People watching his comic performances, or his detective roles first as Philo Vance and then as Nick Charles, rarely think of William Powell as anything but a terrific actor in talkies, who happened to be good in comedy, mystery, and drama be he married to his screen partner Myrna Loy or Mr. Day Sr. in LIFE WITH FATHER. Most don't realize, though, that Powell had a film career in silent movies. And there, he was not a nice fellow at all - he was usually the villain. Most notably in the first film version of BEAU GESTE (he played the "snitch" character played by J. Carroll Naish in the 1939 classic) and this film, one of the last silent movies starring Dorothy Gish as well as her better remembered sister Lillian. As Tito Melema, the power-hungry opportunist (and coward) in ROMOLA he shows the darker side of his acting craft - and it is of interest to catch the film for that reason alone.
ROMOLA is unique - it is one of the seven novels that were written by Ms Mary Ann Cross, better known as "George Eliot". In discussing Eliot's novel turned to film, THE MILL ON THE FLOSS I pointed out that her's was one of the best intellects of the Victorian period, and her novels are well regarded by critics but not read as much as say Dickens, the Brontes, or Trollope (or even Thackeray). The reason is she has one of the most difficult writing styles to plow through. It is easiest to read her shortest novel, SILAS MARNER, but after that you are on your own. Still it can be rewarding - MIDDLEMARCH, her longest and best novel, was called the most grown-up novel in the English language by Virginia Woolf.
Most of her novels are set in England. ROMOLA is the only one that is set abroad - in Renaissance Italy in the city state of Florence. The novel deals with the city of Florence from 1491 (the death of Lorenzino "the Magnificent" De Medici) to 1498. The story describes how the city was taken over from 1494 to 1498 by a group of puritanical reformers led by a Dominican friar named Girolamo Savanarola. Savanarola's "reform" period in Florence has been subject to much controversy. Certainly there were grounds for serious reform in politics and in religion. His supporters (who still exist) feel Girolamo's problem was he showed up on the scene twenty or thirty years prematurely - that if he had been in power in 1517 or 1521 he would have been able to coordinate his ideas with those of Martin Luther, his Northern German counterpart. But Luther wanted to do things with Christianity that Savanarola never did. Luther wanted everyone to read the Bible, and wanted priests to be able to marry. Savanarola never said he wanted those reforms. He wanted the people to obey Biblical rules, and felt the Roman Catholic Clergy should make sure this happened. Moral reform, not structural was his goal.
And since it was moral reform, his actual achievement (cleaning shop in Florence) made more enemies than he could afford. Most of the citizens of Florence begrudgingly went along, because of the threat of death if they did not. And the Medicis (forced into temporary exile) were not pleased at being chased out of their city and property. The worst set of enemies were the Roman Curia (then under Pope Alexander VI (Roderigo Borgia). Possibly the most corrupt Pope in history, Borgia had no desire to see a successful reformer in Florence. When one of the leading junior members of Savanarola's clique made comments suggesting he and Savanarola could perform miracles, Borgia saw his opportunity. He first excommunicated the reformers, and then tried Savanarola and his leading supporters for heresy. On May 23, 1498 the three men were burned to death. It later was told that Savanarola gave a prediction of horrors due to warfare that would befall Florence in 1529 during the papacy of some man named Clement. Pope Clement (who happened to be of the Medici family) was on the papal throne in 1529, when Florence was under attack.
This is the background of the novel, following Tito's latching onto the reforming monk's coat-tales for his own aggrandizement. Although married to Tessa (Dorothy Gish) Tito tries to have his way with Romola (Lilian Gish). As the monk falls from power, Tito's real character is revealed. Romola is saved by her lover Carlo (Ronald Colman). I will only add that the unfortunate Tessa is not that lucky.
ROMOLA is unique - it is one of the seven novels that were written by Ms Mary Ann Cross, better known as "George Eliot". In discussing Eliot's novel turned to film, THE MILL ON THE FLOSS I pointed out that her's was one of the best intellects of the Victorian period, and her novels are well regarded by critics but not read as much as say Dickens, the Brontes, or Trollope (or even Thackeray). The reason is she has one of the most difficult writing styles to plow through. It is easiest to read her shortest novel, SILAS MARNER, but after that you are on your own. Still it can be rewarding - MIDDLEMARCH, her longest and best novel, was called the most grown-up novel in the English language by Virginia Woolf.
Most of her novels are set in England. ROMOLA is the only one that is set abroad - in Renaissance Italy in the city state of Florence. The novel deals with the city of Florence from 1491 (the death of Lorenzino "the Magnificent" De Medici) to 1498. The story describes how the city was taken over from 1494 to 1498 by a group of puritanical reformers led by a Dominican friar named Girolamo Savanarola. Savanarola's "reform" period in Florence has been subject to much controversy. Certainly there were grounds for serious reform in politics and in religion. His supporters (who still exist) feel Girolamo's problem was he showed up on the scene twenty or thirty years prematurely - that if he had been in power in 1517 or 1521 he would have been able to coordinate his ideas with those of Martin Luther, his Northern German counterpart. But Luther wanted to do things with Christianity that Savanarola never did. Luther wanted everyone to read the Bible, and wanted priests to be able to marry. Savanarola never said he wanted those reforms. He wanted the people to obey Biblical rules, and felt the Roman Catholic Clergy should make sure this happened. Moral reform, not structural was his goal.
And since it was moral reform, his actual achievement (cleaning shop in Florence) made more enemies than he could afford. Most of the citizens of Florence begrudgingly went along, because of the threat of death if they did not. And the Medicis (forced into temporary exile) were not pleased at being chased out of their city and property. The worst set of enemies were the Roman Curia (then under Pope Alexander VI (Roderigo Borgia). Possibly the most corrupt Pope in history, Borgia had no desire to see a successful reformer in Florence. When one of the leading junior members of Savanarola's clique made comments suggesting he and Savanarola could perform miracles, Borgia saw his opportunity. He first excommunicated the reformers, and then tried Savanarola and his leading supporters for heresy. On May 23, 1498 the three men were burned to death. It later was told that Savanarola gave a prediction of horrors due to warfare that would befall Florence in 1529 during the papacy of some man named Clement. Pope Clement (who happened to be of the Medici family) was on the papal throne in 1529, when Florence was under attack.
This is the background of the novel, following Tito's latching onto the reforming monk's coat-tales for his own aggrandizement. Although married to Tessa (Dorothy Gish) Tito tries to have his way with Romola (Lilian Gish). As the monk falls from power, Tito's real character is revealed. Romola is saved by her lover Carlo (Ronald Colman). I will only add that the unfortunate Tessa is not that lucky.