Talmadge Sisters at Kino

[drednm]

The Kino DVD sets for Norma Talmadge and Constance Talmadge are posted and available for preorder and a discounted price.

Her Night of Romance / Her Sister from Paris (The Constance Talmadge Collection)


Kiki / Within the Law (The Norma Talmadge Collection)

[Gagman 66]

Ed,

Do they accept Paypal on the Kino site? I sure hope so.

[MichiganJ]

I don't know if Kino accepts Paypal but both discs are also available at Deepdiscount for a few bucks cheaper than Kino's site and, I believe that DD does accept Paypal.

[drednm]

I already had copies of Kiki and Her Sister from Paris but I bought the sets anyway. I enjoyed Norma Talmadge in Within the Law. While not a great film it had a very interesting premise of what may be unethical but still "within the law" and what a woman will do for revenge. Constance Talmadge was excellent with Ronald Colman (again) in Her Night of Romance, a charming and funny little film.

[pvitari]

I watched the two Talmadge sets -- or as I like to think of them, the two Colman/Talmadge sets -- and thoroughly enjoyed them... the Constance one more than the Norma one though.

While I liked Within the Law, I didn't really find it all that compelling a story and it kind of dragged for me. As for Kiki, I was a little put off by Kiki herself -- she's so intense that she's a little scary for a comedy. I had visions of her doing the Gene Tierney thing from Leave Her to Heaven if anyone really got in the way of her and Ronald Colman. Plus Norma is so very NOT gamin, despite her small stature. With that regal nose and that plump-ish jawline, she comes off as almost matronly to me -- Mary Pickford could pull it off at that age (33) but Norma is all woman. Still, lots of very funny physical comedy, especially the "rigid coma" scene. Comedy may not have been Norma's usual genre but she sure could do it when she wanted to.

And I fell in love with George K. Arthur as Colman's valet in this and his pal in His Sister From Paris on the Constance Talmadge set.

In fact, I *loved* the two comedies starring Constance Talmadge, who I found completely delightful in every way and was thrilled that Ronald Colman (who I worship) had fleshed-out roles in both -- he wasn't just some bland love interest. I especially fell hard for Her Sister From Paris, which had me rolling in the aisles -- well, laughing out loud while sitting on my living room couch. What a scream that one must have been in the theater with an audience and live accompaniement. I just LOVE the way that Constance vows to "make him crawl" and then puts poor Ronnie through the wringer. I don't know that I've ever seen him looking so unglued!







Though I think the shot that made me laugh the longest is the one where Constance pulls out the see-through negligee. Yikes!



A delightful pair of releases and I sure hope Kino has more Talmadge (and more silent Colman) in the works.

[Gagman 66]

I finally got my Talmadge DVD's on Friday evening. I watched "HER NIGHT OF ROMANCE" and loved it. Couldn't stop smiling for the first 30 minutes or longer. Very funny, charming film. And nothing like HER SISTER FROM PARIS (which I had already seen) either. I have no idea what that guy was thinking when He said that these films were so much alike in his review. The only similarity is that both have Constance and Ronald Colman. Other than that the story-lines are entirely different, though equally delightful. I personally enjoyed HER NIGHT OF ROMANCE even more among the two. Although the music is Piano, it is a very good piano score, that fit the mood of the film nicely.

Constance Talmadge was a brilliant comedienne, but she was also an excellent and multi-faceted actress. So darned cute on screen. Her and Colman compliment each other so well. Supporting cast is lively, and fun. Direction by Sidney Franklin I found to be first rate. I really like this guys movies. The hefty guy who played the father was a real Hoot. Jean Hersholt is always good, though He has little to do here. This film alone is worth the purchase price and than some.

I watched the first 15 minutes or so of KIKI, and I agree that the transfer is better. Sharper and crisper, than what we had seen before. The music is rather disappointing. I liked my own compiled score much better. Starts out OK, but than there are long gaps, where nothing is being played. Killing the funny title cards, pacing, and pantomime of those scenes. I'll finish watching, and hope that the music improves. Haven't seen Norma's WITHIN THE LAW yet. Will try to get to that soon.

I hope that TCM will pick up HER NIGHT OF ROMANCE. it is a real charmer, and deserves some exposure. A wonderful romantic comedy. There are times when Connie and Norma look very much alike. You can see that they are sisters by their facial expression and gestures. But most of the time, it's almost invisible, and they bare very little resemblance to each other on camera. Kind of strange.


Pivtari,

It's wonderful seeing how much you enjoyed the Constance films. She was clearly the Proto-type for Marion Davies later comedic persona. At least in my opinion. Her and Marion were close friends for many years. These DVD's serve as barely barely an introduction to the The Talmadge Sisters. I have seen several more of their films. would adore having restored versions of THE LOVE EXPERT, EAST IS WEST (Long Lost, Being Restored), THE DUCHESS OF BUFFALO, SMILIN' THROUGH, THE DOVE, and what ever else Kino can manage to get it's hands on.





Norma and "Dutch" just lounging around. (Those Girls Had Nice Legs.)



Incidentally, "A WOMAN DISPUTED" is screening the San Francisco Silents Festival this year. Norma's final Silent film. People who have seen this movie describe it as one of the finest Unknown silents. A very strong movie that deserves a major DVD release.




Norma Talmadge and Gilbert Roland from "WOMAN DISPUTED" (United Artists, 1928)