This film is based upon the play Poppy which was on Broadway in this era. The silent treatment is quite long due to DW Grifith direction as his silents were often quite long. It mixes drama and Comedy.
One thing to know, Dempster, who plays Fields daughter Sally is quite charming. So much so, that she was having an affair with the Director when this film was made. She would live a long life but would only do a small number of films and retire in a short time after this one. Griffith's affair with her aroused jealous feelings with Lillian Gish and other actresses Griffith had worked with. This might have been part of what shortened Dempster's career as peers tended to band together against them.
Fields is a bright light and the emotion of his relationship with daughter Sally is quite genuine on the screen. There are a few clips of Fields cigar box juggling routine which would be better shown in another of his films, The Old Fashioned Way. The shell game sequence is repeated too, when the sound film is made -Poppy. 1936 Fields is one of the few cast members in both films.
This is a younger more energetic Fields versus the sound version where verbal comedy replaces some of the physical. Fields always does physical comedy, even in his later films. It is one of his trademarks and is shown off to great benefit here.
This is a comedy drama, and worth it for any silent fan or Fields fan to look at as so many silent films have been lost, thankfully this one still exists. It is on You Tube where I saw it.
One thing to know, Dempster, who plays Fields daughter Sally is quite charming. So much so, that she was having an affair with the Director when this film was made. She would live a long life but would only do a small number of films and retire in a short time after this one. Griffith's affair with her aroused jealous feelings with Lillian Gish and other actresses Griffith had worked with. This might have been part of what shortened Dempster's career as peers tended to band together against them.
Fields is a bright light and the emotion of his relationship with daughter Sally is quite genuine on the screen. There are a few clips of Fields cigar box juggling routine which would be better shown in another of his films, The Old Fashioned Way. The shell game sequence is repeated too, when the sound film is made -Poppy. 1936 Fields is one of the few cast members in both films.
This is a younger more energetic Fields versus the sound version where verbal comedy replaces some of the physical. Fields always does physical comedy, even in his later films. It is one of his trademarks and is shown off to great benefit here.
This is a comedy drama, and worth it for any silent fan or Fields fan to look at as so many silent films have been lost, thankfully this one still exists. It is on You Tube where I saw it.