'Metropolis' is my all-time favourite film, although the performances of its romantic leads (Brigitte Helm and Gustav Fröhlich) are hardly the greatest assets in that great movie. Still, I was eager to see them teamed up in 'Gloria', partly to find out if the chemistry of their pairing could make the transition to talkies (it does), and partly to see them acting together in roles that are more realistic than the highly expressionist 'Metropolis'.
The early talkie 'Gloria' was shot in two different versions -- one German, one French -- both with Helm, but with different male leads and supporting casts. In the days before overdubbed soundtracks, this multiple-version system was a common practice in Hollywood but much less commonplace in Europe. The name 'Gloria' doesn't refer to Helm's character: it's the name of the hero's aeroplane, and of course it's also Latin for 'glory'.
Georg Köhler (Fröhlich) is a former stunt flyer, who has now settled down to a comparatively safe job as a mail pilot ... which is still very dangerous. His wife Maris (Helm), concerned for his safety, doesn't want him to fly at all. But Georg has got the stratosphere in his veins (figuratively), and he refuses to give up flying. Maris believes that her husband loves flying more than he loves her, and there's certainly evidence of this. Even though Georg and Maris have a young son (well-played by child actor Rolf Drucker), their disagreement over Georg's passion for flight has strained their marriage to the breaking point.
SPOILERS COMING. But then Georg gets a chance to make a transatlantic flight which -- if he survives -- will mean financial security for both of them and their son. Will Maris accept Georg the way he is, or will she clip his wings and bring him down to earth?
'Gloria' is largely a marital soap opera, but there are some exciting flight sequences which are well-staged and don't appear to involve stock footage. (Although I suspect that the aerial footage used here was re-used for the French-language version.) The direction and the photography (ground-level as well as aerial) are above average. Helm is excellent as a realistic woman, radically different from her two 'Metropolis' roles. Fröhlich is rather less impressive, yet he acquits himself well. As their son, Rolf Drucker is blessedly free of the twee mannerisms of so many child actors of this period. My biggest dislike about this film was that I couldn't sympathise with the character played by Helm: if she objects so strongly to Georg's passion for flight (which is also his livelihood), then why ever did she marry him? The ending was quite as I expected, yet deeply satisfying. I'll rate this film 8 points out of 10.
