An American Tragedy (1931)

[Jezebel38]

I got to see this film on the big screen this past weekend at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley as part of a Josef von Sternberg series currently running. I’d seen it some 30 years ago on TV but at that time, was unfamiliar with the players and pre-code cinema in general, but recall being impressed with the film. So, now that I know who Phillips Holmes, Sylvia Sydney and Frances Dee are, I was looking forward to seeing this again. I still think this is a strong film, and really like this version of the story (I’ve never read the book) with the early scenes of the drunken car crash and subsequent scene at the religious mission which really help establish Clyde Griffith’s personality. And I really liked the touches of JVS and cinematographer Lee Garmes in several scenes, especially when Roberta takes Clyde to her place and how the interior of her room is illuminated through the windows. This has got to be the earliest film I’ve seen Frances Dee in and she is just lovely as the rich girl Sondra. Only let down for me at least, is the overlong courtroom scene and the overacting of Irving Pichel as the D.A.

[feaito]

I hope that this film will be included in a future Volume of Universal's Pre-Code Collection. In fact, I'd like the following films from the Universal- Paramount Library to be part of its next volume:

- Laughter (1930)
- An American Tragedy (1931)
- City Streets (1931)
- Night World (1932)
- The Kiss Before the Mirror (1933)
- The Story of Temple Drake (1933)
- Tonight is Ours (1933)
- Only Yesterday (1933)

[charliechaplinfan]

Am I mistaken or is this story taken from a Theodore Dreiser novel?

[feaito]

You are not mistaken Alison.