One Romantic Night

This film begins rather slowly, but gets more interesting as one progresses through the film. The Swan, later retitled One Romantic Night, was the talkie debut of silent film giant Lillian Gish. The criticism that Gish was too old for this part are baseless because Gish still looked quite young at this point (she certainly didn't look 37). She was also very dolled up and beautiful, looking every bit like a princess. Her talkie debut was great. She spoke well, she had great facial and bodily expressions, and she captivated the audience during her scenes just as she did in her silent films. This role was also a welcome change for Gish fans used to seeing her play the vulnerable, frail, nice girl roles, as she was strong, defiant, and independent in this role. Marie Dressler was great too. She owned her lines expressively without overdoing it, and it was nice to see her in a nobility role, much different than her previous roles. Rod La Rocque and Conrad Nagel could be stiff at times, but there were scenes where they shined as well. The two teenage boys had small roles, but performed them very well. Overall, the film has a rather slow start, and at some point the acting seems quite "stagey," but overall it is an enjoyable film, and it's very worth watching for Lillian Gish fans to see her in her first talkie.

A common misconception about the decline of silent film stars at the dawn of the talkie revolution is that their subsequent unpopularity came from bad voices or an inability to recite dialogue. This idea ignores how much society in general was shifting during the late 20s and early 30s, what with the Great Depression puncturing Roaring Twenties decadence and optimism, as well as the usual shifts in audience taste that had always been occurring among moviegoers. These shifts had a lot more to do with the decline of old favorites than squeaky voices.

Lillian Gish's decline as a movie star was already in effect before moguls accepted sound was more than a fad. Her last few silent films had either underperformed or flopped. Gish was a phenomenal actress, but her tragic ingenue image was falling out of favor, even with attempts to complicate the persona with madness (THE WIND) or innocent sexuality (LA BOHEME and THE SCARLET LETTER). Stars rise and fall on the whims of their public, and the public was losing interest in Gish.

ONE ROMANTIC NIGHT is Gish's first talkie and it's often purported to be a showcase for how bad early sound filmmaking could be. I've seen it twice and honestly, there are way worse early sound films than this one. The acting is largely stiff and the action stagebound, but the script is a diverting trifle. Gish was too old to play the princess, but she had the proper patrician look and the ability to play girlish characters well. She's certainly better than Rod La Roque as the rakish prince, who comes off way too nasally and foolish to strike one as a properly enticing bad boy. Conrad Nagel, Marie Dressler, and OP Heggie all give Gish proper support and there's enough modest entertainment value in the whole affair to keep the film from being a bore.

It was interesting to see silent film star Lillian Gish in her first talking picture and Marie Dressler was always worth watching. Also love older films and there are many good examples of this type of film. Was not expecting a lot though from 'One Romantic Night' admittedly and am saying this with regret. Reviews have always been indifferent at best, with many respected critics and users not liking it at all and play to film adaptations at that time didn't always fare well.

'One Romantic Night' fails in this respect and is among the worst examples. Gish is much better served in silent films and it is best probably to stick to watching them, don't make 'One Romantic Night' your introduction to her. She and Dressler, who has also been better, don't fare too badly actually compared to everything else. It is the male cast and all the problems that too many play to film adaptations at that time had (all present here) that bring it down. As well as how its troubled production is all over it. Best to be seen as a curio and if you want to see every Gish film she did.

Gish may not be right for her role age-wise, but she looks luminous and gives a heartfelt and not too histrionic performance. Dressler also gives a committed performance without over-compensating and likewise with delightful OP Heggie.

While the sets may betray stage origins, they at least look sumptuous, and likewise with the costumes.

Not much praise otherwise sadly. Rod La Rocque is as stiff as a board and makes planks of wood more animated in comparison. Conrad Nagel is too mannered and smug. The multiple directing changes that 'One Romantic Night' suffered from is too obvious in the finished product, very erratic, and the photography captures Gish well but is too static which adds further to the staginess.

Staginess that is apparent in the stilted scripting, the very sluggish pacing and a story that creaks badly. Even back then it felt at least a decade out of date, is so stop and start and is overwrought.

Has its good points but too much doesn't work at all. 3/10

One Romantic Night (1930)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Screen legend Lillian Gish made her talkie debut in this rather static (?) comedy about a love triangle. In the film she plays a princess who is promised to a man (Rod La Rocque) but of course she's in love with another (Conrad Nagel). This film was filmed once before in 1925 and again later with Grace Kelly but I haven't seen either of those to make a far comparison. I'm certainly hoping that either one is better than this film because sadly this film is quite poor. I love Gish and always have but this film here is pretty poor from start to finish and even her lovely grace can't save it. In fact, I'd say she's part of the problem because she's way too old (37 at the time) to be playing the part, which is clearly mean for someone in their early twenties, if not younger. Having her squeeze into a role like this is certainly unfair and especially considering this was also her first talkie. Her talking sequences are really bland, which took me by surprise. I thought she would have handled the jump a lot better than she did because she had a lovely voice but it seems she's trying way too hard to push her voice. Just watch her in a number of scenes where she actually looks like she's trying to "push" her voice. She wouldn't make another film for three years and apparently hated making this movie, its director and had an overall negative opinion on the film but after seeing this you could understand why. Both La Rocque and Nagel are rather stiff and bland as well. Supporting players Marie Dressler and O.O. Heggie fair somewhat better but they can't save the film either. The entire film is poorly directed and I'd question whether anyone knew if they were making a comedy or drama because I honestly couldn't tell. Things are that flat from start to finish so there's really no one to recommend this to unless, like myself, you're a Gish fan and want to say you've seen her first talkie.

I found this movie very enjoyable . I didn't Lillian Gish was best for the part but she played it well...her facial expressions and eyes are the most interesting thing to watch in the film . Marie Dressler is usually a very good actress but doesn't fit the role well either ; maybe no one in the film does , but it's a pleasant watch anyway . La Rocque was weak ; Nagel was his handsome self but better suited with Garbo...O.P. Heggie was his usual delight . I would recommend this film .... one question : why does it go by two different titles ? I think the title of The Swan sounds much more interesting..."One Romantic Night" seems rather tripe ...... beautiful early talkie sound/picture quality