Diary of a Lost Girl (GW Pabst) ***1/2

Director: GW Pabst

Cast: Louise Brooks, Andre Roanne, Josef Rovensky, Fritz Rasp, Vera Pawlowa

Background: Pabst and Brooks team up again after thair great collaboration in the classic Pandora's Box. The story was based on a novel written by Margarete Bohme.

Story: Thymiane (Brooks) is pregnant after being raped by a family friend. When she refuses to marry the man, her baby is taken away and she must fend for herself in a brutal reform school.

Thoughts: Pabst and Brooks team up to great effect. Once again, we have a story where Pabst directly challenges the sexist society of the day. Most of this film is incredibly bleak, a stark contrast to what we saw in Pandora's Box. Brooks undergoes so much terrible treatment throughout the film that it even makes the typical Lillian Gish treatment seem tame. The third act turns everything on its head, and it's here where he really departs from his previous film. Whereas his previous film has oft been misinterpreted as a warning sign or a lesson for women who act like Lulu did in that film (as if this could somehow be the case and the movie still be good), he avoids any possibility for misinterpretation here. Instead, he goes for a more hopeful message, that a woman like Thymiane has a chance to prevail. Louise Brooks comes up with a terrific performance again, in some ways more accomplished than in Pandora's Box.

Postscript: This would be the last time Pabst and Brooks teamed up, and also the last silent film either of them made. The next year Pabst made an anti-war film called Westfront 1918, while Brooks would continue to work in Europe with the French film Beauty Prize.

Pandora's Box (GW Pabst) ****

Director: GW Pabst

Cast: Louise Brooks, Fritz Kortner, Francis Lederer, Alice Roberts, Gustav Diessl

Background: GW Pabst wanted Louise Brooks for the main role ever since seeing her in A Girl In Every Port. He actually had Marlene Dietrich in his office waiting to sign for the role until getting word from Brooks at the last minute that she was willing to do it.

Story: Lulu (Brooks) is a woman with a special gift at drawing the attention of men, but this causes problems for her when the men are driven to violence and other nefarious deeds.

Thoughts: This is a remarkable film that fully utilizes Louise Brooks' captivating screen presence. It's refreshing to see a movie this old be so openly daring about sexual issues. The casting of Louise Brooks is important because she has the ability to combine innocence and sexuality in a way that Marlene Dietrich probably couldn't have accomplished. With Dietrich, the character would have appeared to be too sinister. But Pabst isn't interested in judging Lulu, despite what a cursory glance at the plot may lead you to believe. Instead, he's taking aim at a sexist society that judges such women. The male characters certainly don't come off any better throughout the film. The movie even includes what film historians consider the very first lesbian character, and it's fitting with the theme of the movie that it is the most positively portrayed relationship in the whole movie (albeit that's not saying much). Two years removed from the storytelling issues found in The Love of Jeanne Ney, Pabst gives us a character worth caring about and comes up with a brilliant ending as the final few scenes are absolutely stunning.

Postscript: This film would be the defining role for Louise Brooks. The role would be so iconic that the hairdo she wore in it is still called a "Lulu" today. Brooks would quit acting by the end of the next decade, while Pabst would continue his successful directing career through the 50's.

Year 3 - 1929

I'll finally begin year 3 of this project and hopefully can get through this much faster than previous years. It should be an exciting year, as it will be a mixture of late silents and early talkies. I've pared down the list a little bit and will be watching 22 films this year, closer to the output I did for 1927.

We've got multiple films from several of my favorite directors this year, including Alfred Hitchcock (Blackmail, The Manxman), GW Pabst (Diary of a Lost Girl, Pandora's Box), and Ernst Lubitsch (The Love Parade, Eternal Love). There will be a few musicals, although I've decided to skip some of the big plotless medley musicals.

Here is the full list of films that I will be watching for 1929:

Alibi (Roland West)
Applause (Rouben Mamoulian)
Arsenal (Alexander Dovzhenko)
Blackmail (Alfred Hitchcock)
The Broadway Melody (Harry Beaumont)
The Cocaonuts (Robert Florey, Joseph Santley)
Diary of a Lost Girl (GW Pabst)
Eternal Love (Ernst Libitsch)
Hallelujah (King Vidor)
The Iron Mask (Allan Dwan)
The Last Warning (Paul Leni)
The Love Parade (Ernst Lubitsch)
The Love Trap (William Wyler)
Lucky Star (Frank Borzage)
The Man With a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov)
The Manxman (Alfred Hitchcock)
Napoleon (Abel Gance)
Pandora's Box (GW Pabst)
Spite Marriage (Edward Sedgwick)
Queen Kelly (Erich Von Stroheim)
Speedway (Harry Beaumont)
Spies (Fritz Lang)
They Had to See Paris (Frank Borzage)

Film that could be added if they become available include:

Disraeli (Alfred E. Green)
Flight (Frank Capra)
The General Line (Sergei Eisenstein)
The Trespasser (Edmund Goulding)
Thunderbolt (Josef Von Sternberg)

1928 - Top 10 List and Year in Review

It sure took me a long time to get through 1928, partly because of real life stuff that kept taking up my time, but also because I took on too much for this year. It was a very interesting year for cinema, and there were lots of movies I wanted to see, but I probably should have limited myself somewhat. The good news is that while it was taking me so long to finish the year, TCM decided to do a Marion Davies marathon and I was able to capture basically her entire filmography on DVR. That allowed me to add her two 1928 films to the list, and I'll be prepared for her stuff in future years.

I ended up seeing 31 films overall, and it was a generally strong year overall. The technical aspects of filmmaking had reached their highest point ever, but some of the films had issues as directors got a little too busy experimenting and forgot to tell the audience a story. William Wellman had his second straight mediocre output and I'll be careful in selecting any of his future films for inclusion in the project.

It was an especially strong year for leading actors. Not only did we have terrific comic performances from the three comic legends (Chaplin, Lloyd, Keaton) but we also had some outstanding dramatic performances from Lon Chaney, James Murray, Conrad Veidt, Emil Jannings, and George Bancroft.

1927 saw the first feature length sound film in The Jazz Singer. It was a huge hit, and studios began transitioning to sound by 1928. However, the early talkies were apaprently not very good and none of them made it on my radar to watch this year (if they were even available). So this will be the actual last full year of silents.

And finally, here is the top 10 list for 1928

10. The Docks of New York (Josef Von Sternberg)

The mature and complex romance between George Bancroft and Betty Compson.

9. A Girl in Every Port (Howard Hawks)

Robert Armstrong and Victor MacLaglen make for winning protagonists.

8. Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (Walter Ruttman)

One of just many fascinating shots of Berlin.

7. The Last Command (Josef Von Sternberg)

Jannings (2nd from right) and Brent, before it all goes to hell.

6. Steamboat Bill Jr. (Charles Reisner)

One of just many obstacles Buster has to avoid.

5. The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Dreyer)

Falconetti's passionate performance among the best in film history.

4. Laugh, Clown, Laugh (Herbert Brenon)

Chaney proves once again that he is the best actor of his era.

3. Speedy (Ted Wilde)

A shot from the fantastic Coney Island sequence.

2. The Circus (Charles Chaplin)

The Tramp in a precarious situation.

1. The Crowd (King Vidor)

This fascinating shot of Johnny's soul sucking work place would later inspire Billy Wilder in "The Apartment".

Best Picture

The Circus
*The Crowd
Laugh, Clown, Laugh
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Speedy

Best Director

Charles Chaplin, The Circus
Carl Dreyer, The Passion of Joan of Arc
Walter Ruttman, Berlin: Symphony of a Great City
*King Vidor, The Crowd
Ted Wilde, Speedy

Best Lead Actor

George Bancroft, The Docks of New York
*Lon Chaney, Laugh Clown Laugh
Charlie Chaplin, The Circus
Harold Lloyd, Speedy
Emil Jannings, The Last Command

Best Lead Actress

Eleanor Boardman, The Crowd
Betty Compson, Docks of New York
Marion Davies, The Patsy
*Maria Falconetti, The Passion of Joan of Arc
Greta Garbo, A Woman of Affairs

Best Supporting Actor

Nils Asther, Laugh Clown Laugh
William Haines, Show People
Ivor Novello, The Lodger
Bernard Siegel, Laugh Clown Laugh
*Ernest Torrence, Steamboat Bill Jr.

Supporting Actress

Olga Baclanova, The Docks of New York
Evelyn Brent, The Last Command
*Louise Brooks, A Girl in Every Port
Marie Dressler, The Patsy
Loretta Young, Laugh Clown Laugh

Best Screenplay

A Girl in Every Port (Malcolm Stuart Boylan, Howard Hawks)
The Circus (Charles Chaplin)
*The Crowd (King Vidor, John VA Weaver)
Laugh, Clown, Laugh (Joseph Farnham, Elizabeth Meehan)
Speedy (Albert DeMond, John Grey)

Show People (King Vidor) ***

Director: King Vidor

Cast: Marion Davies, William Haines, Dell Henderson, Paul Ralli

Background: The second collaboration between Marion Davies and King Vidor this year. Co-star William Haines doesn't get alot of attention today, but was one of the most popular comic stars of the era.

Story: Peggy Pepper (Davies) is an aspiring actress who moves from Savannah to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. She finds early success in comedies, but wants to do dramas so she switches to a new studio and takes on the name Patricia Pepoire. In doing so, her personality changes and she ignores her former friend (Haines).

Thoughts: I'm surprised Hearst was okay with this, because it seems like a direct attack on his own ideas about Davies' career. Nevertheless, it's a fine film that features cameos from tons of Hollywood stars (Chaplin, Fairbanks, Gilbert, and even King Vidor himself). The first half is especially strong, featuring some hilarious set pieces and the fake films are brilliantly done. The second half runs into some problems, as Davies overplays her character's snotty behavior a bit too much and Haines disappears for too long. The events are less inspired here and instead follow an entirely predictable chain of events. Still, the movie is able to recover for a strong conclusion that works because Davies and Haines are charismatic enough to make us care.

Postscript: William Haines was openly gay, and his career was cut short when Louis B. Mayer demanded he break up with his longtime partner and publicly marry a woman. His last film was in 1934, but he remained with his partner for over 50 years. The film itself has a good reputation, but is unfortunately one of the many Davies films that are not available on DVD.

The Patsy (King Vidor) ***1/2

Director: King Vidor

Cast: Marion Davies, Marie Dressler, Orville Caldwell, Lawrence Gray

Background: Marion Davies was the mistress of tycoon William Randolph Hearst, who only wanted to see her in expensive costume dramas. Director King Vidor got the idea to cast her in this when witnessing her do impressions of her friends. Marie Dressler's career was over and she was contemplating suicide before getting a last minute offer to portray Marion's mother.

Story: Patricia Harrington (Davies) struggles to win the approval of her mother (Dressler). Things don't get much better when she falls in love with her sister's boyfriend, but decides to pursue him after finding out her sister is cheating on the man.

Thoughts: It's a shame that it took so long for her to be cast in a comedy, because this film proves Marion Davies was meant to be a comedienne all along. The comic persona that was threatening to break out in last year's dud Quality Street is fully evident here and her spirited performance is a joy to behold. At one point, she tries to impress a man by doing impressions of silent film stars, including a Lillian Gish impersonation that is dead on. There's some really inspired stuff in the 2nd half where Marion has to pretend to be crazy and the many inventive ways they come up with for her to do that are absolutely hilarious. Marion's splendid performance completely carries this movie, but there are some strong support with Marie Dressler's manic performance as her mother of special note. The basic story is certainly simple (although the genders are reversed from the norm), as it was in most comedies of the day, but what's important is that we have a funny and endearing main character to make it all work.

Postscript: From here on out, Marion would make mostly comedies and she enjoyed success in the transition to sound. Her reputation would later be shattered by the unflattering portrayal of her fictional alter ego in Citizen Kane, and subsequent films featuring Marion would portray her in a similar light. However, film historians have since recognized that those portrayals didn't really do her justice, and even actress Virginia Madsen regrets how she portrayed Marion in the 1985 tv-movie The Hearst and Davies Affair.

The Last Command (Josef von Sternberg) ****

Director: Josef Von Sternberg

Cast: Emil Jannings, Evelyn Brent, William Powell

Story: A General (Jannings) in Czarist Russia is reduced to nothing after the revolutionm, even losing the woman he loved (Brent). Now in the United States, he ends up getting a job as an extra in a movie about the very revolution that deposed him.

Background: The story was inspired by the life of General Lodijensky, a Czarist General who also fled to the United States and became a Hollywood extra. Director Josef von Sternberg had already made a name for himself with the previous year's Underworld (#3 on my 1927 list and also starring Evelyn Brent). Jannings was a highly regarded veteran actor who already had over 50 credits to his name.

Thoughts: Von Sternberg nails it once again. He is clearly one of the best pure storytellers of his era, brilliantly juxtaposing the General's life before and after the war by alternating the narrative, never once losing focus. Emil Jannings gives an amazing performance in the lead role, showing us so many dimensions and layers of this General, making him a complex and fascinating individual. The romance between Jannings and Brent is at first problematic and contains a ridiculous title card (You are now my prisoner of war... and prisoner of love!"), but the two actors completely sell it, and the ultimate fate of the romance packs the required punch. The plot escalates to a bravura finale that still has time for one final moment of understanding between two enemies.

Postscript: Emil Jannings would become the first winner of the Oscar for Best Actor (for both The Last Command and Way of the Flesh). He still had many years left in his career, including another outing with Von Sternberg called The Blue Angel. William Powell (who plays the Hollywood director) would have a long and successful career, making a name for himself as The Thin Man. Von Sternberg would make several films with Marlene Dietrich, being nominated for two of them, and continued directing through the 50s.

October (Sergei Eisenstein) ***1/2

Director: Sergei Eisenstein

Cast: Vladimir Popov, Vasili Nikandrov

Background: Eisenstein's previous film Battleship Potemkin is widely considered one of the greatest films ever made. It revolutionized film editing and contains one of the most famous film sequences of all time. He was commissioned by the Soviet government to direct a film celebrating the 10th anniversary of the revolution.

Story: Documentary (using recreated footage) following the historical events starting from the end of the monarcy in Russia and dissolution of the provisional government.

Thoughts: What could have been a bland docudrama is given alot of power by Eisenstein's skillful editing and terrific use of sound effects. The film moves at a surprisingly brisk pace, thrusting the viewer right in the middle of the historical events. The Soviets were not happy with Eisenstein's experimental nature, including the use of symbolism in his montage sequences. They worried that it wouldn't make sense to the average viewer, but I found the film surprisingly accessible. Separated from the historical events, it's a fairly simple story of good vs. bad told with alot of passion, including a brilliant depiction of the storming of the Winter Palace. I find that remarkable considering most of the movie is disconnected from the actual people involved and instead focuses on a grand view of the events.

Postscript: The film did not fare well. Eisenstein was forced to edit certain parts of it (all references to Trotsky) and it never received the acclaim of Potemkin. It is currently held in high regard by film historians.

Four Sons (John Ford) *1/2

Director: John Ford

Cast: Margaret Mann, James Hall, Charles Morton, Ralph Bushman, George Meeker, June Collyer

Background: The plot for this movie was adapted from a novel by I.A.R. Wylie. After a career as a character actress, Margaret Mann was given her biggest role to date.

Story: A widow (Mann) watches as her four sons leave home one by one. Joseph has decided to make a living in the United States, while his brothers eventually fight for Germany in World War 1. When America enters the war, Joseph finds on the opposite side of the battlefield as his brothers.

Thoughts: This is all very ridiculous. You'd think there would be plenty to milk out of this premise. The basic situation has some psychological complexity to it. But Ford isn't interested in any of that. He's just here to manipulate the audience, forcefully plucking those tears from their eyes. What almost works is the bravura performance from Margaret Mann, who almost sells this nonsense. She creates such a convincingly real character that it's impossible not to feel sympathy for her predicament. Unfortunately, every time we get to that point, Ford is back to plucking once again. The third act is particularly bad, with one of the most unconvincing endings I've seen in a silent movie.

Postscript: Despite her great performance, this would turn out to be the only lead role Margaret Mann would get. She continued acting through the next decade, but in mostly minor roles. It would be 11 years before Ford would make what is considered to be his first masterpeice, Stagecoach.

Doomsday (Rowland v. Lee) ***

Director: Rowland V. Lee

Cast: Florence Vidor, Gary Cooper, Lawrence Grant

Background: Florence Vidor (ex-wife of the legendary director King Vidor) was already very well known by 1928, being one of the biggest stars of the early silent era. Gary Cooper had many credits before this, but they were mostly bit parts, including a minor role in the Oscar winning Wings.

Story: A poor woman (Vidor) taking care of her sick father has two suitors. Percival Fream is an aging millionaire that offers her a life of luxury, while poor farmer Arnold Furze (Cooper) can only offer his love.

Thoughts: This one wasn't on my radar, as it's not one of the notable films from the era, but I didn't want to pass up a chance to see a young Gary Cooper in a leading role. The movie is all standard stuff, but the immensely appealing stars make it work. Florence Vidor is one of the most beautiful of all silent stars I've seen, and a young Gary Cooper just absolutely owns the screen. Lee clearly knows this, and provides us with numerous close-ups of his stars. While the story is pretty predictable from beginning to end, the two stars are so charming that it's impossible not to root for them to get together.

Postscript: Vidor would only make one sound film before retiring from acting for good. Gary Cooper of course would go on to beciome a Hollywood legend with iconic performances in movies such as High Noon, Seargent York, The Pride of the Yankees, and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.

A Woman of Affairs (Clarence Brown) **

Director: Clarence Brown

Cast: Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Johnny Mack Brown

Background: Greta Garbo and John Gilbert had previously teamed up to great success in two previous films, Love and Flesh and the Devil. The story was adapted from a controversial play called The Green Hat, but the studio demanded changes to the story.

Story: Diana (Garbo) loves Neville (Gilbert), but their impending marriage is thwarted when his father disapproves and sens him away on business. Diana ends up marrying David, their other childhood friend, but when tragedy strikes she makes a decision that ruins her reputation.

Thoughts: Garbo is excellent as usual, but once again the script and director are not up to the job. Part of the problem is censorship, which diluted much of the sensational events in the book. Clarence Brown still directs things in the mode of an intense melodrama, but with everything dumbed down, it feels kind of blah. If the studio wasn't willing to do the book justice, then they needed to hire a director with a light touch, who could inject some personality and humor into the story. Only Garbo really rises to the occassion, her immeasurable screen presence impossible for even the worst director to ruin. Gilbert suffers the most, playing a very passive character, playing a man who doesn't seem so much torn between two woman, but just hopelessly confused.

Postscript: Garbo would make one more silent film before transitioning to sound, where she would receive four Oscar nominations over the next decade. Gilbert's first sound picture was a disaster (legend being that his voice was too high pitched, but that is strongly disputed by some film historians) and he was never able to recover his popularity, despite teaming up one more time with Garbo. His last film was in 1935. Clarence Brown would go on to receive six Oscar nominations for Best Director.

Laugh, Clown, Laugh (Herbert Brenon) ****

Director: Herbert Brenon

Cast: Lon Chaney, Bernard Siegel, Loretta Young, Cissy Fitzgerald, Nils Asther, Gwen Lee

Background: Laugh, Clown, Laugh had been delayed for several years so as not to appear too similar to Chaney's role as a clown in 1924's He Who Gets Slapped. This would be Loretta Young's first film role, at the age of 14.

Story: A clown (Chaney) and a count (Asther) become good friends as they help each other with emotional problems, not knowing that they both have fallen in love with the same woman (Young).

Thoughts: This actually has many similarities to Chaney's previous film The Unknown, but certainly less creepy. This is more of a straight drama, although there are still some very dark elements to the story, not the least being that Chaney's character is in love with a girl that he raised since she was a child. Lon Chaney once again proves that he has no acting equal in the silent film era. There is an incredible scene where the clown has to perform after catching the woman he loves with the count. It's an amazing bit of acting and of the more heartbreaking moments I've witnessed in a film. It leads to the line that gives the film its title: "Laugh, Clown, Laugh, eventhough your heart is breaking." Powerful stuff. The film apparently had two endings, one shot at the insistence of the studio that has thankfully been lost forever.

Postscript: Lon Chaney would only make three more films before his untimely death, robbing the world of one of the greatest actors in Hollywood history. Loretta Young would go on to be a Hollywood staple for several decades.

Tempest (Sam Taylor) **1/2

Director: Sam Taylor

Cast: John Barrymore, Camilla Horn, Louis Wolheim, Boris de Fast, George Fawcett

Background: Director Sam Taylor made a name for himself by directing several Harold Lloyd comedies, including what I consider to be the very best silent film of them all, 1923's Safety Last! In only his 3rd film without Lloyd, he was able to snag matinee idol John Barrymore as the lead.

Story: In Czarist Russia, a lowly peasant (Barrymore) is suddenly promoted to Lieutenant. He falls in love with a princess (Horn) who betrays him when he is caught in her room. He gets sent to jail, but the tables are turned when he is freed during the revolution.

Thoughts: Here we have a different take on the revolution that doesn't make the Bolsheviks look so nice. In many ways, this is a very timely film in that it criticizes the overzealous actions of a conquering army. But the film isn't interested in making that the central theme. This is really about the romance, and that's where we run into some problems. Barrymore is up to the task with a charismatic turn in the lead role, but Camilla Horn as his leading lady is just terrible. Her entire performance is flat and not once is there any sense of chemistry between the two leads. Thus the central romance thus suffers quite a bit, even if you ignore that the spy falling in love with the target was already a big film cliche by this point. The movie is still paced very well and looks great, but I wish they had either done a better casting job or dispensed with a romance that didn't work.

Postscript: The film won an Oscar for Art Direction. Barrymore would continue for another decade as a box office star. Sam Taylor had moderate success, including directing Mary Pickford to an Oscar in 1929's Coquette.

The Docks of New York (Josef von Sternberg) ***1/2

Director: Josef von Sternberg

Cast: George Bancroft, Betty Compson, Olga Baclanova, Clyde Cook

Story: Bill Roberts (Bancroft) is a coal worker on a steam ship who rescues Mae (Betty Compson) from a suicide attempt, leading to an unlikely romance.

Thoughts: A fresh and appealing story with a central romance that really works. Von Sternberg (reuniting with Bancroft from 1927's Underworld) once again creates fascinating characters that find their way together out of sad, desperate situations. Moreover, they feel like authentic characters that have real problems. And he found two actors that really connect. You really want to believe that these two people will figure out how to make it work. The film is also populated with very interesting supporting characters. Olga Baclanova is terrific as an engineer's wife and Clyde Cook makes a great villain as the engineer. All of this is punctuated by some wonderful cinematography.

Postscript: Like many of Von Sternberg's films, The Docks of New York enjoys a solid reputation today despite not being available on DVD. Both Compson and Bancroft had long careers as character actors, while Von Sternberg would continue a long and distinguished directing career.

The Wedding March (Erich Von Stroheim) ***

Director: Erich Von Stroheim

Cast: Erich Von Stroheim, Fay Wray, Matthew Betts, Zasu Pitts, George Fawcett

Background: Von Stroheim was already well known for a number of films, including the legendary Greed, where he fought with the studio over the running time (9 hours). The studio ripped his movie apart and destroyed the lost footage. Stroheim would fight with the studio over The Wedding March as well, with the studio forcing von Stroheim to split it into two films, the latter being known as The Honeymoon.

Story: A young aristocrat's (von Stroheim) parents tell him to marry money, but he falls in love with Mitzi (Wray), an inn-keeper's daughter.

Thoughts: Stroheim is clearly a talented director and his brilliant visual flair is on display throughout this film, able to capture both the grand celebratory moments for the royalty and the small intimate beauty of the backyard scenes. Still, this is a story that just doesn't click the way I expected it to. I fully admit that part of the problem is certainly due to the fact that it bears many similarities to Ernst Lubitsch's Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, which is superior to this film in almost every single way. Von Stroheim is a sly actor, but as a director he's sometimes a little too obsessed with the details. A flirtation scene between the two leads is one of the more memorable moments in the film, but goes on far too long. But even with all the problems, you can't deny Von Stroheim's talent or the appeal of the central story.

Postscript: After more fights with the studio on future films, Von Stroheim decided to stick to acting and among his many accomplishments is a memorable performance in the Billy Wilder classic Sunset Boulevard. Fay Wray would go on to be known for her iconic role in King Kong. The last known print of The Honeymoon was destroyed in a fire in 1957.

Beggars of Life (William Wellman) **

Director: William Wellman

Cast: Louise Brooks, Richard Arlen, Wallace Beery

Background: Director William Wellman was the flavor of Hollywood after directing the smash hit Wings, the most successful film in the silent era. He's reunited here with Wings star Richard Arlen, provocative leading lady Louise Brooks, and character actor Wallace Beery.

Story: A young woman (Brooks) murders her abusive stepfather and is forced to run from the law. Dressed as a boy, she meets up with a man (Arlen) who helps her

Thoughts: What a disappointment. There is an interesting premise in here, and the first half maintains a nice simplicity as the two leads hop from place to place and grow closer to one another. The chemistry between them is really strong (despite the fact that Brooks detested Arlen during filming) and the character development is very nice. However, the film falls apart once they get involved with a group of hoboes, the main one named Oklahoma Red (Wallace Beery), who takes an unhealthy liking to the girl. The problem is that the film itself takes an unhealthy liking to Oklahoma Red and hands over almost the entire 3rd act to him, with a ridiculous redemption arc that isn't believable for a second and a series of action scenes that belong in a much different film. As our leads disappear, so does the film's heart. I'm certainly not happy with the William Wellman ouevre so far.

Postscript: Wellman continued a successful career through the 50's with several notable films to come. Arlen was mostly a bit player from here on out, but managed to keep acting through the 70's. Brooks was in the midst of her career high point, with Pandora's Box just around the corner, to be followed by Diary of a Lost Girl. She would quit acting at the end of the next decade.

Battle of the Sexes (DW Griffith) **

Director: D.W. Griffith

Cast: Jean Hersholt, Phyllis Haver, Belle Bennet, Sally O' Neil, Don Alvarado, William Bakewell

Background: DW Griffith was already a Hollywood legend at this point, making a name for himself with period melodramas like Birth of a Nation, Intolerance, and Way Down East. Battle of the Sexes would be a major departure from his usual style.

Story: A couple of con artists aim to bring down a wealthy middle-aged man (Hersholt) by enticing him to forget about his wife and family.

Thoughts: It is interesting to see Griffith attempt a departure from his usual fare, but he didn't really have the nerve to see it all the way through and it ends up not being as much of a departure as it should have been. Griffith doesn't have the light touch that someone like Lubitsch could bring to the table. Instead, he just gives us a remarkably unlikable main character, makng it very hard for the audience to root for this marriage to succeed. Hersholt is a splendid actor and gave a truly memorable performance the previous year's Student Prince in Old Heidelberg. That might be part of the problem. He plays this sad man's descent into mid-life crisis so well that it feels all too real to fit in with the ridiculous set of circumstances that Griffith throws us in the 3rd act.

Postscript: This did not end up as one of Griffith's memorable films. He would only go on to make three more, including an Abe Lincoln biopic.

The Man Who Laughs (Paul Leni) ***

Director: Paul Leni

Cast: Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin, Olga Baclanova, Brandon Hurst, Cesare Gravina

Background: Producer Carl Laemmle chose director Paul Leni to direct this Victor Hugo adaptation based on unique style of Leni's 1926 picture Waxworks. Conrad Veidt (chosen because Lon Chaney was under contract to MGM) had gained fame almost a decade earlier by co-starring in the classic silent horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Story: King James II has young boy Gwynplaine (Veidt) disfigured so he will have a permnanent smile on his face, a cruel act of retribution against the boy's father. He is taken in by the owner of a travelling show and his disfigured face is a huge attraction. Years later he is discovered by the Queen's advisors, and the Queen orders a marriage between Gwynplaine and Duchess Josiana so he can claim his late father's estate.

Thoughts: Some very interesting stuff going on here, even if it never comes together in a completely satisfying way. Conrad Veidt's performance in the lead role is powerful and he gives us a memorable character to follow. The rest of the cast is also excellent. It's beautifully shot and contains some fascinatingly grim subject matter. The problem is, like many other films this year, the story just doesn't flow very well. Scenes that need to be explored more are too short and other scenes are too long. Leni is clearly a good director and he's got some good stuff here, perhaps just enough for it to work, but it leaves the impression that it could have been so much more, especially if they had kept the original ending of the novel.

Postscript: The film was a success despite mixed critical reaction. More notably, Conrad Veidt's Gwynplaine is one of the inspirations for the creation of Batman's arch nemesis The Joker.

The End of St. Petersburg (Vsevolod Pudovkin) **

Director: Vsevelod Pudovkin

Cast: Aleksandr Gromov, Vera Baranovskaya, Sergei Komarov

Background: Pudovkin had just finished Mother, where he gained fame with his montage style. The End of St. Petersburg was to be his follow up and was made to commemorate the the 10th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution.

Story: A peasant and the labor leader he helped get arrested find themselves on the same side in the Russian Revolution.

Thoughts: Certainly an admirable attempt to make an important film, but this is really a rambling, incoherent mess for the most part. Now Pudovkin certainly has some visual flair and that is certainly evident in some of the huge crowd scenes but the story gets lost amongst all the overwrought camerawork. We never really connect with any of the characters and thus it feels more like a history lesson than a movie. The narrative here could have been constructed much better than what we got and if that was done, it could have made this a very powerful film as Pudovkin's sweeping shots and multiple montages would have had a more compelling impact. I don't deny his skill as a technical director, but he lacks the skill of a storyteller in this film.

Postscript: Pudovkin would follow this up with another highly regarded film about the revolution, Storm Over Asia. However, his forays into the world of sound cinema were not nearly as successful as his earlier works, although he did keep working until 1952.

The Wind (Victor Sjostrom) **1/2

Director: Victor Sjostrom

Cast: Lillian Gish, Lars Hanson, Montagu Love, Dorothy Cumming

Background: Victor Sjostrom gained worldwide recognition with 1920's The Phantom Carriage, largely considered one of the best films of the silent era. By 1928, he was one of the highest paid directors in Hollywood. Lillian Gish (who also starred in Sjostrom's The Scarlet Letter) was already a legend and The Wind was to be her 75th screen appearance.

Story: Letty (Gish) moves out west to live with relatives, but soon feels she is not welcome. Out of desperation, she marries a man who she hates and is forced to live a lonely life in a tiny shack that seems to barely withstand the powerful wind storms.

Thoughts: The Wind is a highly regarded film and it's easy to see why. Director Victor Sjostrom has a great sense of atmosphere and creates very interesting characters for us to follow. The technical aspects were really advanced for the time period. Also, we have a legendary actress in the main role delivering a very strong performance. However, the story just never really comes together in a compelling way. The pacing, especially throughout the second half, is really weak and the film literally crawls to the conclusion. Gish was an amazing acress, but by this point, it seems pretty stale to see her repeatedly mistreated and abused throughout a film. Still, I'm definitely interested in seeing more Sjostrom films.

Postscript: Sjostrom would only make 5 more films before his directing career ended in 1937. He went on to act in many Swedish films for the next 30 years. Gish's output decreased, but she did not disappear. She would get an Oscar nonmination in 1946 for King Vidor's Duel in the Sun.