done better if he provided even the slightest motivation for Packy's change of heart. Boredom, perhaps? (As if anyone could get bored with Garbo, especially as she looked on the yacht!) It doesn't help matters that Asther and Garbo have a good chemistry together. Their playful antics, and Garbo's slight romantic caresses and nestling (especially after their swim), make Packy's breakup all the more confounding.

I think the deck is stacked, too, later, when Garbo is again "forced to choose". As a husband, who not only truly loves Arden, but "saved" Arden by making an honest woman of her, John Mack Brown is almost too good to be true. (Brown's performance is so honest, though, that you believe he is that good.) But it's Garbo's acting that allows the "choice" to be so dramatic.

For me, Garbo's acting is what makes this such a good film. I love the "comedic" scene in the rain, where Arden is being bothered by the man who insists on holding her umbrella over both of their heads, and she simply lets him have the umbrella and walks off in the rain. Better though, as she showed in Love, Garbo has a natural instinct when acting with children. There's no question that her smiles and laughs are sincere, and one wonders what Garbo might have been like as a mother (okay, maybe an aunt).

I have a full essay on the film here, but this pretty much sums it up.

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched The White Sister, I've seen it before but without the score. I liked the score to this movie, it was nostaligic and I thought it suited the film. The film mixes in shots of Naples which I think adds such a lot to the beauty of the film. The shots of the lava remind me of chocolate sauce bubbling on a stove, perhaps I just have chocolate on the brain an awful lot of the time. Ronald Colman is very good, considering it is his first film, he doesn't overact for the camera, he's measured in his portrayal. In contrast, sometimes I find Lillian Gish just a little overdone, I think this is one of the films that it comes through for me, don't get me wrong, she's still a great actress, it's just my personal taste. All in all The White Sister is a great silent and I'm glad TCM gave it air time.

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched The Purchase Price last night, I found it quite surprising, it wasn't the story I thought it would be. I thought it would be all glamour, I thought Barbara Stanwyck looked better in farm clothes. George Brent is cast against type as Jim GIlson a cash strapped farmer who corresponds with a girl and asks her to come out to marry him in North Dakota. The girl he had been corresponding with wasn't Barbara's character Joan but the chambermaid from the hotel where she was staying. I found it very strange that someone would go off and marry a complete stranger whatever their reasons. William Wellman does make a good film out of it and brings out engaging performances from George Brent and Barbara Stanwyck.

[feaito]

I watched The Purchase Price last night, I found it quite surprising, it wasn't the story I thought it would be. I thought it would be all glamour, I thought Barbara Stanwyck looked better in farm clothes. George Brent is cast against type as Jim GIlson a cash strapped farmer who corresponds with a girl and asks her to come out to marry him in North Dakota. The girl he had been corresponding with wasn't Barbara's character Joan but the chambermaid from the hotel where she was staying. I found it very strange that someone would go off and marry a complete stranger whatever their reasons. William Wellman does make a good film out of it and brings out engaging performances from George Brent and Barbara Stanwyck.

I agree with you completely Alison. This film also surprised me because I was expecting something different. I liked to see Brent cast against type. I liked his portrayal here more than his role in Baby Face, although Baby Face is the better Pre-Coder.

[feaito]

Last week I finally saw "The Iron Mask" (1929) and I enjoyed it very much indeed. Fairbank's is great fun to watch as usual and the story is very entertaining. The Kevin Brownlow Kino version is superb, complete with spoken interludes by Fairbanks and an exquisite score by Carl Davis. It was also interesting to see a change in the story, in the sense that the second born twin is the evil character here and not Louis. Marguerite de la Motte and Dorothy Revier are a treat to the eye. Wonderful adventure swasbuckler movie and beautiful print. It's one of those Silents that could succeed in turning someone who isn't fond of silents into a fan of them. Top entertainment value.

I also saw "Hallelujah I'm a Bum" (1933) and I think it's a magnificent socially conscious film that should be revisited many times. Lewis Milestone made an excellent job and the blending of the songs with the plot is perfectly done. One of the great musicals of all time, in the category of "Love Me Tonight" (1932) which was also scored by Rodgers and Hart . Inventive, thought-provoking, daring; cinematically a first class film. Arguably Jolson's finest moment on screen, with lovely Madge Evans shining like an angel out of the blue. Frank Morgan is great as the major and Harry Langdon is perfect as the anti-capitalist worker. Clever dialogue. A melancholicly romantic film, full of saudade. Once again, thanks to William K. Everson's wonderful book "Love on Film" which piqued my interest to get and see this film.

On Friday I watched "The Single Standard" (1929) -thanks Alison- which I found quite conventional and hackneyed in terms of plot and story, but this film demonstrates how Garbo could rise above the poor material she was sometimes given. She glows. And her pairing with Nils Asther is perfect. She's a big woman, but Nils is so tall and big that she seems petite beside him. You believe them as a couple. He looks as if he can protect, cuddle her, dominate her completely. She believably falls deeply for him. Her love scenes are the best of the film. Also, Garbo's scenes with the boy who plays her son are utterly believable. You wouldn't tell she didn't like children. That demonstrates her huge talent at conveying sentiments. I did not like the way in which Garbo was photographed in some medium shots. I did not like some of her wardrobe either. She was made for close-ups and she looks at her best in period settings and costumes.

[charliechaplinfan]

I completely agree with your sentiments regarding The Iron Mask and The Single Standard. In other hands The Single Standard might have been dull but the two leads give great performances. Hallelujah I'm A Bum sounds fascinating.

[myrnaloyisdope]

Sparrows (1926) - Continuing my Mary Pickford expedition, this one was quite good, though it looses a lot of steam in the conclusion. I'd read reviews comparing it to The Shining for its assault on children, and while it almost reaches those heights of terror, the convoluted kidnapping plot and the conclusion undermine the bleakness of everything that precedes. A Pickford movie obviously had to end happily, but the ending in this seemed so forced.

The Saphead (1920) - Keaton's first feature...a disappointment although not unexpected. I've seen a good chunk of Keaton's silent work now and what I enjoy in his work is his stunts and what I tend to dislike is his gags. So when he does a film that's all gags, it feels somewhat second rate. I don't mean to be dismissive of his talents, but I don't find his gags to be very good...and that sense is enhanced when they don't lead to anything bigger. His great strengths are his stoneface and his physicality, both of which are easily magnified when he uses crazy setpieces and elaborate stunts, but which are fairly underwhelming when he's doing basic Sennett gags.

The Strong Man (1926) - I've seen Tramp, Tramp, Tramp which I enjoyed quite a bit so I was very interested in seeing this film...his supposed best. Well, it has its moments, but I enjoyed Tramp significantly more. There's too much attempt at pathos in The Strong Man...and it gets in the way of the film's humor. I also found the shifting set pieces to be distracting...from WWI...to NYC...to small-town America all in about 70 minutes. I think the strongest section is when Langdon is in the big city searching for (and eventually finding) "Mary". I love the bit where he edges slowly up the stairs backwords. Ooh and the bit where he knocks down a row of pews and half-heartedly chases them. I love his obliviousness and his hesitancy. I just wish this film was more gag-focused.

Farewell to Arms (1932) - I've recently developed an appreciation for Coop which combined with my interest in Borzage, and the centrality of this film in the Pre-Code narrative, it was a must-see. I though it was quite good. Coop gives a really natural performance...and of course looks majestic. I'm not sure I've seen Helen Hayes in anything, but she was quite good too...really knowing and natural...particularly in the birth-scenes which could have gone terribly wrong. I know the film was badly cut by Breen...and as far as I know there is now restored version floating around...so can anyone fill me in on what is missing? What is it with Breen and Borzage...his butchery of A Man's Castle is nearly a crime against humanity.

Hot Saturday (1932) - I'm kind of doing a dry run of the Universal pre-code set through P2P, to determine if I want the set or not. This was first up, and was pretty average as a film, but was helped immensely by the ending. I was watching the film with general disgust for how badly Nancy Carroll's character was treated...first she loses her job, then she becomes the town outcast, then her fiancee (Randolph Scott) absolutely rips her apart all for a night she spent at Cary Grant's house. But what made it all worth while is that she doesn't meekly return (as I thought she would) to Scott and admit her faults, but she essentially gives an F.U. to every one and ends up with Cary. Good stuff.

Merrily We Go To Hell (1932) - Well I adore Fredric March and Sylvia Sidney...and I was excited to see March's drunk schtick again. The film isn't particularly strong and it loses all its steam during an elongated separation period in the second half of the film, but its still worthwhile due to the strength of March and Sidney. Cary Grant is quite good in a very limited role...it may be his first film where he's Cary Grant. Kind of a shame he's not around more in the film. Really it shines when March and Sidney are together, notably the meet cute and the first date, and drags considerably when they are apart. March and Claudette Colbert tackle similar ground in the superior Manslaughter.

Search for Beauty (1934) - I'd read scathing reviews of this one...but was pleasantly surprised. It was a lot of fun...the hard-boiled con-men and Gertrude Michael were really entertaining with a ton of one-liners and witty repartee. Ida Lupino and Buster Crabbe have the thankless roles of being the boring good guys, and sadly don't get much to do. I think this is actually my first Lupino film. The plot is pretty flimsy...and there's a terribly uninspired faux-Busby Berkeley number...but the joy of seeing Toby Wing dance on a table in her skivvies more than makes up for it. Gertrude Michael really does her best to steal the picture and she pretty much does. Kind of a shame she never got a chance to star as she certainly ain't a bad-looking gal.

[charliechaplinfan]

I was very much surprised by the ending of Hot Saturday, it was a much better film for it.

[MichiganJ]

While technically Keaton's first feature, he's merely an actor in The Saphead, which was based on a play (The Lamb), which had starred Douglas Fairbanks. The plot is exactly the lion-to-lamb scenario in many of Fairbanks' earlier films, and I actually think of it as a melodrama disguised as a comedy. Ponderous, slow and very much a filmed stage-play, The Saphead only comes to life when Keaton is on screen. Many of the pratfalls during the climax are Keaton, but I don't see too many Keaton "gags" overall. I generally think of The Three Ages as Keaton's "first" feature (and even that is really three shorts with a unifying theme. But it is all Keaton).

After viewing Sparrows I did a bit of research and found that "Baby Farms" did exist in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Makes the film all the more chilling, although I don't see any comparison to The Shining.