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Reviews
Never Weaken (1921)
Never stop laughing
This is an excellent comedy and consistently funny. Lloyd learns that his girlfriend, who works for a doctor, is about to be laid off because business is poor. So he goes out and creates some chaos to ensure a steady stream of patients. Then, when he mistakenly thinks his girlfriend is going to marry someone else, he tries to commit suicide - the operative word being "tries." Each attempt ends in failure, with each attempt funnier than the previous one. The climactic scene has him dangling on a steel girders; if you're like me and can't stand heights, these scenes are extremely effective. One laugh after another - don't miss this one.
The Jack-Knife Man (1920)
This movie is a little gem, not to be missed
Peter Lane lives by himself in an old houseboat. During a storm one night, a woman and her small son Buddy seek shelter with Lane. The woman dies the next day from exposure, and when the attending physician assumes the woman and Buddy are Lane's wife and son, Lane does not correct him. One day, a tramp named Booge tries to take off on the boat while Lane is looking for food. Lane stops him, then decides to take on Booge if he helps with the chores. Together, the two men take care of Buddy. Lane uses his jack-knife to carve wooden animals for Buddy, while Booge amuses the boy with songs and woodwork. Complications ensue when the town's Justice of the Peace, Briggles, tries to take Buddy away from Lane.
This is a sweet film, and highly recommended. It is unfortunate the print on YouTube is mediocre, but the film is still watchable. The acting is solid across the board. Kelso is very cute. All the main performers were in their 40s, 50s and, in the case of Lane, 60s, and yet this seems like a film to be enjoyed by all ages. King Vidor's wife Florence has a small but pivotal role near the end of the film.
There is also an amusing subplot involving the Widow Potter (well-played by Lillian Leighton) and her attempts to hook Lane. An unforeseen twist late in the film makes the final scene at fadeout very poignant and bittersweet.
The Delicious Little Devil (1919)
Valentino shows he can do comedy
Mary McGuire works as a hat-check girl, but she is canned when her boss sees her dancing with a customer's coat. Mary sees an ad for a hostess/dancer at the Peach Tree Inn, and applies for the job. She convinces the manager she is really Gloria Du Moine, a famous dancer who has been involved in scandal with the Duke de Sauterne. At the Inn, she meets Jimmie Calhoun, son of a rich Wall Street bigwig. Jimmie's father thinks Mary is a gold-digger, and sets out to prove it. Meanwhile, the Duke shows up and Mary finds herself in a mess. Will true love win out?
This is a fun film, smartly directed and acted, and moves along at a great pace. Murray is a terrific physical comedienne, and Valentino (looking like he is barely out of high school) shows a good flair for comedy. The supporting cast is quite good, and the conclusion is hilarious. While there are no belly laughs, this is a pleasant film and a good way to kill an hour.
Beauty's Worth (1922)
Boring misfire
Prudence Cole is a shy Quaker, dominated by her two old crone aunts. Prudence feels some affection for rich Henry Garrison. Garrison strings her alone for his own amusement, inviting her to a party at his estate.
There, Prudence meets artist Cheyne Rovein, who offers to help Prudence impress Garrison. Rovein designs some costumes for Prudence, then engages the party-goers in a game of charades, highlighted by skits in which Prudence, dressed in various outfits, suggests clues. Suddenly Garrison becomes more interested, but will Prudence end up with him or Rovein?
This film has so many bad things going for it, it's hard to know where to start. Boring pretty much describes it. The charade skits are really stupid, and painful to sit through - I actually started hitting the fast forward button.
Hallam Cooley, as Garrison, looks repulsive, so it's hard to imagine any dame falling for him, even if they wanted his dough. He spends most of the film playing Davies, but then the skits get his manly fluids going - and the same goes for every other guy in the crowd.
Apparently just seeing Davies not wearing her Quaker outfit is the equivalent of taking Viagra. Davies is fair in her acting, Stanley better. June Elvidge, as a woman interested in Cooley, gives a nice performance. Lydia Titus and Thomas Jefferson (not the President) are supporting characters who could easily have been cut from the movie. In fact, a lot of this movie should have been cut. If Davies really wanted to impress Cooley, she should have just had sex with him, which would have taken about five minutes, and the film would have been mercifully over that quickly.
Back Pay (1922)
Good tear-jerker
Hester Bevins tires of life in the country, and yearns to move to New York City. She leaves behind her boyfriend, Jerry Newcombe. Five years later, Hester has taken up with a Wall Street Sugar Daddy named Charles Wheeler. She revisits her home town, and runs into Jerry, who mistakenly thinks she has returned to him. Unable to tell him the truth about what she is doing, she says she is making money doing fashion design. She returns to Wheeler; meanwhile, Jerry is blinded in the war. Hester goes to see Jerry and is told that he only has a few weeks to live. She then asks Wheeler if she can marry Jerry, so he can have some happiness in his last days.
This is a decent tear-jerker, as you might expect having been based upon a Fannie Hurst novel. The actors play it pretty straight, with no maudlin scenes. The Wheeler character is a refreshing change, since he is not portrayed as a scoundrel; in fact, he is sympathetic to the plight of Hester and Jerry. Both Owen and Moore perform well. The photography is impressive, particularly in the small town scenes. One shot that stood out was Moore standing on the railroad tracks, wistfully watching Owen leaving for the city.
Though this could hardly be considered a classic, I was never bored for a minute.
The meaning of the title is suggested by the dialogue early in the film. When Owen is throwing a dinner party, a guest toasts "here's to the wages of sin," whereby Owen replies "if sin has any wages, some of us are going to collect a lot of back pay."
Burn 'Em Up Barnes (1921)
Gets better as it goes alone
"Burn 'Em Up" Barnes is the son of a rich automobile magnate. When his car breaks down, he is mugged and tossed aboard a freight train. There, he befriends a hobo named King Cole. The pair end up in the town of Westwood, PA, where they get mixed up in various situations. Barnes falls for a local girl named Madge. Barnes and Cole are later falsely accused of kidnapping, and jailed. When the bank is robbed, Barnes' father and Madge help him escape from jail, whereby he enters the local auto race and speeds after the crooks.
This film got better as it went along. The early scenes were okay, but didn't seem to interest me too much. The action then picked up and things seemed to move along faster. I particularly liked the relationship between Hines and Breese; they create some funny sight gags, and Breese lends some dignity to the role of hobo. There is also some funny byplay between Barnes and Harry Frazer, who plays Carpenter's effeminate fiancé. The action scenes are well-staged, especially the rescue of a baby boy wandering along railroad tracks ahead of an oncoming train.
The title cards contains plenty of puns and wisecracks.
The Flower of the North (1921)
Walthall gives a solid performance
This was a pleasant surprise. I didn't think I would buy Walthall as a leading man (he is much older than Starke, and pretty short), but he managed to pull it off, and gives an appealing performance. Starke is the real star though, and shows plenty of chutzpah, letting herself be filmed in a dangerous canoe ride, and scrambling up a mountainside to light a tree on fire.
In fact, the acting across the board is quite good, and refreshingly absent of histrionics. The outdoor scenes are gorgeous, and there is enough action to keep the audience interested. The Indians are dealt with sympathetically, which is a welcome change. The print I saw was in fairly good shape, although it showed brief deterioration in a few spots. Also, some footage seemed to be missing. At one point, we see Jeanne and Pierre being attacked by Thorpe's men, with Jeanne being abducted, but next we see Jeanne riding in a canoe with Whittemore. Other than that, the film holds together well, and deserves an updating with English subtitles.
The Ace of Hearts (1921)
Would have been better without the overacting
The members of a secret society vote on condemning a man to death. Two members of the society, Farralone and Forrest, are in love with the only female member, Lilith. Lilith deals cards to the members, and Forrest gets the ace of hearts, which means he has the "honor" to kill the victim the next day. Lilith agrees to marry Forrest that night, and then tries to convince him not to go through with the murder. But Forrest feels duty bound to carry out the deed. Lilith tries to get Farralone to intercede, but he offers her a bargain instead. Circumstances prevent Forrest from committing the murder, which causes the other members to condemn him to death. Farralone gets the ace of hearts. But he has another plan in mind. He begins to laugh ...
I've seen this twice, and upon further review, I can say it's an interesting story, but it's almost done in by some overacting by the three leads.
There are also plenty of holes in the film. I wanted to know how this society was formed, why it only has one female member, why Chaney has a George Washington haircut, why everyone except Bowers and Joy looks to be in their 50s or 60s, why they chose their victim (referring to him as "the man who lived too long"), etc. If you can ignore all this, you'll probably like the film.
The Worldly Madonna (1922)
A mess
Lucy Trevor is a cabaret singer. She gets involved with some sordid characters, and one of them is shot while trying to come on to her. Politician John McBride, who is interested in Lucy, believes she is guilty, but when he and Lucy struggle for the gun, it goes off and McBride is wounded. Lucy clears out and goes to a convent where her twin sister Janet is preparing for the nunnery. Lucy convinces Janet to trade places with her. Can they both pull off the deception?
This review will contain spoilers, which, if you are smart, will enable you to avoid this film. This movie is a misfire for many reasons. The director must have constantly told his performers "hey, you're not overacting enough." The situations are unbelievable, unrealistic, and unfathomable. After the first guy is shot, Lucy picks up the murder weapon (naturally) and is caught with it in her hand. Then McBride takes it from her. Guess these two never heard of preserving a crime scene. Next, there is no way someone preparing to be a nun would switch places with a twin who may have murdered someone. Sure, sacrifice can be a noble thing, but this is horse manure. Then when Janet (as Lucy) has to perform at the cabaret, I thought "how is she going to pull this off?" So she sings "Mother O' Mine," which impresses the crowd as a change of pace. Right. This would be like Cher singing "Ave Maria" ... and the crowd goes wild. In the climax, we discover that the guy who was supposed to have been murdered actually survived. Then Lucy (as Janet, in her nun garb) apparently decides she likes pretending to be a nun while Janet (as Lucy in her street clothes) ends up with McBride.
Adding to the mess are the unintentionally hilarious prints on YouTube, most of which run about two hours and twenty minutes - or so it seems. Actually, these prints contain stretches of paused scenes which go on for 10-15 minutes at a time, so thank goodness for fast forward. There is a shorter print running around 45 minutes, but I suspect this is a truncated version since the original was released at six reels. Now if someone would just truncate this down to zero minutes, I'd be satisfied.
Miss Lulu Bett (1921)
Entertaining despite the cornball ending
Lulu Bett and her mother live with Lulu's sister Ina and her husband Dwight Deacon, along with the Deacon's two daughters. Lulu cooks, cleans, and is treated like a doormat by the family. When Deacon's brother Ninian arrives in town, he takes an interest in Lulu. Dwight, Ina, Lulu and Ninian go out for a night on the town, during which Lulu and Ninian jokingly exchange wedding vows over dinner. But Dwight, being a Justice of the Peace, tells them that their civil ceremony is legal, and that they are indeed married. The couple decide to try out marriage, but Lulu soon discovers Ninian was married before, and his wife ran off. She returns home, and again is treated as a second-class citizen. Neil Cornish, the town's schoolteacher, begins to fall for her. Lulu talks her young niece out of eloping. In so doing, Lulu slowly begins to assert herself.
This is a simple but engaging film, with a charming performance by Wilson. In the early scenes, she appears plain, unattractive, and timid. You keep waiting for her to explode at all the ingrates around here. As the film progresses, she blossoms, and by the climax, it is a hoot watching her manhandle Theodore Roberts:
Speaking of Roberts, he chomps his ever-present cigar, which makes me think the only film in which he doesn't do this is "The Ten Commandments" ... unless I missed that scene on Mt. Sinai where Moses has a smoke. Sills isn't in the film very much, and the final scene with him and Wilson is extremely corny.
The film was based upon a novel of the same name, by Zona Gale. Gale adapted her novel into a play, earning her the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for drama, the first woman to receive such an award. The film follows the novel pretty faithfully, although in the book, Neil Cornish is a piano salesman and not a teacher. Also, the novel's ending is more true to life, and not the silly ending displayed in the film.
Foolish Wives (1922)
Bizarre but certainly entertaining
A trio of con artists pose as Russian aristocrats in Monaco. Their leader, Count Sergius Karamzin, sets his sights on Helen Hughes, wife of an American diplomat, Andrew Hughes. With Hughes busy, Karamzin spends his time with Helen and comes close to having his way with her. Later, he succeeds in getting money from her. But Karamzin's maid, who is in love with him, starts a fire, nearly killing him and Helen. Hughes discovers what is going on and confronts Karamzin. Meanwhile, the authorities nab Karamzin's two female accomplices.
If you can manage to get through the first 30 minutes or so (which are pretty slow), you'll probably enjoy this, but be warned that it is a bizarre film. Part of the difficulty lies with the fact that the version in circulation is not the complete version, because the complete version no longer exists. Thus, there are a few scenes which are confusing and probably need more backstory. One example is an implied rape scene, which seemed to come out of nowhere - and yet it is crucial to the finale.
Nevertheless, this film is impressive in several ways, notably the massive and detailed sets, the photography, and the performance of Von Stroheim. Of course, you may need to suspend your disbelief to imagine Von Stroheim as a ladies' man (he seems to have at least three women on the hook). The supporting cast is good, including Maude George and Mae Busch (whom I really like) as the female con artists, although Busch's part unfortunately is rather small. Dale Fuller, as Von Stroheim's hapless maid, gives a solid performance, especially towards the climax when she cracks up.
One major weakness (for me, anyway) was Miss Dupont. Although her acting was adequate, I did not find her the least bit attractive, and her character was uninteresting. However, she does have one emotional scene with a one-armed soldier (played by Harrison Ford) which is very well-played.
The Bride's Play (1922)
Good performance by Davies elevates this one
In contemporary Ireland, Sir Fergus Cassidy is in love with Aileen Barrett, although he is considerably older than she. Aileen enjoys reading the poetry of Bulmer Meade, and when the young author comes to her village, she falls for him. But Aileen soon discovers that Meade is a womanizer. Will she stay with him, or return Cassidy's affections?
This is a fairly routine romance, with a predictable ending. But unlike "Enchantment," at least this film is more entertaining. Davies is quite good, especially in the scene where she realizes she has been strung along.
Standing is acceptable as the older lover, but I found Miller to be a bit bland as the poet. The opening credits only list Davies, and she is also referred to in one of the title cards. Oddly, neither Standing nor Miller are acknowledged in any of the title cards.
The film's title comes from a ceremony performed at the wedding, in which the bride goes around to each of the men and asks "Are you the one I love the most?" in which case only the groom (hopefully) answers "yes." There is a flashback to 800 years ago, showing Davies (as Enid of Cashell) in an arranged marriage to a nobleman, then rejecting him after the ceremony, and taking off with her lover.
This sets up the climax of the film, although just about anyone should figure out how the movie will end. There is some pleasant scenery, and overall, the film moves at a decent pace. It's not a movie I would necessarily watch again, but it's not a bad way to kill 70 minutes.
My Boy (1921)
Charming
Little Jackie Blair arrives at Ellis Island, his father having been killed in France and his mother having died during the voyage. He manages to elude immigration authorities, and befriends an old sea captain. But the captain is out of work and behind on his rent. Meanwhile, Jackie's rich grandmother is searching for the boy.
Very cute and sentimental story, with Coogan in top form. Not as emotional or sentimental as "The Kid," but still quite charming with plenty of funny moments. Coogan's antics are adorable and so natural one has to wonder if he ad-libbed some of his scenes. Claude Gillingwater, as the captain, lends fine support.
This is a little gem. With the basic plot in mind, I'd recommend watching any of the foreign language versions, since the prints appear to be better, and the conclusion is more satisfying.
Enchantment (1921)
Not the best Davies movie out there
Ethel Hoyt is a spoiled rich girl, who wraps men around her fingers. Fed up with this behavior, her father gets an idea when he takes the family to see "The Taming of the Shrew." He engages the lead actor, Eddie Eddison, to "tame" Ethel. Eddie will make Ethel fall for him, and then he will throw her over, which will teach her a lesson. Of course, things do not go according to plan.
This is a hum-drum romantic comedy, with no surprises, predictable developments, slight humor, decent acting, and interesting interior sets. The film plods along at a barely acceptable pace, but then comes to a complete stop when the two leads appear in a production of "Sleeping Beauty." Instead of cutting to the climax of the production, which brings the desired results between Davies and Stanley, we are subjected to the entire story of Sleeping Beauty - which will indeed put you to sleep. In fact, the only chuckle I had was when Davies and Stanley get passionate when Sleeping Beauty awakens, and the camera pans to the audience. Most of them seem aghast at the display of spontaneous affection, except for Mr. Hoyt (well-played by Tom Lewis), who is sound asleep.
Davies is cute, but her character is annoying, and her outfits are atrocious. Harvey is adequate as the romantic lead, but looks ridiculous in his Prince Charming outfit.
Edith Shayne, as Mrs. Hoyt, is very attractive at the outset of the film, and could easily have played a romantic lead herself:
Moran of the Lady Letty (1922)
Fairly predictable
Playboy Ramon Laredo heads to the docks to go sailing with his friends. Instead, he is given a mickey and shanghaied aboard a ship, commanded by Captain Kitchell. Ramon toughens up under the captain, and eventually starts to enjoy the life. Then, a ship named the Lady Letty catches fire. Kitchell's men board it, thinking it is a derelict. The only survivor is Moran, the tomboy daughter of the Letty's captain. Kitchell makes a play for her, but Ramon intercedes. Later, Kitchell delivers guns to outlaws. Ramon and the crew turn the tables on Kitchell.
This one didn't impress me a whole lot, probably because it was fairly predictable. Valentino does a good job in a more physically demanding role, and Walter Long, as Kitchell, makes an excellent rat. I was disappointed with Dalton, however. She is adequate, but that's about it. Of course, she spends most of the film wearing men's clothes, so that worked against her. She also didn't seem to have any chemistry with Valentino.
The film features early appearances by two actors on their way up. George O'Brien can be glimpsed in a few scenes, playing a sailor aboard the Lady Letty. William Boyd (with a moustache) plays Valentino's society friend near the end of the film.
The film was based upon a novel of the same name, written by Frank Norris. The first half of the film is a fairly faithful adaptation of the book, but the second half bears almost no resemblance. I found the novel, which had an unexpected ending, to be better than the film.
The Paleface (1922)
HIlarious Keaton film, great stunts
Buster inadvertently wanders onto Indian land, chasing butterflies. What he doesn't know is that the tribe has vowed to kill the first white man who shows up, since they have just been cheated out of their land. Buster frustrates every attempt at his demise, including fashioning asbestos underwear so he cannot be burned at the stake. The tribe make him an honorary member, and then he fights to get their land back. When Buster threatens to scalp one of the swindlers, the man offers up his toupee instead.
There are plenty of funny and incredible stunts, which leaves me wondering if there was anything Keaton would not attempt.
The Conquering Power (1921)
Fine romantic melodrama
Victor Grandet has lost his fortune by speculating, but his son, Charles, is unaware of this. Victor sends Charles to live with Pere Grandet, who is Victor's brother. Victor commits suicide, and Charles learns he is penniless. Pere, who is a miser, manages to buy up Victor's debts at a fraction, and makes a small fortune by doing so. However, he keeps Charles in the dark. Meanwhile, Charles begins to fall for Pere's daughter Eugenie. Charles leaves to seek his fortune. While he is away, Pere intercepts letters that Charles has written to Eugenie, leading the two lovers to believe each has gone their separate ways. Will true love conquer all?
This is a fine romantic melodrama, with good performances by the leads. Valentino, in particular, gets a chance to experiment with his role, beginning as a spoiled rich boy. Interestingly, when we see him later in the film, he has abandoned the "slicked-down hair" look, and sports some beard stubble, which to my mind, makes him look more handsome: Alice Terry is beautiful as ever, and she makes an attractive partner for Valentino.
In one odd scene, Terry is courted by various suitors. One of them, played by Ward Wing is clearly portrayed as effeminate.
The film is enriched by the solid performance of Ralph Lewis as Pere Grandet. Lewis creates one of the most reprehensible characters of the silent screen, which makes his final comeuppance deliciously appropriate. Without giving too much away, let's just say Lewis encounters some spirits who wish to enact justice.
Saturday Night (1922)
Not the dud I thought it might be
Shamrock O'Day is a laundress whose family works for wealthy Richard Prentiss. Tom McGuire is Shamrock's neighbor, and chauffeur to wealthy Iris Van Suydam. Shamrock and Tom each wish for the good life, while Richard and Iris yearn for the simple life. Richard and Iris have an arrangement to be married. But fate intervenes, and Richard finds himself falling for Shamrock, while Iris falls for Tom. Both couples marry, but their relationships take rocky turns as class differences come to the forefront.
At first, I thought this film would be a dud, but it did entertain me. It was interesting to see how each spouse got on the other's nerves, and how their relationships deteriorated. The situations ranged from comical to downright nasty. The leads all do good work, especially Edith Roberts. The supporting cast is also good, with Theodore Roberts as Joy's uncle, doing his cigar chomping, and Julia Faye, as Nagel's sister, acting the part of beyotch quite well. The climax has unnecessary melodrama, which I felt weakened the film, and also made the characters seem more reprehensible.
There are some nice bits in the film, particularly between Joy and Mower. When Joy moves into his apartment, she sits down at what seems to be a piano, only to discover it's a hide-a-bed. She draws a bath for Mower, who has just come home from work, and he asks why, noting that it's only Tuesday. When his friends drop over unexpectedly, he invites them to stay for dinner, and they turn out to be boors. Then, Joy lights up in front of everyone, which makes Mower shoot daggers at her.
These mini-spats are far and away the best parts of the movie.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921)
Impressive but depressing
Pre-World War I, an Argentinian rancher's two daughters marry a Frenchman named Desnoyers and a German named von Hartrott. Desnoyers' son Julio grows up to be a playboy, and moves to Paris to become a painter. Von Hartrott's sons go to Germany and serve the Fatherland. Julio begins an affair with a married woman, Marguerite Laurier. With the outbreak of war in France, Julio feels no responsibility to enlist, while von Hartrott's sons join the German army. Marguerite becomes a nurse for the Red Cross, and, ironically, tends to her injured husband, who was blinded in combat. Julio finally sees the light and joins the French army, and in the climax, comes face to face with one of his German cousins.
Ultimately, this is a depressing film, and somewhat emotionally draining, but it is impressive in so many ways. The cinematography is excellent, and the few battle scenes are realistic and well-staged. The biblical Four Horsemen make several appearances, with some clever trick photography. The romantic leads are fine (Terry is particularly lovely). But what made the film for me was the outstanding supporting cast, many of whom are not remembered today. Although there were so many characters it was sometimes hard to keep track of who was who, each one had an interesting storyline. Josef Swickard, as Julio's father, may well be the most pathetic character in the film. He has to suffer the humiliation of discovering his son is carrying on with a married woman. Later, his French home is virtually ransacked by the Germans. He is initially overjoyed to find that one of his nephews is a German officer, thinking this will spare him any atrocities. Fat chance. In one scene, weird even by today's standards, one of the Germans puts on a dress during a wild celebration in the house, while another officer (Wallace Beery) attempts to molest a young woman.
Alan Hale, as the senior von Hartrott, is gung-ho on having his boys serve Germany, but at the end, he is a broken man, regretting that his family ever left Argentina.
Nigel De Brulier plays a mystical character who seems to foretell what is to happen.
John St. Polis, who could easily have been cast as a villainous character, emerges as a sympathetic hero, and his later scenes with Alice Terry are quite touching.
Molly O' (1921)
Enjoyable Normand film
A DVD transfer of an abbreviated copy has been uploaded to YouTube (with Russian titles) and runs just under an hour. The description of the video adds some historical facts. The added musical score features themes familiar to Laurel and Hardy fans.
Molly O'Dair, daughter of an Irish washerwoman, is pursued by the uncouth Danny Smith. Molly meets a young doctor named John Bryant while she is delivering a package of laundry. Bryant is engaged to Miriam Manchester, sister of Fred Manchester, who senses a big payout after his sister marries the doctor. Molly attends a masquerade ball, with Bryant and Miriam in attendance. By coincidence, Molly wears the same costume as Miriam, and Bryant mistakes Molly for his fiancée. This enrages Miriam, who returns his engagement ring. Smith, who is also at the party, is similarly angered. Bryant follows Molly home, where he rescues her from Smith. As Bryant and Molly embrace, Molly's father sees them, and kicks Molly out of the house. She goes to Bryant's home. The next morning, Molly's parents head to Bryant's home, where Mr. O'Dair pulls a gun on the doctor. But Bryant disarms him and tells him he plans to marry Molly. The O'Dair family takes up residence in the doctor's home. Molly's brother, who loses money to Manchester, forges a check. Molly meets Manchester in a blimp, to settle things. Manchester starts up the blimp, and Molly's brother notifies Bryant what has happened. Bryant takes a plane, boards the blimp, rescues Molly, and the two parachute to safety.
Thanks to contemporaneous synopses I found, I was able to understand and enjoy most of the film. At one point, I even realized I didn't need subtitles. Normand is very charming as the heroine, and the few romantic scenes she shares with Mulhall range from cute to almost steamy. Sherman, as usual, makes a good scumbag. Several contemporaneous reviewers panned the climactic blimp sequence, suggesting it was simply tacked on to add some excitement. In any case, the sequence is well-staged with some good stunt work.
The supporting cast is good. Carl Stockdale plays an odd character, who cuts out a silhouette of Normand during one scene, and helps with her costume later on:
Way Down East (1920)
One of the all time great silents
Anna Moore goes to live with her rich relatives. There, she meets Lennox Sanderson, who becomes infatuated with her. He arranges a sham marriage just so he can "close the deal." When Anna becomes pregnant, he confesses the marriage was not legal, and takes off. Anna has the baby, but it dies. After she is tossed out of her boarding house, she finds work at the Bartlett farm, where David Bartlett gradually falls for her. Meanwhile, unknown to Anna, Sanderson has a home just across from the farm, and is interested in the Bartlett's niece, Kate Brewster; Kate, meanwhile, had been "promised" to David since they were children. Inevitably, Lennox and Anna meet, and thanks to Anna's former landlady, word gets out about Anna's past. Will true love prevail?
Except for some comic sequences with ancillary characters that no one should care about, this is one of the best silent films I've seen. Gish carries the film, and with each of her performances, convinces me more and more that she is the best silent film actress of all time, and possibly the best actress of all time. There is one heartbreaking scene where she baptizes her child, then holds it while it dies in her arms. Barthelmess is excellent as the farm boy, and has never appeared more handsome. Sherman is very good as a scumbag, and almost redeems himself at the finale.
The climactic blizzard (which was real) and ice floe scenes are gripping. During the close-ups of Gish, you can see the ice on her face.
At almost two and a half hours, this will hold your attention - with the exceptions as noted in the first sentence of my review.
The Sheik (1921)
Entertaining but often silly (by today's standards)
Lady Diana Mayo is intrigued by The Sheik, so she dons an Arabic costume and sneaks into a "members only" club to catch a glimpse. The Sheik is also intrigued, but escorts her out. Later, when Diana is touring the desert, The Sheik snatches her. He is about to have his way with her when his conscience gets the better of him. When Diana is captured by a rival, The Sheik heads to the rescue.
This film moves along at a good pace. There is some good action near the end which helps. Valentino's leering and ogling at Ayres borders on comedy, and some of their romantic scenes almost descend into self-parody. Still, there is no denying Valentino's charm and sex appeal. I also have to give him a lot of credit. He wears a huge knife tucked into his cummerbund and a sword which curves behind his rear end, yet still manages to ride a horse with no discomfort. What a man! Ayres, while attractive, does not seem the type that would drive a sheik wild, but there is no accounting for taste. Adolphe Menjou, as Valentino's friend, looks quite svelte here. Walter Long, as Valentino's rival, doesn't get enough screen time.
Dream Street (1921)
Short bursts of interest and longer stretches of dullness
"Spike" McFadden, who fancies himself a ladies' man, becomes interested in singer/dancer Gypsy Fair. Spike's kid brother Billy, a composer, is also smitten with the girl. Villainous Chinaman Swan Way makes his own overtures towards Gypsy, who then informs the police about his smuggling den. He vows vengeance. When he sends one of his gang to Spike's apartment, Billy shoots the man, but Spike takes the rap for him. Eventually everybody (except the victim) lives happily ever after.
This is a very uneven film. But Dempster is outstanding in her role, and carries the film. She is lovely, spunky, and very athletic. Griffith was obviously taken with her, given the generous amount of close-ups she gets.
I could not see Graves as a romantic lead. He has flaring nostrils, appears to be wearing lipstick in some scenes, and he struts around like Dan Aykroyd doing his "Fred Garvin, Male Prostitute" character.
Interspersed with the action are "spiritual" scenes, showing a street minister (Tyrone Power) and an evil violinist (Morgan Wallace). These characters keep popping up during dramatic sequences, to let us know who is being naughty and who is being nice. Power is wasted; however Wallace's character is very interesting. He wears a mask, hiding an ugly face.
Elsewhere, we get scenes of hell, and Christ on the cross, which only serve to disrupt the story. Finally, there is one character in blackface who serves absolutely no purpose in the film.
Three Word Brand (1921)
Fine Hart film
Ben Trego and his twin boys are making their way through Indian territory. When Trego spies Indians about to attack, he sends his sons to safety, and then, surrounded, blows up his wagon and himself. The two boys grow up and follow different paths, unknown to each other. One takes the name Bill Brand, and becomes a rancher. The other takes the name Paul Marsden and becomes governor of Utah. Brand's partner, Barton, is accused of murder by a rival who is anxious to get a water rights bill passed by the Governor, which will put Brand's ranch out of business. Meanwhile, Brand falls for Barton's sister Ethel, who thinks he is a bully. The twins will eventually cross paths as Brand impersonates his brother, seeks to kill the bill, and clear his partner.
This is a solid yarn, and very entertaining. There is not much gunplay, nor is it needed, since the story is enough to keep you interested. There is some welcome humor, such as when Brand poses as Marsden; Marsden's girlfriend mistakes Brand for Marsden and Brand sweats it out, not wanting to give away his identity. Hart does well playing the father and the two grown men. Novak makes a very attractive heroine, but is underused.
There are a few scenes showing Brand and Marsden simultaneously, and they are convincing.
I recommend this film. Incidentally, the title refers to Brand using three words for most of his replies, like "I love you" and "Go to hell."
The Sky Pilot (1921)
Good story and cast
Arthur Wellington Moore arrives in the small Canadian town of Swan Creek. When the locals discover he is a preacher, or "sky pilot," they mock him. Bill Hendricks, a ranch hand, sticks up for Moore. However, when Moore gives a sermon, Hendricks also mocks him. The two have a fistfight, in which Moore bests Hendricks. Hendricks' friends ride Moore out of town. Hendricks, chastened, goes after the preacher, and the two shake and become best friends. Hendricks gets Moore a job at the Ashley ranch. A rival rancher named the Duke is after Ashley's herd. When Moore is shot off his horse, he is rescued by Gwen. But Gwen's father is an old-timer who has rejected God and is in cahoots with Ashley. When Gwen and her father discover Moore is a preacher, they reject him. Later, during a cattle stampede, Moore saves Gwen's life, but she is unable to walk. The townspeople build a church for Moore and surprise him on Christmas Day. But the Duke has plans for the church. Will the Duke and his gang be brought to justice? Will the old-timer see the light? Will Gwen ever walk again?
This is a fine film with a lot going for it. The acting is good across the board (especially by Butler), and the outdoor photography is first rate. The fight between Bowers and Butler is vicious and realistic. Moore makes a cute and spunky heroine. The stampede is well-staged, with Bowers standing astride the prone Moore, waving away the cattle. According to one trade magazine, Bowers eschewed a stunt double for this scene. In watching the scene, it does appear to be Bowers sticking his neck out. In between the dramatic scenes, there is some welcome humor, with Butler falling backwards off his chair, and Bowers attempting to ride a bucking bronco.
Director King Vidor claimed this was the first film in which tints were used to reflect nature and suggest moods. He used soft violet for early dawn, pale yellow for post-sunrise, amber for noon and evening, and deep blue for moonlight scenes. To express joy and sorrow, he used pink and green respectively. Unfortunately, the print I saw was lacking the tinted scenes.