As far as showcasing Betty Hutton's slight talents, "The Perils of Pauline" succeeds. I'm not a fan, however, but she does have some exuberant spunk and the musical numbers aren't bad. As well, there is obviously little to no biographical truth included; it's circumvented for the usual Hollywood romance and fluff. So, I wasn't expecting anything there. From what little I know of Pearl White's life, a faithful movie of it would have probably been much more interesting.
I viewed this film because it's about the silent film era, which is of particular interest to me, as are movies about movies. Unfortunately, there isn't much here, either. I've seen what remains of the 1914 serial "The Perils of Pauline", but not recently. It's lowbrow, as with all serials. This feature film does well to recapture the ridiculous cliffhangers that were almost entirely the premise of such serials. And, there are other worthwhile moments, such as when Hutton pulls Constance Collier through doors leading onto movie sets of different genres. But, this movie does more to disservice its past than it does to celebrate it, or faithfully mirror it.
The recreated images of the silent serial hardly appear anything like their real counterpart. Rather humorously, the actors of this feature overact far beyond that of what Pearl White and other silent actors did. What I especially dislike about the 1947 "The Perils of Pauline" is that it stereotypes early film-making as quaintly goofy. Concurrently, theatre appears sophisticated and restrained. Oddly, it is also on stage where the accidents occur; although in reality, accidents and physical risks occurred frequently in the early days of film-making--not on stage. The 1947 "The Perils of Pauline", indeed, is more in the theatrical tradition, rather than being cinematic, despite it being a movie about movies.
A film similar to this, "Irma Vep" (1996), which is comically about remaking the 1915 serial "Les Vampires", does much better in these respects. It is interestingly self-referential and not merely coincidently so, and it is at least somewhat cinematic while saluting its past. The 1947 "The Perils of Pauline", however, is less a movie than is the 1914 serial from which it takes its name. The serial was certainly lowbrow and doesn't even pass as amusing today, but the filmmakers then took many risks for their art--and occasionally died for it. The professional, safe movie industry that produced this product seems inferior in contrast.
I viewed this film because it's about the silent film era, which is of particular interest to me, as are movies about movies. Unfortunately, there isn't much here, either. I've seen what remains of the 1914 serial "The Perils of Pauline", but not recently. It's lowbrow, as with all serials. This feature film does well to recapture the ridiculous cliffhangers that were almost entirely the premise of such serials. And, there are other worthwhile moments, such as when Hutton pulls Constance Collier through doors leading onto movie sets of different genres. But, this movie does more to disservice its past than it does to celebrate it, or faithfully mirror it.
The recreated images of the silent serial hardly appear anything like their real counterpart. Rather humorously, the actors of this feature overact far beyond that of what Pearl White and other silent actors did. What I especially dislike about the 1947 "The Perils of Pauline" is that it stereotypes early film-making as quaintly goofy. Concurrently, theatre appears sophisticated and restrained. Oddly, it is also on stage where the accidents occur; although in reality, accidents and physical risks occurred frequently in the early days of film-making--not on stage. The 1947 "The Perils of Pauline", indeed, is more in the theatrical tradition, rather than being cinematic, despite it being a movie about movies.
A film similar to this, "Irma Vep" (1996), which is comically about remaking the 1915 serial "Les Vampires", does much better in these respects. It is interestingly self-referential and not merely coincidently so, and it is at least somewhat cinematic while saluting its past. The 1947 "The Perils of Pauline", however, is less a movie than is the 1914 serial from which it takes its name. The serial was certainly lowbrow and doesn't even pass as amusing today, but the filmmakers then took many risks for their art--and occasionally died for it. The professional, safe movie industry that produced this product seems inferior in contrast.