WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[charliechaplinfan]

I can't compare Sparrows to The Shining, the later film frightens me to death. You might like the book Behind the Mask of Innocence by Kevin Brownlow it explores the social conscience of the age of silents and how many of the causes of the day, like baby farms did exist.

I don't count The Saphead as Keaton's first feature, his hands were tied with this production, it would be interesting to see what Douglas Fairbanks would have made of it, we can see how he can play two differing characters in The Mark of Zorro. I think the biggest skill Keaton possessed was the technical gag, although one of my favorite Keaton moments is when he wakes up in the church surrounded by brides in Seven Chances.

[myrnaloyisdope]

I think The Shining comparisons come through the lineage of films like Night of the Hunter, where adults essentially terrorize children to the point of virtual despair. Sparrows is much tamer than either film...even though the systemic abuses strike me as far more appalling than a money-grubbing crook or a crazy parent. But like the other two films, the majority of it involves kids being tormented, abused and exploited by adults.

As for Keaton, I have yet to see Three Ages, I think I have a copy somewhere so I'm sure I'll get to it eventually.

I really loved Seven Chances, and would love to pick up the Kino disc, but I can never find it for a good price.

As for Fairbanks, I've only seen Robin Hood, but I'm quite familiar with his swashbuckling persona, so it's hard for me to imagine him outside of the big budget historical pictures he's best know for.

What's the best place to start for early Fairbanks?

[MichiganJ]

A Modern Musketeer is a terrific early Fairbanks film (1917) and his best "modern comedy" is When the Clouds Roll By (1919), which has a very funny dream sequence in which Fairbanks is chased by his dinner!

While Keaton's Three Ages is fun (especially as a spoof of Intolerance), his first feature-length masterpiece was his next film, Our Hospitality.

[JackFavell]

I like Keaton so much for his comic timing, which is faultless, and for his outlook, which is rather modern. His movies have a strange beauty to them, and I think Our Hospitality is his most beautiful. I believe his wife Natalie Talmadge is the leading lady.

[charliechaplinfan]

Our Hospitality is a masterpiece, I believe he recreated the Rocket accurately for the film and is now in a museum in the US somewhere. The Kino disc also has Sherlock Jnr on, it's a technical masterpiece.

Have you ever seen The Gaucho? it's one of Fairbanks features but it isn't played as a boys own adventure, it's played more to the ladies and features Mary Pickford as the Virgin Mary. It's a favorite of mine.

[Gagman 66]

Thanks to Lynn, I am finally able to log in again. Struggled with this for hours last night and got no place.

A couple of nights ago, I saw the sadly forgotten Marion Davies feature "LIGHTS OF OLD BROADWAY" (1925) directed by Monta Bell. Apparently, two or three scenes were shot in Two-Color Technicolor? Either that, or it was very extensively tinted and toned? I would say that the scenes are Technicolor.

Marion plays orphaned Twins separated at birth who know nothing of each other in 1890's New York. One "Anne" is raised wealthy, the other "Fely" the daughter of an Irish pauper, but coming up fast on the stage. When we meet Marion as Fely O' Tandy a tough "Irish Tomboy" for the first time, I was thinking of the seeming influence of Mary Pickford, and LITTLE ANNIE ROONEY. But both films were actually released around the same time. While Marion is cast in another Dual-role. It is the "Irish" Twin Sister that blossoms into a lovely flower of Womanhood who is clearly the focus of the story. She works as a Clog-Dancer on the emerging Great White Way. While there she meets Dapper Dirk De Rhonde (Conrad Nagel) the son of a wealthy local banker. Who is astonished with her amazing resemblance to his own adopted Sister. Soon after the show, a fierce battle between the rebellious Irish and Scottish Settlers with the Aristocratic Assembly of Manhattan breaks out! "Will show those uppty up's a thing or three!" In the midst of the epic violence Dirk is quickly "Smitten" with the charming Fely, and vice-versa! Turns out that her unruly Daddy Shamus (Charles McHugh) and the rest of the O'Tandy family are unwelcome "Squatter's" on Dirk's Rich Tempestuous Father's land! Not surprisingly, "Lambert De Rhonde" (Frank Currier) is a stuck up bigot who considers all Irishmen as drunken reprobate's, and their daughters as something much, much worse!

The picture illustrates a often ignored episode in American history. where the Irish immigrants were often treated as a second or third class minority group. Pretty much hated and despised by most everyone else. It also chronicles the Edison company's triumphant introduction of the first Electric lighting system in the great city. and indeed the world. Which is cleverly interwoven into the fabric of the story. There are historical figures in the story including Tony Pastor, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Edison. Very well made movie from Director Monta Belle. Davies is stunningly beautiful in the picture.

Davies was a fantastic actress, and no one could deny that after seeing this picture. She displays a plethora of subtle emotions with innate skill. I never have really liked Conrad Nagel all that much, but he is solid as the Bankers Son. There is little double exposure in the film, so I wonder who the actress was who doubles Marion when their back is turned to the camera? This has positively zoomed right to the top of my most wanted Silents list for new scores! A Wonderful movie. Warner's just has to restore, and commission music for this great film!

[MichiganJ]

Hi Jeffrey,

Lights of Old Broadway certainly sound interesting. Two Marion Davies' for the price of one. Hard to resist.

You mention Lights of Old Broadway was directed by Monta Belle. Did you like his direction? He directed Garbo in her first US picture Torrent, and, while I like that movie, I'm not all that keen on Belle's direction. Of course on Torrent he had the language barrier with Garbo, and most references say that Stiller pretty much "coached" Garbo and left Belle to deal with the rest of the cast. But Belle drops the ball, especially in his direction of co-star Ricardo Cortez, who is such a milquetoast throughout the picture it's a wonder anyone would look his way. Torrent is the only film I think I've seen directed by Belle, which is why I'm curious of your opinion. (Torrent was released in '26, so one year later than LOB).

[Gagman 66]

Kevin,

Monta Bell also directed John Gilbert's MAN. WOMAN & SIN, which is a better movie than THE TORRENT I feel. Even though the second half of the picture was never really produced, after Bell had Jeanne Eagels ousted, He was forced to splice together a quick makeshift ending from a bunch of outtakes. Most of the planned trial never appears in the film. LIGHTS OF OLD BROADWAY, is great entertainment, and with any luck TCM will get to it sometime. The historical references and events depicted in the movie make it all the more worthwhile for rediscovery.

The thing is Warner's has a small treasure trove of long unseen Marion Davies features that nothing much has been done with. Other than their having been transferred to safety-stock probably many years ago. BEVERLY OF GRAUSTARK (1926) was Marion's most successful feature for MGM. However, from what I have seen the opening credits, and maybe the first reel are missing? Hopefully, Warner's does have a complete print stashed in the vault? I really enjoyed TILLIE THE TOILER too. Apart from that, we know that THE FAIR CO-ED has been seen in new 35 Millimeter prints at festivals. It is a little disappointing that we will not be getting a new silents premier next month. They might have at least ran QUALITY STREET. or THE CARDBOARD LOVER. Though I am gratified that Marion is being honored with a full 24 hours of programming during Summer Under The Stars.

[MichiganJ]

I recently found my old VHS of the AFI Tribute to Lillian Gish and it is so much fun. Hosted by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr (who is terrific, talking about his father and "step-mother"), the audience was made up of a virtual who's who of "old" Hollywood (including Cary Grant and Fred Astaire) and featured reminiscences and tributes by John Housemann (very funny), John Huston (talking about his father, who stared with Gish in one of her first plays), Jennifer Jones, Mary Martin (Gish was surprised and visibly moved to see Martin), Colleen Moore, Robert Mitchum (funny, too, and does a pretty good Laughton), and Jeanne Moreau (who had recently made a documentary on Gish. Anyone ever see this?--By the way, Moreau looked great.) More "modern" Hollywood stars were present, too, including Mary Steenburgen, Sally Field, Richard Thomas (who tells a very funny story about working with Gish and Lillian remarking about the low camera angle, something like "If God had intended you to see me from that angle, he'd have put your eyes in your knees.") and Lily Tomlin (who, apparently was a great friend of Gish).

Plenty of clips from Gish's silents (restored by Brownlow and Gill I believe) and there, conducting an orchestra live, was Carl Davis. (Gish's "theme" was. appropriately, the theme from Hollywood.)

The best part was Gish herself. In her 90's, she had no problem getting to the stage and her off-the-cuff comments are hysterical.
Great fun.

[rudyfan]

MichiganJ

Color me green with envy! Sounds fabulous

[knitwit45]

Who do I have to rub out to get a copy??????? talk about GREEN WITH ENVY....This sounds priceless, and please say you are transferring to DVD to protect it???????

WOW!

[JackFavell]

I remember that show fondly....thanks for reminding me of the particulars. Why don't they do these anymore...? I guess all the stars I want to see are already gone...

I think Jeanne Moreau aged fabulously.... her looks were just offbeat enough that as she aged she became more beautiful, more interesting.

[Ann Harding]

Who do I have to rub out to get a copy??????? talk about GREEN WITH ENVY....This sounds priceless, and please say you are transferring to DVD to protect it???????

WOW!

Not difficult to find on VHS:
Click here on Amazon

[Birdy]

Did anyone else watch The Locked Door with Rod LaRocque (what a great name) and Barbara Stanwyck? The best surprise was Zasu Pitts as the hotel operator.
B

[feaito]

Today I finally watched "The Wind" (1928), one of Lillian Gish's and Victor Sjöström's supreme cinematic triumphs. It's difficult to imagine any other actress talented enough, capable of such a remarkable performance. It's a magnificent tour-de-force, happy ending notwithstanding; I was enthralled by Lillian's magnetic performance and her journey into total despair. The rest of the cast is uniformly good. Lars Hanson as Lige and Dorothy Cumming's strong portrayal of the embittered, jealous wife of Letty's cousin stand out.

A sidenote, since my wife is tremendously afraid of wind in general, the few times when in Santiago we have strong winds -by Santiago's standards, of course- she really suffers so much! So I could perfectly connect with Letty's intense fright. I can't picture this great drama as a talking picture, simply can't.

Now, off to continue watching "The First Auto" (1927).