By the Law

I'd be lying if I said I didn't fall in love with this movie from the very start. Whether or not the Russian countryside believably fills in for the Yukon is a question I leave to those with more geographical expertise - but in any event, the great thing about cinema is that we already have our suspension of disbelief prepared. More substantively, I have a profound admiration for the approach director Lev Kuleshov took in building shots and scenes, and for that matter kudos as well to cinematographer Konstantin Kuznetsov. The small cast, simple landscape, and utilitarian set design and decoration makes for rather distinct, stark imagery. Pair with this many shots from the very beginning in which the cast are not centered, but perhaps their hands are seen, or objects they're interacting with - a manner that rather serves to isolate and diminish the human element, even as these few characters are seen conducting themselves in a social fashion. Figure in the hard work, spartan lifestyle, and sparing rewards of panning for gold, and I feel 'By the law' establishes itself as an early example of a psychological drama. It is, immediately, a fascinating viewing experience.

True, my perception of that angle may well be influenced by the musical accompaniment of the instance where I watched this - a ruminative modern electronic score by Franz Reisecker, ambient and atmospheric, with tinges of industrial noise on the edges. Yet as I watched I couldn't help but marvel at how every slight element seems to feed into the notion that this is a fine predecessor of more well known, often underhanded, deeply affecting dramas and thrillers. The assembled actors give bewitching performances full of adept range and physicality, seemingly accentuating the thoughts and states of mind of the roles they inhabit. In Kuleshov's direction - his guidance of the cast, his orchestration of each scene - and in the adapted screenplay he developed with Viktor Shklovsky, the same bent seems very plain. In my eyes the characterizations appear to be developed as an exploration of managing tragedy, violence, hardship, and indeed sanity in surroundings and circumstances where survival is already a daily chore. In turn, much of the camera's vision specifically captures close-ups of actors' faces, highlighting the toil and emotive fervor as the narrative progresses. The dialogue, as related in intertitles, denotes barefaced reflection of either the reactions and feelings of the characters, or the plainspoken course of events - and both serve the same slant. And in the writing and realization of each scene, and the story each collectively builds - once more, truly: we're given a presentation of deepening madness and woe as Dennin, Hans, and Edith fight through the dire scenario. Personally, I think this is altogether extraordinary.

The cast is fantastic. Without hesitation, the three primary stars - Aleksandra Khokhlova (Edith), Sergey Komarov (Hans), and Vladimir Fogel (Dennin) - wholly embrace the wild, spiraling plot, and above all the states their characters are increasingly driven into as time wears on. For all the tremendous value of the silent era, few performances from early cinema have done so much to earn my favor so sharply and quickly. One could perhaps argue that the rough situations the production accordingly endured played into the exceptional, dour zeal of the acting, but even if so, the fact remains that the displays we see make a huge impression. And, frankly, so it is on down the line with every last aspect of the feature: all appearing to support the captivating psychological drama unfolding, all terrific in their detail of consideration and execution.

So awesomely rich and vibrant is 'By the law' that I quite think it could nearly pass for a modern art film delving into the same genre and concept; the only significant difference, of course, is the total lack of sound. Yet the picture is so vivid and dynamic that it feels to me as though our own mind conjures the rancor of human conflict and unforgiving environment as strongly as though we were hearing it with our own ears. Very honestly - I love silent films, but for all the stupendous, unforgettable titles I've watched, and many more I can't wait to see, I'm completely blown away by what this Soviet adaptation of Jack London's tales has given us. This is one of the most unswervingly arresting, riveting movies I can recall watching - in recent memory, at any time in my life, of the silent era, of cinema at large. I cannot overstate how wonderfully engrossing and rewarding the feature is.

I should note a content warning for violence (if minimalized, in the standards of 1920s cinema), and there's a passing line of racism that can't be missed - though one could argue it's merely a reflection of the prejudiced code of law in a somewhat lawless, certainly unpopulated region at a particular time in history. Still, for whatever indelicacies may present - the writing, the direction, the acting, the contributions of every single person down to every last small facet: 'By the law' is phenomenal, an exquisite exemplar of film that far exceeds the typical approach to storytelling of the time. It's surprisingly intense, inescapably engaging, and marked with utmost excellence in every possible way. I do not jest when I say I think this might be one of the greatest movies I've ever seen. Wherever and however you can watch 'By the law,' as far as I'm concerned this is an essential must-see and earns my very highest recommendation!

With a gripping story and effective technique that establishes a memorable atmosphere and heightens the suspense, this lesser-known Russian-made silent melodrama is well worth tracking down. The plot, which (interesting to note) comes from a Jack London story, is quite efficient in getting a world of possibilities out of a situation that involves only a handful of characters. The technique relies mostly on the kind of montage approach that some of the Soviet film-makers apparently favored, and it shows how effective that technique can be when used in the right setting.

Set in a remote, frozen, and often claustrophobic location in the Yukon, the story focuses on the dilemmas faced by a husband and wife who must contend with a crazed killer even as they battle the elements. Both the practical challenges and the ethical/moral decisions they face are brought out well by the way that many short takes are pieced together in a fashion that constantly emphasizes the unstable and confused nature of the situation that the characters face. Only some occasional overacting (especially by the wife character) detracts from the effect, and it all leads up to a compelling final sequence. Overall, it's a distinctive and most interesting film that works quite well.

By The Law was adapted from "The Unexpected," a short story by American author Jack London, published in 1906, that tells the story of Edith and Hans Nelson, a couple who encounter the unpredictable realities of life and survival, especially in the wilderness, and must adapt to sudden hardships and grave situations to endure. The story explores themes of resilience, the stark difference between the adaptable and the unfit, and the ability to confront the unforeseen challenges of life. The story begins in Chicago and moves to the rugged landscapes of the American West and British Columbia, reflecting the challenges of mining and frontier life.

Themes: the Nelsons' experiences illustrate the concept of survival of the fittest, particularly in the face of The Unexpected. Edith's ability to adapt, rather than being overwhelmed, exemplifies how the "fit" survive, while those less adaptable may perish.

Key Aspects Survival and Adaptation: The story highlights the necessity of adjusting to changing and difficult circumstances, as opposed to rigid adherence to routine.

Grit and Fortitude: The narrative emphasizes the mental and physical endurance required to navigate the unpredictable challenges of the wilderness.

Social Darwinism: Kuleshov's film does reflect the principles of social Darwinism, examining who survives when faced with overwhelming pressures.

By the Law tells the tale of five people who have set up camp in the Yukon in hopes of finding gold. From the moment one of the gang— Dennin—finds gold, it is easy to tell that he is the outsider; one can quickly foreshadow that he is probably going to do something drastic later in the film. Indeed, soon enough—he does do something drastic: he comes in while others are eating and loses it—he takes his shotgun and shoots two of the five dead on the spot. The other two—husband and wife—are able to subdue him before he can do anything else. They are then left with a decision: do they wait until they can make it back to civilization to give him a trial, or do they take the law into their own hands and conduct the trial and sentencing themselves? This film doesn't have very many action scenes, but the one action scene—the scene where Dennin goes crazy and kills his fellow gold miners—is quite something. Kuleshov's use of montage seems to make the quick paced scene go even faster than it actually does. This one scene of action provides a lot of excitement for an otherwise dull movie. Another thing that stands out in the action scene is the way Kuleshov really focuses on the actors' faces. Their expressions add a whole different emotional effect that would not have otherwise been present. Another interesting part of this film is the fact that even a painting—Queen Victoria— can cause the Kuleshov effect to occur. During the trial Kuleshov flashes the camera back to her several different times and it seems almost as if her expression changes— even though it is very clear that as a painting it has not. Kuleshov does a great job using modernist techniques to give this story life.

By the Law is a 1926 film based off of the Jack London story The Unexpected. As a big fan of Jack London's Call of the Wild and White Fang I was interested in seeing how London's wilderness and survival focused work would be portrayed in a film from this time period. We are presented with 5 characters originally, and with their combined presence it is nearly impossible to foster any kind of emotional connection with any of them. However, things are made slightly better when we are left to focus on Michael, Edith and Nelson though they still lack any real depth. Kuleshov made use of a great deal of close up shots, stressing the emotion shown in the faces of his actors.

Simply put, By the Law is far from the most exciting film I have watched. Jack London's work was so dependent on vivid descriptions of the wilderness and the mental state of his main character; Kuleshov was unable to recreate that experience with technological limitations playing a major role. Technology aside, there was way too many moments where the viewer was left to watch the actors sit idly and I did not feel like these served as tension building moments that could have helped the film.

By the Law managed to do a few things well. The lone action scene was surprisingly good and managed to quicken the pace of the film. The ending of the film was also pretty good, playing right into the title of the Jack London's original work. All in all, By the Law would be considered a rather boring film by our modern standards with its mechanical nature being its downfall..