WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

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charliechaplinfan
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Post by charliechaplinfan »

My second feature was one I was quite sure I wouldn't take to The Chechahcos or the English translation Tenderfoot. This refers to the thousands who flocked to Alaska for the Gold Rush. The thing that makes this film so remarkable is that it is filmed entirely in Alaska. The landscape and shots of the glacier aren't the only thing that this film has to recommend it. A thoroughly entertaining story is weaved throughout it.

The star is the landscape and the bravery of the actors and cameraman amid the dangerous glaciers.

The production was independent, all the actors are Alaskan born apart from one. Shots of the prospectors weaving their way up the mountain appeared on film one year before Chaplin's Gold Rush. The film wasn't a success at the box office the public of the time didn't have a stomach for this kind of film. I wonder if it bothered Chaplin?
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
feaito

Post by feaito »

I watched the 1933 British horror film "The Ghoul". I found it very atmospheric and handsomely photographed -the print is very pristine-, but really not very good. It's quite stiff and the performances, save for that of Ralph Richardson, are theatrical and one-dimensional. Boris Karloff is fine as the mad egyptolgist.
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phil noir
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Post by phil noir »

I know what you mean about The Ghoul, feaito. It's been years since I've seen it, but stiff and atmospheric just about sums up my memory of it.

I've recently watched an early Frank Capra film, The Miracle Woman (1931). Barbara Stanwyck plays a minister's daughter who, disgusted by the hypocrisy of her late father's congregation, teams up with a con artist and fleeces the public with a travelling evangelist show. All I can say about Barbara Stanwyck is, Wow! She has some completely electrifying scenes, and is absolutely fantastic. Also in it is David Manners, as a blind man who is saved from suicide by hearing Stanwyck's voice over the radio (his acting is not quite so good, but it hardly matters, because he's so handsome), and Beryl Mercer doing a funny bit as his landlady. Sam Hardy as the con artist is great too, thoroughly corrupt and unashamed of it.

It was so refreshing to see an intelligent film about religion from Hollywood, i.e.: not the usual - post-Code - glutinous schmaltz; but a recognition that sometimes people exploit the gullibility and hopefulness of other people for their own ends, but are, none the less, capable of redemption. The last five minutes were, perhaps, a bit silly, but other than that, The Miracle Woman is thoroughly recommended.

Anyone else a fan?
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silentscreen
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Post by silentscreen »

"I've come across early Griffith on different discs. Has there been a commercial release of these films. I remember someone on another site talking about one but I've lost the link. Any recommendations welcome."

Alison,

I have Kino's Biograph Shorts, Special Edition. (1909-1913). I can recommend that one. Lots of early Griffith players in that one!

Brenda
"Humor is nothing less than a sense of the fitness of things." Carole Lombard
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Ann Harding
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Post by Ann Harding »

Phil Noir: Count me in! :D I absolutely love all the Pre-code Capras, especially the ones with Barbara Stanwyck. You're right the film is daring. It looks like it was fashioned after Aimee Semple McPherson, a famous preacher in the 20s (check Robert Parrish's excellent autobiography Growing up in Hollywood where he describes one of Aimee's big shows. It's brilliant!!! :mrgreen: ). Sinclair Lewis was inspired by her for his novel Elmer Gantry (1926). Actually, The Miracle Woman is a bit a non-official adaptation of the novel. Elmer Gantry made it officialy on a big screen only in 1960...
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phil noir
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Post by phil noir »

Thanks, Ann Harding. Yes, I'd heard Aimee Semple McPherson had some influence on the character. I remember reading about her in The Collected Dorothy Parker where D.P. pokes fun at her autobiography (I think she calls it Our Lady of the Loudspeakers). Wasn't there some scandal in the '20s where A.S.P. claimed to have been kidnapped but later it came out she'd probably been having a romantic tryst with a married man?

I assume you've seen The Bitter Tea of General Yen; would you recommend it?
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Post by Ann Harding »

The Bitter Tea of General Yen is equally wonderful. Joseph August's cinematography is fab. 8) The film is also daring in showing love between two people of different races (even if the Chinese general of the title is played by the Swede Nils Asther). A blatant case of 'miscegenation' typical of pre-code production. A must see for any Stanwyck fan. :D
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Post by SSO Admins »

phil noir wrote:Wasn't there some scandal in the '20s where A.S.P. claimed to have been kidnapped but later it came out she'd probably been having a romantic tryst with a married man?

I assume you've seen The Bitter Tea of General Yen; would you recommend it?
That's it absolutely. It was quite a big story at the time, since she was gone for over a month.

Bitter Tea is a great film. Has TCM shown that, or did I get it througha trade? I can't remember.
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charliechaplinfan
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Post by charliechaplinfan »

I would recommend The Bitter Tea Of General Yen I loved it when I saw it. My favorite Nils Asther role.

Silentscreen thanks for the recommendation about the Griffith disc. Watching the Treasures discs have really whetted my appetite for earlier films but structured ones. I'm taking a book about Griffith with me on holiday written by Karl Brown. I'm looking forward to it.

I watched When A Man Loves this morning. A sumptuous production starring John Barrymore and Dolores Costello. Dolores is stunning in this film, I was anxious to see her on the screen as I had only seen stills. She was as beautiful on film as in her stills.

The story is a reworking of Manon Lescaut, as I'm a little unfimiliar with the original work I can't really compare. I felt that Manon lacked the suffering in her actions but John was a dashing hero coming to her rescue. It's a surprise to see him in his earlier roles as his reputation has almost become bigger than the work he did.

I find it hard to categorise him, in part he is like a John Gilbert but not as dashing, neither is he a character actor like Lon Chaney and he doesn't inhabit the swashbuckler role as much as Fairbanks would. I think he really came into his own with the advent if the talkies. His voice and his acting style was more in tune with the films of the thirties.

I also watched Topaze starring John Barrymore and Myrna Loy but have reviewed it under the other thread. I copied it to this thread too, hope it's OK.

I continued with my precode movies with Topaze made in 1933. Topaze is the name of an unworldly school professor conned by a businessman into using his name (he had a book about chemistry to his name) to promote a healthy water drink. The businessman sets Topaze up in a laboratory and lets him work on a formula for a health drink which he then sells and promotes as such, only it is tap water. As well as the wealthy businessman, his mistress and a politician are also in on the con. Also in on the con is a scientist cum blackmailer. Topaze's ambition is to win the 'palms' for outstanding work in science. When he finds out the truth about the water he goes out on the town (some trick photography gives it an unreal feeling). Coco the mistress is worried about Topaze but he returns and a delegation turns up and awards him the precious 'palms' he had always wanted. The irony isn't wasted on him. The temptation with the plot would be for Topaze to go to the police and put an end to the racket. Instead he gets wise and becomes something of the businessman himself succedding in the end in getting a third share of the businessman's empire.

The film is delightful because of Topaze's niavety played with great style by John Barrymore. He fluffs his time as a schoolmaster, his pupils have scant regard for him. He meets the businessman at a time when the businessman is looking for a fool to front his deception. Topaze's innocence is delightful when he hasn't understood Coco's relationship to the businessman. I haven't seen Barrymore in a role were he hasn't been full of himself before.

Coco herself is wonderfully portrayed by Myrna Loy on the threshold of stardom. The film revolves around her, her relationship with the businessman and her growing relationship with Topaze
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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Post by bdp »

re Griffith Biographs: D.W. Griffith - Years of Discovery 1909-1913


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charliechaplinfan
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Post by charliechaplinfan »

Thanks Kyle :D
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
feaito

Post by feaito »

phil noir wrote:I know what you mean about The Ghoul, feaito. It's been years since I've seen it, but stiff and atmospheric just about sums up my memory of it.

I've recently watched an early Frank Capra film, The Miracle Woman (1931). Barbara Stanwyck plays a minister's daughter who, disgusted by the hypocrisy of her late father's congregation, teams up with a con artist and fleeces the public with a travelling evangelist show. All I can say about Barbara Stanwyck is, Wow! She has some completely electrifying scenes, and is absolutely fantastic. Also in it is David Manners, as a blind man who is saved from suicide by hearing Stanwyck's voice over the radio (his acting is not quite so good, but it hardly matters, because he's so handsome), and Beryl Mercer doing a funny bit as his landlady. Sam Hardy as the con artist is great too, thoroughly corrupt and unashamed of it.

It was so refreshing to see an intelligent film about religion from Hollywood, i.e.: not the usual - post-Code - glutinous schmaltz; but a recognition that sometimes people exploit the gullibility and hopefulness of other people for their own ends, but are, none the less, capable of redemption. The last five minutes were, perhaps, a bit silly, but other than that, The Miracle Woman is thoroughly recommended.

Anyone else a fan?
I loved this film too and I liked the fresh quality of the Pre-Code Barbara Stanwyck. Superb! You can count me as a fan too.

I'm a fan of "The Bitter Tea of General Yen" as well, which contains the best performance of Nils Asther. A truly amazing film. The only drawback (for me) is that I got this film buying a Barbara Stanwyck Boxed Set released in the UK (Screen Goddesses Collection) and the film's length is 83 minutes, which is much shorter than the 89 minutes version apparently available in the USA.

I guess that the British version must have undergone cuts due to censorship -if I recall well the film was banned in the UK due to its miscegenation subject, for some decades. Has anyone seen the 89 minutes version? Does it really still exist?
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Ann Harding
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Post by Ann Harding »

Fernando, I suspect the shorter timing is probably due to PAL speed-up (i.e. 25 fps instead of 24 fsp in NTSC). Basically a 89 min film would be loosing about 3 min 30 sec. That makes about 85 min. Ok it's still not quite there. But, a lot of pre-code pictures were re-cut in the US after 1934. Many have never recovered their full length: Man's Castle, Love Me Tonight, Arrowsmith, etc..... :(
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phil noir
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Post by phil noir »

Thanks everyone for the feedback on The Bitter Tea of General Yen. I've just ordered a copy via Amazon.co.uk Marketplace. It looks like people have started breaking up the Stanwyck Screen Goddess boxset and are selling off the individual titles - I got The Miracle Woman very reasonably this way.

I've just watched a three part Kevin Brownlow & David Gill documentary on D.W. Griffith, The Father of Film. Very interesting, with a great range of interviewees - not only Lillian Gish, Blanche Sweet, etc. as you'd expect - but also local people from where Way Down East was filmed; an African-American man who saw Birth of a Nation in a 'blacks only' (as it would have been called then) theatre and who movingly recalled his despair at the portrayal of his race; and Griffith's second wife.

I found the glimpses of Griffith's later 'minor' films fascinating, e.g.: One Exciting Night, Isn't Life Wonderful and The Sorrows of Satan.
feaito

Post by feaito »

Thanks for your input Christine. That well could be the reason of the difference.

The different timing between PAL and NTSC editions is something that has always intrigued me and I have never fully understood (I'm not technology savvy at all).
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