The Lodger (Alfred Hitchcock) ***

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: Marie Ault, Arthur Chesney, Ivor Novello, June Tripp

Background: Alfred Hitchcock had made 4 films before this one, but none of them stood out in a major way. In fact, his previous outing The Pleasure Garden was a major failure. Attempting to keep his career going, Hitchcock decided to adapt a novel by Marie Belloc Lowndes that was inspired in part by the Jack the Ripper legend.

Story: An older couple rents out a room in their house to a stranger (Novello), who quickly takes a liking to their daughter (Tripp). She's dating a detective who soon begins to suspect that this new stranger may be "The Avenger", a serial killer known for murdering young blonde women.

Thoughts: Very interesting early film from the master. It's clear that Hitchcock already had a great talent at building tension. The terrific central performance of Ivor Novello captures the nuances of the character and really helps with the story's attempts to keep you guessing. What I really liked was that Hitchcock takes time to build the little parts of the story and make each of the characters interesting. There are a couple problems, though. The big payoff sequence just isn't very well done. The editing is a little off and it could be much creepier. Hitchcock would certainly get much better at that later in his career. Also, he was forced by the studio to change the ending of the film. Having heard Hitchcock's original idea for the ending, it is far more interesting than what he was forced to do. Despite the faults, this is still an impressive piece of work from a future legend.

Postscript: The film was almost not released and massive edits were ordered by the studio, who hired someone to take over and present a final cut, although apparently not many changes were really made. The film was a box office success and helped get Hitchcock's career going. His first classic, The Man Who Knew Too Much, would come six years later.

Speedy (Ted Wilde) ****

Director: Ted Wilde

Cast: Harold Lloyd, Ann Christy, Bert Woodruff, Babe Ruth

Background: Harold Lloyd was at the height of his popularity at this point. His most recent films The Freshman and The Kid Brother had performed very well at the box office. After making several films with Jobyna Ralston as his leading lady, Harold cast little known actress Ann Christy for the lead in Speedy. Ted Wilde had not only directed Harold the previous year in The Kid Brother, but he also helped write several of his biggest hits, including Girl Shy and The Freshman.

Story: We are introduced to Harold "Speedy" Swift, an average guy trying to keep his job as a soda jerk while catching the score of the latest Yankees game. His girlfriend's father runs the last horse drawn trolley in the city, and Harold is determined to help him keep it against the pressure of the big business interests.

Thoughts: Speedy is a wonferful film filled with a lovely, infectious spirit. Safety Last! is often considered to be Harold Lloyd's masterpiece (and rightfully so), but this is right behind that one. The romance here is sweeter and more interesting than in many other silent comedies, where it is usually just a backdrop for the silly situations. There's a hilarious trip to Coney Island that is not only a great time capsule moment, but it also contains one of my favorite movie moments since starting this project. After inadvertently causing trouble, Harold and his girlfriend have to use all their money to pay a vendor for damages and are flat broke without a ride home. They eventually get a ride in the back of a moving truck, where they arrange the furniture within and imagine what their lives will be like when they get married. It's such a sweet, sentimental moment that definitely gets you on Harold's side and sets up the fast paced (the film definitely has an appropriate title) third act very well. This film also features a hilarious cameo by none other than Babe Ruth.

Postscript: This would be the last silent comedy that Harold Lloyd would release. His next film Welcome Danger was actually filmed as a silent, but later edited to be a sound film. Lloyd found some success in the sound era, but it was mostly mixed and he would be done by the end of the 30s. Harold returned in the 40s to work with Preston Sturges on one last film before giving it up for good.

The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Dreyer) ****

Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer

Cast: Maria Falconetti, Eugene Silvain, Andre Berley, Maurice Schutz, Antonin Artaud

Background: Carl Theodor Dreyer had already made his mark as a provocative and controversial director with films like Leaves From Satan's Book and Michael. In the late 20s, he decided to make a film about the trial of Joan of Arc. In doing so, he heavily relied on historical records of the trial. Maria Falconetti, an actress who had only appeared in two films over a decade earlier landed the lead role.

Story: Tells the historical story of French hero Joan of Arc (Falconetti), specifically focusing on her 1431 trial for heresy after the English captured her. The trial consisted of biased judges and hateful priests attacking her for saying she had holy visions.

Thoughts: It's easy to see why this is one of the most acclaimed films of the era. Dreyer's minimalist approach to the trial is very interesting. Despite spending a ton of money on sets, almost everything is shot in close up, so we don't see much of that. Instead, we get the intense presence of Falconetti, unwavering in her faith even under the most intense scrutiny; and the increasingly angry reactions of the judges and priests, aghast that this woman withstands their threats and humiliation. The reliance of close ups gives the film a claustrophobic feel, appropriate for a film about a doomed prisoner. Dreyer only uses enough dialogue to tell the story of the trial. He trusts everything else to his skilled actors. Dreyer even intended the film to be seen without music, and that is how I recommend it as well since it is consistent with the style he used throughout the film. For all of his directorial talent, it is Falconetti's passionate performance that really sells the film. He entrusts the film to her, and she absolutely nails it every step of the way.

Postscript: The film definitely had a controversial reception, and was immediately banned in Britain. Over time, it would come to be considered one of the best films of all time. It appeared on Sight and Sound's 10 Best List in 1952, 1972, and 1992. Dreyer's cut of the film was thought to be lost forever, until it was found in 1981 in a janitor's closet of an Olso mental institution, which would seem to be the very last place you would want to show such a film.