WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[charliechaplinfan]

And with Bringing Up Baby you have one of my favourite films.

[charliechaplinfan]

Big City Blues is a precode starring Joan Blondell and Eric Linden. Linden plays a man who leaves his Indiana home and goes to New York, full of dreams and ideals but ends up back in his town 3 days later. I confess to not taking to Eric Linden, to me he just doesn't fit the mold of either star or supporting player but Joan Blondell more than outshines and outclasses him, a pleasant crime drama but not much to write home about.

From Headquarters starring George Brent and Margaret Lindsay was more to my taste, a man found murdered and whodunnit? Quite a pleasant story, Eugene Pallette walks away with it for me.

[Ann Harding]

Yesterday I saw Evelyn Prentice (1934, W.K. Howard) with Powell and Loy. This melodrama shows the double standards of the time when a man or a woman were unfaithful. The man here is William Powell a famous lawyer who is such a workaholic his wife and daughter hardly ever see him. He dallies on the side with one of his clients (a young and restrained Roz Russell) while poor Myrna stays at home unaware of his infidelity. But, Myrna attracts the eye of a notorious blackmailer who starts a intense flirtation with the discontented wife. While she remained faithful to her husband, she wrote some unfortunate letters to the man who is quick to ask for money. In desperation, Myrna comes to ask for the letters back and fires a gun. The melodrama turns into a kind of whodunnit when Loy realises another woman is indicted for the murder. The film ends with a kind of coup de théâtre during the prosecution. Overall, it's an enjoyable little film. It's quite startling to see how many disjointed cuts there are in the film. Many close-ups and mid-shots of Myrna are sloppily edited together. It feels as if MGM didn't give them much time to shoot the film.

[Lzcutter]

I watched Heat Lightning last night. A terrific little film starring the wonderful Aline MacMahon and Ann Dvorak as sisters running a small oasis in the Mojave desert about 26 miles from Baker. Preston Foster plays MacMahon's former beau and no one really plays smarmy and ingratiating as well as Foster. Lyle Talbot, Glenda Farrell (as Feathers), Ruth Donnelly (as Tinkle) and Frank McHugh provide terrific support. At 75 minutes, the film gets down to business right away and never loses sight of the story it is telling.

MacMahon and Dvorak are believable as sisters who argue over men and being stuck out in the middle of nowhere but MacMahon, with her world weary demeanor, carries the day. Why MacMahon didn't have a bigger career is one of those mysteries of the studio era because she certainly deserved a much bigger career.

A terrific little film that I think is part of Dvorak's upcoming SUTS tribute. If so, don't miss it!

[Ann Harding]

I recently watched two Pre-Codes. First, Morning Glory (1933, L. Sherman) allowed Katharine Hepburn to win her first Oscar. As Eva Lovelace, she is an eager and naive young actress recently arrived in Broadway. She is desperate for a part in a play produced by powerful Easton (A. Menjou). In spite of her cheek, she doesn't get a part but meets nice old character actor, Hedges (C. Aubrey Smith in one of his best parts). The old man accepts to be her teacher. After a difficult and penniless period, she gets lucky as the understudy of the annoying Rita Vernon (Mary Duncan) and takes on her part with success. This film is a nice backstage story with plenty of opportunities for Katharine to show her considerable talent. She is surrounded by a brilliant cast with Menjou as the 'casting coach' producer, Fairbanks Jr. as the fervent lover and C. Aubrey Smith as the nice old actor. It's a shame the script lacks continuity. We jump from one period to another without showing the evolution of the characters. We don't even get a chance to see Hepburn on stage. Compared with Stage Door (1937, G. Lava), Morning Glory is fairly minor. Nevertheless it contains some great scenes such as the meeting between Hepburn and Smith. You feel that the old actor is genuinely moved by this eager young girl. Again during the party at Menjou's, when she gets drunk on Champagne, Hepburn carries the scene beautifully.

Big City Blues (1932, M. LeRoy) is snappy little pre-code where a naive young boy (E. Linden) from Indiana to discover New York for the first time. He carries with him all the money he got from a small inheritance. But, once in NY, he is led by his cousin Gibby (Walter Catlett at his best) who drags him to a 'gin party' in his hotel room. Things go from bad to worse as a chorus girl dies during the alcoholic evening. Poor little Bud (E. Linden) goes back to his hometown penniless (his cousin and gambling took the whole of the inheritance money) but happy. He has discovered love with Vida (J. Blondell) a chorus girl. It's a charming film where we discover in a small part a slim young actor called Humphrey Bogart (not even on the credits).

[charliechaplinfan]

I forgot to mention Bogie was in Big City Blues, it's before he's discovered his screen persona and is playing one of the bright young things of his generation, pity he didn't feature in more precodes as he brightens the screen even then.

[pvitari]

I saw Douglas Fairbanks' The Mark of Zorro last night at the Fox Theater -- on the big screen, with Clark Wilson spinning his musical magic on the Mighty Moeller organ. Every time I see Fairbanks I'm just wowed all over again by his speed, agility, grace and dance-like qualities, as well as his wit. Some of his stunts aren't just stunts, they're gags, many of which could rival Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin for sheer funniness. The audience (hundreds of people -- in a theater built for 5000; still, a very good crowd) was laughing from sheer delight. Some of the title cards were funny too. :) This is THE original swashbuckler and honestly, I don't think they know how to make a swashbuckler this good anymore. It would all be done with cables and CGI and without the humor and the joy.

TCM host Ben Mankewicz introduced. This is not the first time he's introduced a film at the Fox. Perhaps he was in town filming some of his TCM segments and so agreed to be the host. As usual, his uber-snarky sense of humor was on full display. The guy just can't help himself. ;)

The only downside to the evening was the print wasn't very good. It was very lacking in detail and grain and at first I thought we were watching some old VHS cassette! But... apart from its faded looks, it was fine and the audience loved it, including the little girl a few rows behind me with her parents. Hopefully a silent film lover/Douglas Fairbanks fan was born last night! :)

[Ann Harding]

I've seen several Pre-Codes recently. First Tillie and Gus (1933, F. Martin) is a showcase for W.C. Fields and his partner Alison Skipworth. This short comedy is fun, though not particularly remarkable except for a few gags. Baby LeRoy was creating havoc and so was Mister Fields on board a Mississipi steamer. Enjoyable and forgettable.
Attorney for the Defense (1932, Irving Cummings) proved extremely interesting. This Columbia B-picture has a very good script by Jo Swerling. Edmund Lowe plays a former DA who resigned his post after convicting an innocent man. He redeems himself by helping the dead man's son to study and becomes an attorney for the defense. I was struck by the beautiful cinematography by Ted Tetzlaff: he uses a mobile camera with great fluidity (unusual for 1932) and also his lighting seems to be a foretaste of future films noir. The scene of the murder is hardly lit and the faces of the actors are barely visible. This kind of lighting was again unusual for 1932. I was impressed by all the actors, though none is a great star. Evelyn Brent is the perfect venomous femme fatale, Edmund Lowe shows dynamism and talent as the attorney and Dorothy Cummings manages to play the faithful secretary without being saccharine. The final trial is very well done with just enough humour and twists and turns to keep us on the edge of our seats. A very good little B.

[feaito]

Today I watched a very interesting Silent: "The Swan" (1925), a Paramount picture directed by Dimitri Buchowetzki, with Frances Howard (later Mrs. Samuel Goldwyn) as Princess Alexandra, Adolphe Menjou (as the Prince she has to marry) and Ricardo Cortez (as the Tutor). I enjoyed very much this film adaptation of Molnar's play and I found it less glossy and more realistic, in a way, than its 1956 Remake (I haven't seen Lillian Gish's 1930 version, "One Romantic Night"). There are many differences with the 1956 film: Where Alec Guinness, as the Prince, was restrained and stolid, Adolphe Menjou's Prince is a more of a cad; a rather disagreeable Casanova, full of mischief, flirting with all the women around. He couldn't cared less about Alexandra. I'd say his character is nearer those Royals portrayed by Von Stroheim in his films. Frances Howard's icy beauty suits well her Alexandra and she gives a fine performance. Ricardo Cortez is also fine as the good-natured, very ethical and melancholic Tutor, who loves Alexandra in silence. In all, a very pleasant surprise. I did not find it slow paced as other reviewers stated on the net.

[feaito]

I saw a highly engrossing and interesting 1933 film, released by a Poverty Row Studio (Majestic) titled "The Sin of Nora Moran" (1933), starring Zita Johann (whom I had seen in "The Mummy" and "Tiger Shark" -both 1932-). This film is very surprising due to its narrative structure -with offscreen narration- and inventive camera work, with flashbacks, flashbacks within flashbacks, oniric and even surrealistic sequences, flashforwards et al. I found it a fascinating, complex film, which tackles in a very adult way subjects such as adultery, rape, corruption, murder, death penalty, electrocution, human relationships, guilt, etc. It sometimes was even hard to take and tough to see. Paul Cavanagh, John Miljan, Claire DuBrey, Henry B. Walthall and Alan Dinehart are part of the good supporting cast. A true must-see. I'd even dare to say it predates in a way the Noir genre and films such as Citizen Kane.

[feaito]

I watched four films yesterday!

"Chicago" (1927) Flicker Alley does an excellent job releasing DVDs; i.e. "The Garden of Eden" (1928) is among my most cherished possessions! The DVD of Chicago is nothing short of awesome....the pristine, crisp, excellent print of the film WOW!! The great score and the very good extras. In my opinion the best version of this story (better than the 1942 and 2002 films) which blends, drama, irony, comedy and a sociological look at an Era. Phyllis Haver is the cheapest floozie of them all; shameless, on your face, double-crossing, but ultimately funny. Victor Varconi plays the reliable, stolid husband and I fell in love with lovely Virgina Bradford as the couple's maid. What a beautiful face! Robert Edeson is very good as the corrupted lawyer and so is Eugene Pallette as Haver's lover. Julia Faye and May Robson are also in it. A must-see.

"If I had a Million" (1932) Another film I had never seen which is comprised of different episodes (whose running times vary, some are extremely short and others are longer). The one directed by Lubitsch with Charles Laughton is very short, straight-to-the point and funny. A millionaire (Richard Bennett, superb) decides to give away his money and chooses people randomly from the phone book for that purpose. There are dramatic episodes, like the one with gangster George Raft and prostitute Wynne Gibson -her lingerie display is very Pre-Code!....then there are longer ones like the episode which stars Alison Skipworth and W.C. Fields (hilarious) and another with May Robson as an elderly lady in an instititution. A highly entertaining film. It should be on DVD!

"Bolero" (1934) Exciting, exotic, visually handsome tale of a dancer (George Raft) whose ambition is to dance sophisticated choreographies in his own nightclub. Beautiful Frances Drake is one of his partners and Carole Lombard plays his love interest and his definitive partner. Sally Rand (a notorious fan dancer) appears in the film and Ray Milland is a British Lord who pursues Lombard. I saw a poor print, I'd love to see a decent copy to appreciate the beautiful cinematography, the clothes and the wonderful dance sequences, especially Ravel's Bolero.

[feaito]

Ahhh! I also revisited "Flying Down to Rio" (1933), Astaire and Rogers' only Pre-Code musical. The print is gorgeous and The Carioca sequence is totally erotic and beautifully staged. Orchids in the Moonlight and Flying Down to Rio are also excellent sequences. Dolores Del Río is totally alluring and wonderful to look at and Gene Raymond makes a fine couple with her. Each time I see this film and see Brazilian actor Raoul Roulien (who plays Del Rio's fiance) I can't help remembering that around this time, while he was working in Hollywood, his wife was run over & killed by a car driven by a drunk John Huston and that his studio paid to shush the scandal...sad affair

[Rita Hayworth]

Ahhh! I also revisited "Flying Down to Rio" (1933), Astaire and Rogers' only Pre-Code musical. The print is gorgeous and The Carioca sequence is totally erotic and beautifully staged. Orchids in the Moonlight and Flying Down to Rio are also excellent sequences. Dolores Del Río is totally alluring and wonderful to look at and Gene Raymond makes a fine couple with her. Each time I see this film and see Brazilian actor Raoul Roulien (who plays Del Rio's fiance) I can't help remembering that around this time, while he was working in Hollywood, his wife was run over & killed by a car driven by a drunk John Huston and that his studio paid to shush the scandal...sad affair

Feaito, this is one my favorite Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical that was done during the early 30's. I love Flying Down to Rio; matter of fact ... I saw this movie in Canada a year ago and I totally agree with you about the Carioca sequence. It's Spectacular and Visually staged. I haven't seen Orchids in the Moonlight yet; for what you've written here ... sounds wonderful and I admire Dolores Del Rio's work in films.

Welcome back, and I'm happy that you are posting again; your contributions to Silver Screen Oasis was sorely missed!; I've learned a lot from you, Fernando!

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm glad you're relaxing and catching up on your viewing Fernando, there is no better medicine.