WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[JackFavell]

That version is just terrible, kingrat. You have been too kind in your review, I think.

If anyone likes Oz, do yourself a favor and go read those first fourteen Baum Oz books, and then keep on going and read the Ruth Plumly Thompson ones. Don't be scared off by the number of them, just readthe first one and The Land of Oz and you'll be off and running. They are addictive, move very quickly, and are full of more imagination and fun than any of the movies have been able to capture. My childhood (and I am embarrassed to say some of my adult life) were informed by the Oz books and they had a tremendous effect on me. There are a few more written after the Thompson ones as well, but I have not read them.

[JackFavell]

Will do!

[MichiganJ]

L. Frank Baum set up his own production company, "The Oz Film Manufacturing Company" with the intent of filming all of his Oz books. The first production was The Patchwork Girl of Oz (1914), of which Baum, while not credited, was co-directer as well as producer/writer. The company only made two other Oz films, The Magic Cloak (1914) and The New Wizard of Oz (1914) before folding. While ambitious, I can't recommend any of these films, either. In the silent era, I'd stick with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910). At least it's short.

[Ann Harding]

Yesterday I saw my last silent of the year on a big screen and it was a real pleasure!


Morgane La Sirène (Morgane the Mermaid, 1927) by Léonce Perret with Claire de Lorez, Ivan Petrovich and Rachel Devirys.

Navy officer Georges de Kerduel (I. Petrovich) would like to marry his cousin Annette. Alas, he is poor. But, Annette's father goes bankrupt and dies. She goes to live in Brittany in a small manor house. Georges proposes again and she accepts. The next day, she disappears at sea. Thankfully, she is rescued by a mysterious lady living on an island, Princess Morgane de Bangor (C. de Lorez)...

This charming feature has been shot on the northern coast of Brittany near Trégastel. The indoors scenes were shot mostly at Rex Ingram studios in Nice. Léonce Perret gives this film an exotic touch by hiring the American beauty Claire de Lorez (she was Valentino's leading lady in Cobra). We also get the Serb Ivan Petrovich who was a favourite of Rex Ingram. The story mixes melodrama and legend. The Morgane of the title is a legendary dangerous mermaid who drowns poor fishermen during sea storms. But, it's also the mysterious princess who lives in luxury in small castle on an isolated rocky island. Every day, she puts on a shiny fish scales swimsuit and dives in the ocean with her long blond hair dangling at her side. It's no wonder the local fishermen think they met the mermaid! The storyline is based upon a fashionable novel of the time. It's by no way great literature, but as usual with Perret, the visual aspect gives it such atmosphere that you're ready to forget the plotholes and clichés. Poor Ivan Petrovich becomes prey of the beautiful Claire de Lorez dressed with the most extravagant attire (full of fur, sequins and pearls like in a DeMille picture). His heart is caught between the pure and chaste Annette and the dangerous Morgane. The sets are incredibly luxurious. The set designer created a really completely OTT castle for Morgane with giant draperies, ornate wrought iron and fabulous Art Deco design. Overall, it's a very enjoyable feature with gorgeous seascapes of Brittany. Well worth catching.

[Gagman 66]

I watched Tod Browning's THE MYSTIC (1925) with Aileen Pringle and Conway Tearle. This was a really enjoyable film. Some of the story seems to be missing, maybe a reel towards the middle, but it is still holds up alright. My first glimpse I believe of Miss Pringle who was coming off big hits with Elinor Gliyn's SIX WEEKS (1924), as well as King Vidor's HIS HOUR and WIFE OF THE CENTAUR with John Gilbert that same year.

A Suspenseful yarn about a group of con artists, who go from small time circus side shows with their spooky physic act, to ripping off unsuspecting upper crust society folk. Michael Nash (Tearle) a crafty thief, is the mastermind who co-heir's a shady Gypsy troop into being his partners in crime. The lovely Zara (Pringle) whom he falls in love with, is the lynch-pin to his schemes. "The Mystic" who is soon revered for her amazing power to contact the spirit world. She rises to quick heights of fame.

All is going well, when Michael suddenly has some unexpected misgivings on running away with the inheritance of a young woman Doris Merrick (Gladys Hulette) who he actually respects. Zara suspects that there is more to her and Michael's relationship than her being his self appointed personal protector, and the old green eyed monster rears it's ugly head. Meantime, the girls legal guardian Bradshaw (David Torrence) has gotten wise to the whole business and alerts the authorities. Zara Fox's Michael, but He convinces her that his Love is genuine, and the couple plan to give the loot back to Doris. But fellow miscreants Zazarack and Anton (Mitchell Lewis and Robert Ober), don't buy the change of heart, and demand their un-fair share. Just then the police storm in and kayos ensues! Have had this movie for about 3 years, but had never gotten around to looking at it before.Just happened to stumble across the disc, so I put it on.

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched Under Eighteen a precode starring Marian Marsh, Anita Page and Warren William. Marsh, who is under eighteen works in sewing garments in a shop, she sees the life that the models live, being kept by well off men, of them all the most notorious is played by Warren William who is charmed by Marsh when she has to step in to model a mink coat. When Marsh needs a loan of money to help her sister Anita Page get divorced she goes to William and after being disallusioned by her sister's marriage decides that the life the model's live is for her. Her visit to Warren William's art deco penthouse, were he greets her with 'why don't you take your clothes off and stay a while' sets the tone of the movie. Thankfully her faithful boyfriend realises in time that she is worth saving and goes in pursuit of her.

[intothenitrate]

Wow, that's one pre-codey pre-code!

[Gagman 66]

Last night I saw the Silent version of a completely forgotten movie from 1929-30, CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD and was blown away. Set in the years leading up to the French Revolution, with a Two-Color Technicolor finale. Apparently, there was both a Talkie, and Silent release of this title. Having seen the Silent, I really don't care to watch the talkie release if it still exists. Laura La Plante is breathtakingly beautiful as Marie Varney. John Boles is dashing and handsome as her former Music teacher/fiance Captain Rouget. Terribly Smitten with Laura. After the death of her Father shot down by a murderous band of the Kings Royal Hussair's Marie becomes an inspiration to Danton and the rebel rouser's , known as "The Torch". Symbolically, she will light the road to freedom. But alas Marie loves an Aristocrat! Directed by the unjustly forgotten John Robertson who gave us such films as CAPTAIN SALVATION (1927), What a discovery this was. TCM should find and introduce this film to a new generation. Great love story, real suspense, staggering sets, well written title-cards. Maybe I just didn't see this with the Vita-phone or Movie-tone track, but it may still survive? Sure hope so. Film itself seems to be in fine condition for the most part, with period tints. Including Amber, Gold and Blue. You can see that the print is really very good, underneath what was a rather sub-par recording that I viewed I just can't say enough about this movie. Would love for this extremely rare film premier on Silent Sundays in the future!

[Ann Harding]

During the past two evenings, I saw two silents at a new season of Alfred Hitchcock pictures at the Cinémathèque.

First, Blackmail (1929) with Anny Ondra and Donald Calthrop is often presented in its talkie version. But the film was shot as a silent. At the producers' request, Hitch reshot the film completely. It was nice to be able to see the silent version, still unavailable on DVD. Anny Ondra is a cute little girl flirting with an artist after dropping her lover (a Scotland Yard officer). But, when the artist wants to rape her, she kills him with a bread knife. The suspense builds up beautifully as the blackmailer frightens Ondra. The film is beautifully engineered with perfect pacing, cutting and camera movements. Ondra is superb in the main role, a charming blond murderess. The film was accompanied by a very good pianist (Jacques Cambra) which made the screening very enjoyable.

The Lodger (1926) with heartthrob Ivor Novello was not quite as good. I felt Hitchcock was still making a starring vehicle for gorgeous Novello. Nevertheless, the film had a really good atmosphere: foggy London and huge frightening shadows out of a German picture. A new mysterious lodger rings at a boarding house. The landlady fears he might be the murderer who kills blond girls every Tuesday night. Obviously Novello doesn't look really scary (neither was he when he played a hoodlum in The Rat). In spite a rather mediocre print (grainy and very soft in places), it was a very enjoyable evening thanks to Neil Brand playing the piano. He gave the film such a drive and impetus that you could easily forget its defects.

I had never seen any silent Hitchcock and I must say I was rather pleased with these two evenings.

[charliechaplinfan]

I like these two Hitchcock silents and whilst I agree about Novello looking very unfrightening, the film has atomosphere and the ending isn't obvious. Isn't Hitchcock in the film himself as a radio operator at the police station? Blackmail is even better, it invokes the era so well.

[feaito]

"The Lodger" was the very first Silent I ever watched, along with "La Boheme", both of which have a special place in my heart. I remember that the print of "The Lodger" aired by BRAVO, was incredibly good.

[drednm]

I disagree about Ivor Novello. I think Hitchcock was right to cast a matinee idol as an evil man. Evil might not always be housed in a monster.

[Ann Harding]

I think I need to watch The Lodger again. First of all in a very good print, the one I saw was too mediocre. As for Novello, I think he is an interesting actor. I've watched him now in 7 pictures and he deserves a better recognition than the flack he gets in The Encyclopedia of British Films.

Yesterday, I went again to the CF to see another two Hitchcock silents.
Champagne (1928) was a frothy comedy with the bubbling Betty Balfour. She is a rich American heiress who decides to marry a young man against her father's wishes. She boards the liner where her fiancee is crossing the Atlantic bound for Paris, with her father in hot pursuit. The plot was quite predictible. And the film seems to suffer from a editing problems during its reconstruction. Some scene changes didn't make sense. Hitchcock adds some nice little visual touches here and there such as a scene seen through a glass of Champagne. I would say, only worth watching for Miss Balfour.

The Farmer's Wife (1928) with Lilian Hall-Davis and Jameson Thomas was of a higher caliber. This comedy follows a widowed farmer looking for a new wife. He goes to propose various middle-aged women of the surrounding and gets rebuked each time. He then manages to insult those ladies and makes things even worse. What this silly farmer had not realised is that the perfect wife is right under his nose in the shape of Lilian Hall-Davis, his housekeeper. She is secretly in love with him and all ends well. The film was extremely enjoyable thanks to the great cast of character actors that gave the whole story the flavour of British countryside life with its landed gentry. Lilian Hall-Davis managed to give a moving performance as the housekeeper, discreet, always guessing her master's wishes in advance. I should add a word for Gordon Harker as the farmer's handyman: he was a hoot! Really worth investigating.