Daybreak

One thing I never understood and that was the popularity of Ramon Novarro into the talking picture age. Sure, he was incredibly handsome but he was a Mexican and Hollywood insisted in casting in sound films where he played everything but Mexicans! Here in "Daybreak" the thickly accented Novarro plays, of all people, an officer in the Austria-Hungarian Imperial Guard!!! Huh?! While having lots of American-accented guys is weird enough but expected since the film was made in the States, here it just leaves you shaking your head. Apparently John Gilbert was originally to have appeared in the film and I assume Louis B. Mayer's famous hatred of the guy is the reason he removed him and replaced him with the inappropriate Novarro.

In this film, Ramon plays Willi--and he and many of his friends are all devil-may-care womanizers. Their attitude seems to be that they should bed as many women as possible and eventually they'll just marry some rich woman...and continue to cat around on her! Nice guys, huh?! But when he seduces a 'nice girl', Laura (Helen Chandler), he seems to inexplicably develop a bit of a conscience...and she inexplicably decides to punish him by becoming a tramp.

This is not a very good film but I am sure it caused a lot of folks to take notice with its plot all about promiscuity and prostitution. However, like many of the sexy Pre-code films, it never exactly comes out and directly says what's taken place--it just strongly implied it and and expects the audience to read between the lines. In addition to the silly casting of Novarro, the film often makes little sense and the ending just left me baffled. A movie that is, at times, very modern about its sexuality yet very old fashioned as well...I can't help but think it might have been better had the writers made the film a bit more hard-edged like "Red-Headed Woman" or "Baby Face"--two of the even more adult Pre-code dramas of the time.

Austrian lieutenant Ramon Novarro (as Willi Kasder) falls in love with lower class piano teacher Helen Chandler (as Laura Taub), after treating her as a girl for hire. The amusing scenes between Novarro and dresser Clyde Cook (as Josef) illustrate at least two meanings for the word "gay". Very nicely directed by Jacques Feyder, "Daybreak" was the first of two welcome collaborations with Novarro. Unfortunately, the studio kept ordering the team to lighten up the production. Novarro is good at the humor, but it just doesn't compliment the story being told and puts his characterization off balance. Considering their manipulations, it was a good thing MGM shelved the film's original ending.

***** Daybreak (5/2/31) Jacques Feyder ~ Ramon Novarro, Helen Chandler, Jean Hersholt, C. Aubrey Smith

How frustrating it must have been for Ramon Novarro and Helen Chandler to be given such trivial and dull material. They both try very hard to breathe life into a nothing boy meets girl story. Novarro was always a great seducer - and some of his scenes are utterly charming. Chandler plays some lovely emotional stuff too and it is quite clear that the two stars are better than the material. C. Aubrey Smith is also impressive as Ramon's uncle - but why did Hollywood care so little about varying accents - Smith's very English, while Novarro is very Mexican. And they're both supposed to be German! See it for the stars, not the story.

What a difference time can make. Values have changed so much since this picture was made that no one would think twice nowadays about a woman's virtue - not even the woman in question. This film is set in fin de siecle Austria, and virtue - or lack of - is what this story is all about. Lt. Kasder (Ramon Novarro) is a horndog always 'ready for action'. He meets Laura Taub (Helen Chandler) one night, gets her drunk, and there went her virtue - but the Unsinkable Fraulein Taub wants revenge...

At the start of this picture you might think it's a war picture, or something similar with lots of action, but no. It's drama/romance story which has been done before and done better, most notably in "The Wonderful Lies Of Nina Petrovna" (Russ.1928,silent), one of the best films ever made, but which is unavailable in any format (see my review for details). It's a good enough story, but I can't help thinking it might have been better with better leads. Ramon Novarro is very appealing and energetic, but he has a Spanish accent - and this is Austria. Fair, fragile Helen Chandler, of "Dracula" fame, is pretty but often employs a far-away blank stare to denote - I'm not sure what, particularly. In addition, she appears toothless when her mouth is closed, reminiscent of Walter Brennan.

Overall, "Daybreak" is a good picture worth seeing but which breaks no new ground, and if you haven't seen Ramon Novarro before this is a good look at him and his command of the screen. He is aided greatly by two veteran character actors in C. Aubrey Smith and Jean Hersholt. And it is mercifully short at 85 minutes.

When a young Imperial Officer offhandedly insults the poor girl he's smitten with, it precipitates her into the arms of a bullying, rich old gambler. Trying to win her back, the Lieutenant becomes greatly in debt to her new lover. Will the young man retain his honor & his life, come next DAYBREAK?

The plot is a bit musty, but the performers do what they can with the material. Ramon Novarro, always a good actor, provides the latest in a series of ethnic impersonations - this time playing a highborn Austrian. Helen Chandler is a pretty love interest, especially good in the Grinzing wine garden scene. Jean Hersholt provides quiet menace as the heavy. As always, Sir C. Aubrey Smith is nothing less than excellent, this time playing a gruff old general - watch him imperiously send an impecunious young officer off to commit suicide.

Morally, this is definitely a pre-Production Code movie. Casual sex is implied, much of the action takes place in a fancy brothel and just why is Novarro's manservant wearing Novarro's drawers?