It never ceases to amaze me what a great talent Marion Davies was. She is too-often overlooked and it seems when she could get out of Hearst's grasp for MGM productions with the genius King Vidor (I really love Show People) she finds her niche in romantic comedy. This one's a beaut. It is not only extremely funny, but dramatic and sad. With each film of hers I get to see, Marion Davies is sure showing up and delivering as one of the great actresses of the silent screen. She has wonderful support from Marie Dressler, who was dragged out of retirement and would soon after appear with Garbo in Anna Christie. With King Vidor at the helm during this period, any film was instant gold and the top brass at MGM knew darn well to get Davies for the part. This film is paced so wonderfully and is a real treat.
Reviews
4 Reviews
The Seventh Victim
(1943)
Poorly written, badly executed
19 October 2013
I have no idea how this film got such a high rating. The whole premise is unfathomable, the acting and the dialog are both stiff and the "evil devil worshipers" look like the board of directors of a bank and are about as menacing as a bunch of frumpy old ladies at tea time. What a waste of time watching this drivel.If films like this set the standard for the mindless garbage of the modern horror era I can see we're in trouble. It is truly bad. I don't see how films like this could have ever been produced, I mean, why weren't they smart enough to just pull the plug and start making a good film. I didn't like any aspect of this film, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
The Big Parade
(1925)
Silent Cinema at its' best!
19 March 2012
Having canvassed the majority of extant films from the silent era, I have a basis of comparison in evaluating this 1925 film in which one John Gilbert proved beyond any doubt that his dramatic capabilities extended beyond matinée idol and the "Great Lover" tag that he so abhorred up until his untimely death of consumption at 36. Gilbert was leading man for none other than Greta Garbo, Lillian Gish, and Mary Pickford- a feat no other actor could boast, and indicative of the span of his career. Here he is the spoiled rich kid who volunteers for infantry and combat duty. It was a theme that Oliver Stone would draw from his own experience decades later in writing Charlie Sheen's character in Platoon. Here he is torn between a fiancée back home and an absolutely endearing French girl played with unbelievable subtlety and naturalness by Renee Adoree. Gilbert and co-stars Adoree and Karl Dane all died tragic deaths within just a few years of this outstanding film. Gilbert essentially drank himself to death, Adoree died of tuberculosis in 1933, and Dane committed suicide when the talkie era 86d his illustrious silent film career. We have them all under the careful direction of the best director of all time King Vidor. To my knowledge, over his 60+ year career in Hollywood, Vidor made not a single flop, not one film that isn't critically acclaimed. Among his arsenal- The Crowd, Show People, Ben Hur, The Jack-knife Man, La Boheme. So here I go with my bold declaration.... The Big Parade is King's finest hour. It is cleverly paced, the editing is flawless, the acting is so natural you'd think you were watching real events as they unfold. The musical score by Carl Davis is the best he has ever conjured, and that's saying an awful lot. THE BIG PARADE. Yes. Get it, turn the lights out, clear the mind, and ready yourself for the film experience of a lifetime.
Torrent
(1926)
A great star in the making
28 March 2011
It is remarkable that short of some 60 minutes of The Divine Woman, Greta Garbo's entire career and filmography has survived for our enjoyment. Torrent, her first American film after two feature-length European films, is remarkably impressionable. Now for the first time seen on the DVD release from Warner Bros. (it's previous availability consisted of a piecemeal ten parts on You Tube), her first MGM vehicle is absolutely stunning! The MGM back lot sets are resplendent of old Spanish countryside, Monta Bell's direction is brilliant, and Garbo's technique- from subtle gestures to facial expressions in closeups are very much in evidence. In yet another great Ibanez novel adapted to the screen, the heroine is a Spanish girl of a poor family who is spurned by a rich lover and runs off to Paris to pursue a career as an operatic singer. She subsequently returns to her small Spanish town a famous diva. In essence a story of the conflict of romantic love versus cultural duty and societal trappings. There are many great scenes. There is one erotic shot in particular in which leading man Ricardo Cortez lays in the lap of Garbo that clearly provided the inspiration for the now legendary love scene with Garbo and John Gilbert in Flesh and the Devil. The exteriors during the flood scene rival those shot in The Temptress. Altogether, great casting, tremendous special effects and an actress who captivated the movie-going public then as now make for an early work in the development of a film icon that surprises and delights. Where I had once thought it merely hinted at an astounding talent yet to come, Torrent shows clearly that by 1927 Garbo was already delivering the goods.
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