WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[myrnaloyisdope]

I watched a pre-coder called New Morals For Old the other night, and was pleasantly surprised. The main reason I was watching was because it had Myrna Loy in it, but sadly she's barely in the picture with only a couple scenes late in the film. But despite that disappointment the film was pretty solid.

The plot concerns 2 well-to-do siblings played by Robert Young and Margaret Perry, who desire to leave home against the wishes of their parents (Lewis Stone and Laura Hope Crews). Young wants to leave the family wallpaper business and move to Paris to paint, while Perry wants to shack up with a married man. What made the film interesting was that it didn't take the familiar and condescending turn that one would expect, that being the kids fail miserably, learn there lesson, and come home. The plot ended up playing out a bit unusually in that no one is really seen as wrong, so in that sense it felt somewhat modern. Things just happen, and the characters react. What I expected to be a moralizing picture about impetuous youth, actually turned into a nice piece of realism.

I should also note that the film was directed by the underrated Charles Brabin (Mr. Theda Bara), who also directed the sublime The Beast of the City, and the delirious Mask of Fu Manchu. He's not especially innovative, but he adds some nice camera work, and seems to have a good grasp of pacing, and how to tell a story. But to most he's just a forgotten name.

[charliechaplinfan]

I've been carrying on with my Griffith odessey. This time watching some of his short films. Two I was most taken with are The New York Hat with Mary Pickford and Lionel Barrymore and An Unseen Enemy film debut of the Gish sisters.

[drednm]

I watched the mucho bizarro LOVE FROM A STRANGER, a film based on an Agatha Christie book. Starring a gorgeous Ann Harding and an hilariously hammy Basil Rathbone, the story concerns mousy Harding winning a French lottery and suddenly being wooed by mysterious Rathbone. Of course they marry and he moves her out into the country......

The ending is just incredible. This may be one of Harding's best performances because she always played strong, self-sufficient women. Here as the fragile female she is just wonderful. Her finals scenes are quite memorable. Rathbone (never a favorite of mine) is truly bizarre and frightening here in a kind of performance Hitchcock would have loved.

Has anyone seen this one?

[feaito]

Drednm, I've seen "Love From a Stranger" (1937) and I also loved the picture, sadly the print I watched was in awful condition (Alpha DVD release). I wish I could watch a decent print, because it detracted from my enjoyment of the photoplay. Harding & Rathbone are first rate.

I seem to recall that the film was remade circa 1947 with Sylvia Sidney.

[drednm]

Feaito... the print I saw was lousy also. I got it from netflix.

[silentscreen]

I've been carrying on with my Griffith odessey. This time watching some of his short films. Two I was most taken with are The New York Hat with Mary Pickford and Lionel Barrymore and An Unseen Enemy film debut of the Gish sisters.

Alison,

Those are both good ones! The Gish sisters were so young and pretty in An Unseen Enemy. As old as those movies are, Mary Pickford had been working for Griffith even before the Gish sisters. I think Mary and Lillian had a lot in common because they had both started as child stars on the stage and first met as children. Also they were both raised in single parent families and were very close to their mothers.

[drednm]

Finally rewatched WEST POINT which I hadn't seen in like 5 years. I still find it remarkable that William Haines was so damned good. He's perfect as the obnoxious smart ass who alienates "the girl" and creates "a rival" through his own actions. But then Haines was a great actors so that when his character sees the light and grows up, it's very effective.

Joan Crawford is the girl here. And as in BROWN OF HARVARD there's the skinny kid (William Bakewell here) who idolizes smart ass Haines and who pays for it (it was Jack Pickford in BROWN).

The Haines formula worked in a series of MGM films including TELL IT TO THE MARINES, THE SMART SET, SPRING FEVER, SPEEDWAY, NAVY BLUES, WAY OUT WEST, and SLIDE KELLY SLIDE.

[MichiganJ]

I recently saw Speedway, and completely agree about Haines. He’s very much of a smart alec, throughout, but somehow is able to keep us on his side. There’s a wonderful scene at a diner, where Haines is trying to “impress” Anita Page, and, while her character doesn’t want anything to do with him, Page herself laughs at a few of Haines’ antics (At least her laughs look genuine). It’s a terrific scene. By the way, loved the film (thanks Jeffrey). I go to the Indy 500 every year, and it was amazing seeing the race, circa 1928/29. Top speeds of 120 mph (now 230), and the pitt stops that take forever, let alone changing drivers during the race! Don’t get me wrong, I’m truly impressed at how fast these guys were going (you can see some of the actual autos at the museum in the infield).

[Synnove]

I prefer William Haines in Show People really, he does a similar thing towards the end where he angers the heroine by acting obnoxious, but it's much easier to sympathize with why he does that since, well, the heroine is even more obnoxious. Still, in movies like Tell it to the Marines and West Point he eventually also won my sympathy. He was a good actor.

Does anyone know if any William Haines talkies have been shown anywhere?

[feaito]

Does anyone know if any William Haines talkies have been shown anywhere?

I've seen both "Fast Life" (1932) and "The Girl Said No" (1930), which were taped off TCM USA.

[charliechaplinfan]

I can't really take to William Haines. Each to his own I suppose. I loved Show People though.

I watched the silent version of The Unholy Three. I think this is one of my favorte Lon Chaney films. He such a great actor that I don't usually look at anyone else on the screen but tis film is very well crafted and carries such an excellent story line. I was on the edge of my seat when the policeman came in and sarted playing with the elephant that the necklace was hidden in. And how convincing was the baby?

[bdp]

I can't find William Haines as anything but annoying, even in Show People.

The Unholy Three, I think, is the best Chaney/Browning film.

[drednm]

I think all the Haines talkies have been shown on TCM but I'm bot sure.... at least I have them all in my collection.

Possibly the last 2 cheapies might not have been on TCM....

[drednm]

The Haines talkies.... I believe A TAILOR MADE MAN is lost...

The Marines Are Coming (1934)
Young and Beautiful (1934)
Fast Life (1932)
Are You Listening? (1932) .
New Adventures of Get Rich Quick Wallingford (1931) .
Just a Gigolo (1931)
A Tailor Made Man (1931)
Remote Control (1930)
Way Out West (1930)
The Girl Said No (1930)
Navy Blues (1929)

Gloria Swanson personally asked Haines in 1949 to appear in SUNSET BOULEVARD as one of the "wax works." Haines politely refused. He was 50ish and rich.

[charliechaplinfan]

I can't find William Haines as anything but annoying, even in Show People.

The Unholy Three, I think, is the best Chaney/Browning film.

I agree with both of those sentences