Ladro d'amore

Unlike the other "reviewer" i have actually seen this film in 1986. Leatrice Gilbert Fountain introduced a short season of her father's films at the NFT in London,which included this film.Although it is some 20 years since i saw this film i did keep notes.These indicate that Gilbert's performance is poor and his voice weak.The dialogue was ludicrous although the film was amusing.The famous scene where he keeps kissing his leading lady whilst saying over and over again"I love you" was of course superbly parodied in "Singing In The Rain".I have seen some of his later films and there doesn't seem to be anything too funny about his voice.However what we over 75 years later tend to forget is that by and large the stars only had one shot at it.Either they passed with flying colours or they were washed up.After all Gilbert's sad demise is one of countless casualties of the arrival of sound.However his is the highest profile casualty.