Das gottlose Mädchen

B DeMille can still find enough sensational material in modern day America as an excuse to bring on chaos and destruction in The Godless Girl. It's atheists versus Christians in a struggle for the soul of roaring twenties youth not debated through civil discourse but violence and calamity with CB measuring it out in clockwork segments.

High schooler Judy Craig is out "to kill the bible" by organizing and giving lectures on atheism. When the principal gets wind of a meeting he completely abandons his responsibility and allows the student body president and his righteous classmates to deal with the problem. Displaying high school spirit like jack booted Fascists they bust up the meeting which results in a death and packs both instigators off to prison for manslaughter. Conveiently both the men's and women's reformatories are neighbors and the two end up bonding against a sadistic warden.

Basically a silent The Godless Girl offers an audacious and defiant female well ahead of her time in Judy Craig with Lena Basquette conveying a confident and independent exterior most of the film. Bob Keene has the look of an Arrow man but is dull in comparison to Lena's Judy. Marie Prevost and Eddie Quillan provide some comic bits while Noah Beery is his usual sadistic self as the corrections officer.

For his part DeMille provides an abundance of hair raising scenes including an hallucinogenic fall over a banister with the crowd looking on. C.B. is clearly on the Creator's side but he does give us a feisty heroine in the non-believer Judy while unintentionally exposing the rabid intolerance of the God squad. DeMille also seems to be at a loss on what to do between the torrid scenes but by then the provocative poster or coming attraction has already secured your money.

Having viewed a new sound-free print accompanied by a top silent-film pianist, I have developed a new respect for Cecil B deMille. I used to regard him as unwatchable. Being a little deaf, I was able to lip-read in the close-ups, so I was highly amused by the witty colloquialisms in the captions. I wonder how the people who later applied a sound track handled that! Judging by the other posts, I think this print had more in it than was shown in other countries. Comments in the foyer afterward: "Television still has a lot to learn" and from a film producer: "It's time to re-evaluate Cecil B". This retired cinematographer saw a very fine piece of direction.

As someone who knew Lina personally, I can safely say that she would NEVER have categorized her life as "tragic". Like many people, she had her share of heartaches and disappointments, but her attitude was positive and she loved her life and her friends. She successfully transitioned into a post-Hollywood career breeding and judging championship Great Danes, a true passion of hers. Her sense of humor, her grace and her passion for life were inspiring to those of us fortunate enough to have known her. It was her passion that makes "The Godless Girl" memorable. It was her remarkable strength and dedication to those whom she loved that makes HER memorable.

"The Godless Girl" was director Cecil B. DeMille's last silent film. At the time, he was Hollywood's most successful director, but his last film--"The King of Kings"-- had angered some Christian viewers and he wanted a film to placate them. His idea for "The Godless Girl" came from a real news story about Hollywood High School, which was greatly embellished.

The film starts with a boy and girl who are attracted to each other. But the girl, Judy (Lina Basquette), is the head of "The Godless Society" (GS), an organization of students who wish to "kill the Bible". And the boy, Bob (Tom Keene), is student body president, devout Christian, and a model citizen. When the school's principal discovers that the nefarious GS is working to undermine society's laws, he sets out to destroy it. But Bob intervenes and says he will take care of it.

Events get out of hand and three students--Judy, Bob and class clown Samuel "Bozo" Johnson (Eddie Quillen)--are deemed responsible for a death and sent to a reformatory. This institution is like the worst adult prison. The especially sadistic head guard even twists his mustache like all respectable villains. Though there is a final act, the bulk of the film is dedicated to showing what a horrible place such institutions can be.

The film is not heavy-handed in promoting its Christian message, but it has its moments when Judy's atheistic philosophy is tested. Two such moments involve the "no atheists in foxholes" canard. The other is a simple appeal to the intelligent design view of the universe.

Regardless of DeMille's philosophical intentions, his skills as a director are remarkable. Inventive camera movements, wonderful nighttime scenes, convincing uses of fire as a dangerous element, and crowd choreography all demonstrate his talents.

The acting is true to the tradition of overacting in silent films, especially in the case of Miss Basquette. Tom Keene plays the comic part of Bob with a facility that still seems appropriate to a serious drama with deeper underpinnings.

Although the film hits the viewer over the head with its depiction of an atheistic character, to the point of putting a monkey in the scene of the GS meeting, the story still demonstrates some subtlety--sometimes feeling off track--and even some objectivity in portraying the two sides of the theistic question. Still, DeMille has stacked the deck enough to make audiences of 1929 feel that theism is the easy victor in the "war" for their souls. Religious imagery and emotional appeals to faith abound.

The restored copy (without sound) is well worth seeing.

Cecil B. DeMille was notorious for spectacle films, and his religious ones were always successful. This movie combines both of these, but it also employs another of DeMille's talents, social commentary.

Judy (Lina Basquette) is an atheist, and passes out flyers about her Godless club to recruit new members. Bob (Tom Keene) is a Christian who hates what Judy is doing to the school. As class president, he brings a group of believers to an atheist rally to crash the party. It becomes a violent fight between the two sides which ends in the death of a girl. The leaders of the groups, Judy and Bob, are held responsible, and are sent to reform school.

This isn't the reform school from a children's film. The guards (Noah Beery) are as harsh as jail guards and they have no tolerance for mistakes. Judy finds a friend in Mame (Marie Prevost), a believer who takes on a leadership position with Judy. Her religion detracts in no way from her spunky personality, though, and she proves to be a bright spot in such a terrible place. The two girls can't seem to avoid trouble, and neither can Bob, so the three form sort of a team. But the gongs keep ringing, signaling orders to be carried out. It is inevitable that something major happens.

Of course it does, and there are revelations. The religious aspects of the film are subtle but nonetheless powerful. Any faith can watch and enjoy this movie. It is thanks to the actors for making each lesson so strong and truthful. Basquette and Keene are great together. Prevost is outstanding in her role. She commands attention because she is equally fun and moral, adding a depth not often found in sidekick roles.

The film it an absolutely amazing example of the abilities of silent film makers. The editing is fantastic, and so many innovative camera angles are used, it's amazing that talkies took so long to re-adopt them. The finished product is polished and perfect; every second is captivating.

Many thanks go to Kevin Brownlow and Photoplay Productions for the restoration of this film. Carl Davis provides an enchanting score that compliments the action wonderfully. This is a top-notch film that was worked on by top-notch film lovers.