Flapper Flickers and Silent Stanzas

Shut Up and Dance!

2012-02-16T06:08:00.000-08:00

Anyone else watch the Grammys Sunday night? I was blown out of my seat by Bruno Mars. Damn, that boy can dance!

His electricity is contagious. I love watching performers like that--they take you out of yourself and into the music. You can't keep still, it's impossible!

Ann Pennington always does that to me, too. This is short, but then again, so was she:

What a little firecracker! Her style of dancing might seem clunky to our modern eyes but back then it was the bees' knees. To some of us, it still is!

And then you have the great Josephine Baker. Skip ahead to 1:45 and gaze on perfection:

I dare anyone to stay in their seat during that.

Who are some of your favorite dancers, then and now?

Words With Flappers

2012-02-15T06:19:00.000-08:00

Back in 1913, the New York World was looking for a new puzzle for their fun page. They asked journalist Arthur Wynne to come up with something, and drawing on his knowledge of word squares, he whipped up a little game he called a "word-cross":

It was an immediate hit, and over the next ten years these puzzles, eventually called "crosswords", became insanely popular. By the end of the 20s they were featured in almost every American newspaper. People really went crazy over them! There were crossword parties, published collections (came complete with pencil!), even crossword fashions. Check out these ladies’ legs:

photo courtesy Hoodoo that Voodoo

So why am I telling you this?

Getting ready for work I heard how Zynga's profits rose considerably, thanks to a little game called "Words With Friends".

Hmm, what's an eight letter word for "everything old is new again"?

Happy John Barrymore Awareness Day!

2012-02-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

Oh sure, some people like to call it Valentine’s Day, poor misguided souls. They just need to be educated in the badassery that is “The Great Profile” – and you can be the one to do it! ! Show them this handy checklist to convince them to ditch the chubby kid with the arrows, and give flowers and candy in Jack’s name instead:

1. Best. Hamlet. Ever.

During the 1920s, Jack was regarded as the finest Shakespearean actor of his time, perhaps of all time. His performances of Hamlet and Richard III were religious experiences; the critic John Corbin marveled that “[t]he atmosphere of historic happening surrounded John Barrymore's appearance last night as the Prince of Denmark; it was unmistakable as it was indefinable. It sprang from the quality and intensity of the applause, from the hushed murmurs that swept the audience at the most unexpected moments, from the silent crowds that all evening long swarmed about the theatre entrance. It was nowhere-and everywhere. In all likelihood we have a new and lasting Hamlet.” (NYT, Nov 17 1922)

The only footage we have of Jack performing Hamlet is a two-strip Technicolor screen test made for a 1933 screen version, eventually aborted:

2. Rooftop Romance

Jack and brother Lionel (left) in 1917

October 1917 saw Jack occupying the top floor of an old four-story building in Greenwich Village. After he fixed up the apartment to his bohemian liking, he turned his attention to the roof. From Gene Fowler’s wonderful Good Night, Sweet Prince:

[He] planted cedars eight feet tall…[he] also installed white wisterias, arbor vitae, cherry trees, and grapevines…Mrs Nicholls [Jack’s landlady] returned to find a horticultural frenzy atop her house. She was somewhat amazed, but did not complain…for there was a startling yet weird beauty to Barrymore’s creation, and the man himself seemed so childishly content as he fed the birds on his “estate”.

3. Love, Love, Love

Jack & Dolores

Jack’s intelligence and charisma were legendary. Combined with darkly handsome good looks and an athlete’s build, he was the epitome of Lady Caroline Lamb’s “mad, bad, and dangerous to know”. He was married four times – one of those to the actress Dolores Costello – and had liaisons with Mary Astor, Jeanne Eagels, and Evelyn Nesbit, among others.

4. Ahoy There!

Captain Jack

Jack adored sailing more than anything in this world, and was quite accomplished at it. When he wasn’t on board The Mariner, he lovingly furnished his home with model ships, navigation charts, even pieces of wrecks. He would take to the sea for months at a time, keeping a detailed captain's log of his adventures and exploits.

5. King of the Retorts

Hepburn's debut film

The sheer number of brilliant quips and quotes from Jack is staggering. He rivaled Oscar Wilde in pithiness and was sharp as a razor. So many anecdotes are attributed to him that it’s hard to determine which ones are apocryphal, but this has always been one of my favorites (courtesy Anecdotage.com):

During the production of A Bill of Divorcement, Katharine Hepburn frequently quarreled with John Barrymore. When filming wrapped, she turned to her co-star and screamed, "Thank God I don't have to act with you anymore!" "I wasn't aware," Barrymore tartly replied, "that you ever had, darling."

There you have it. Five great reasons why February 14^th should be all about Jack!

How are you celebrating today?

Whitney, Jeanne Eagels, and Junior High

2012-02-13T06:13:00.000-08:00

In the soundtrack of my formative years, Whitney held a pretty big place. Anyone who grew up in the 80s and early 90s remembers her songs constantly on the radio. When I was in 7^th grade, we had to do a project on all the things that made us who we are. I can’t recall for the life of me the other things I brought in, aside from one: my newly-acquired “Whitney” cassette.

Some of the kids laughed – they were the ones too cool for pop – but as far as I was concerned they were stupid. How could they not want to listen to “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and ask their mom to curl their hair and tie a big scarf in it just like hers and generally think she was the most wicked thing to come out of the 80s since Cyndi Lauper? She was so fresh, so new, so perfectly 1987. What was wrong with them?

(They just needed a little time, was all. Five short years later those same kids were bombarding Z100 with votes to make “I Will Always Love You” the #1 song of the day yet again. And attempting to sing it themselves during choir finals, but that’s a whole other ear-bleeding story.)

This whole tragic situation got me thinking about Jeanne Eagels. She was a brilliant stage actress of the 1910s and 20s, remembered best for originating the role of Sadie Thompson in Rain. Like Whitney, she was discovered early, and her extreme talent caused all who witnessed it to catch their breath. Unfortunately, also like Whitney, she suffered from substance abuse problems, and although indirectly, they were the cause of her untimely death at age 39. You can learn more about her here, if you like: Jeanne Eagels

Ladies with so much magic still left in them to share with the world. Completely unnecessary deaths. It's sad, too, knowing that this is going to happen again and again, and that it will be only too soon that we'll be shaking our heads and mourning yet another heartbreaking loss.

The Miracle Woman (1931)

2012-01-24T11:46:00.000-08:00

"When do they bring out the elephants?"

When we first meet Florence Fallon (Barbara Stanwyck), she is angry. Her father, the well-loved town preacher, has just died...and she is positive his untimely death was brought on by being unceremoniously dumped from the pulpit for someone younger. She stands before the congregation and spits fire, letting them know exactly what she thinks of them. She is rage personified, down to her flashing eyes. Afterwards, disgusted by both human nature and God, she joins up with a charlatan and channels her disillusionment into a stage show -- "preaching" in revivals whose miracles are finely crafted circus acts designed to strip the masses of their dollars. That is, until one night, when a blind pilot named John (David Manners) accidentally steps into her act, and into her life. Suddenly an existence of bitterness and deception gives way to something she hasn't felt for years: hope...

Stanwyck is terrific in everything I've ever seen her in, but this movie elevated her for me from great actress to one of my all-time favorites. The camera loves her; I've seen precious few other performers who melt into the celluloid like she does. Every emotion, every movement is pitch-perfect. She sings a silly song in John's apartment and it's pure vulnerability; you see the wounded soul in Florence starving for nourishment, fighting to get out into the sunlight again.

This is one of Frank Capra's earlier efforts, and he demonstrates a knack that would cement his role in Hollywood later on. Rain pours when Florence and John first become friends...a baptism, perhaps, for both of them? A pivotal scene towards the end involves an inferno -- purification by fire. And speaking of fire, when Florence is seated by John's fireplace, Capra lets the light caress her like a lover. Surely she has never been softer or more beautiful.

One final note: Florence's stage performances are directly influenced by Aimee Semple MacPherson, an evangelist who reached her peak of popularity in the 1920s and 30s. She was a fascinating person and definitely worth learning about -- especially if you do so before watching this movie.

I give this one:

rubs eyes

2012-01-24T10:35:00.000-08:00

"What's that?" I hear you saying. "It can't be! It looks like...

...Flapper Flickers & Silent Stanzas is UPDATING?!"

Fear not, dear readers, you aren't myopic --
stay tuned for more posts on our favorite topic!

House Problems = Lack of Inspiration

2011-11-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

Hello folks! The last few weeks have been troublesome, to say the least. Besides being very busy at work, I've dealt with plumbing problems, broken appliances, even squirrels nesting in the walls! It's just been a lot to deal with and as such, FF&SS has suffered. Please stick around though because I promise there will be some worthwhile updates.

In the meantime, please say a prayer or cross your fingers that things improve for us soon. ☺

Buster Keaton: Parkour and Pathos

2011-10-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

If you know me, you know that Buster Keaton is my favorite of the silent film comedians. He’s the Star of the Month on TCM (!) and I’ve been giddy as a fifth-grader at a Justin Bieber concert, pushing my poor rickety old VCR to grab up all the shorts and films I haven’t seen yet.

“But Jen,” you might be saying, “why such a soft spot for Buster instead of, say, Charlie Chaplin?”

Damfino, dear reader!

(But seriously, folks…)

I have great respect and appreciation for Chaplin as an artist, and I find Lloyd’s films very funny and extremely entertaining (he’s my second favorite), but my heart belongs to Keaton, and it all started with The Cameraman (1928).

I’d never seen a Keaton picture before, and had only passing acquaintance with a short or two, when the local art-house theatre advertised a screening complete with accompaniment by the wonderful Ben Model. Ooh, I couldn’t pass that up! I’d already seen Safety Last! that way and it was fantastic.

The lights dimmed, the piano thrummed an intro, and suddenly we were transported through the time machine of a little fellow with large, limpid eyes and a stoic expression. (And a surprisingly athletic body under all that baggy clothing!)

For those who haven’t seen it, The Cameraman is about a photographer who – after falling in love with Sally, a girl working for the newsreels (Marceline Day) —decides to ditch the tintypes, get himself a movie camera, and impress her. Sounds simple enough – until he gets embroiled in enough trouble for ten newsreels! It’s a lot of fun, especially the scenes where Buster and Sally spend a day at the swimming pool. But...there’s more to it than that.

A way I’ve taken to describing Keaton lately is parkour and pathos: he does his breakneck stunts—how that man lived to be as old as he was, I’ll never know—but there is also genuine love and heartbreak. Without spoiling it for newcomers, there’s a scene on the beach where you positively ache for him, the disillusionment and bitterness seeping out of his frame and keenly making its mark on the audience. It’s a powerful shot because we can all relate to what he’s going through at that very moment. (Though most of us don’t have a monkey filming it!)

This looked like a promising first picture under his new contract with MGM, but history sadly proved that not to be the case. Yet, even knowing it was the harbinger of a difficult period in Buster’s life, I still love this movie and consider it to be one of his best.

Simply put: Buster wasn’t just a comedic genius, he was an excellent actor. By the time the lights went up, I was hooked.

Since that day back in 2007 I’ve read and watched a great deal of Keaton and I have yet to be disappointed. Some of it might be hysterical (Steamboat Bill Jr, amongst many others) and some might be horrendous (Free and Easy), but it’s always worth the time. I can’t ever imagine becoming tired of him.

This year we celebrate his 116th birthday. Why not get one of his films or shorts and let him enchant you? I could make a starting suggestion… ;)

The Thanhouser Twins

2011-10-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

Madeline traced the raindrops on the window,
watching them branch into
separate little rivers
then run back into each other's arms.

The train lurched
and Marion grabbed her hand.
"We're almost there," she said,
"and it's your turn to quiz me."

Quelle est la couleur est le ciel? said Madeline.
Le ciel est bleu, said Marion,
their smiles spotless mirrors
as they pulled into the New Rochelle station.

The Fairbanks Twins: Marion and Madeline

Endings

2011-10-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

In my reviews I often talk about the perfect “pre-Code ending”. What the heck does that mean?

In pictures made after the code, especially those in the Forties and Fifties, whenever someone was “bad” – most of the time a woman who enjoyed being sexually active – he or she was punished by the end of the film for his/her behaviour. Did she lure someone else’s husband into her bed? BAM! Hit by a train in the last reel. If there wasn’t a punishment, then there was a reforming – perhaps she renounced her promiscuity and left town, to start a new squeaky-clean life. Lesson learned.

Pre-Codes have none of this. Think of Red-Headed Woman: Lil acts like a whore, and yet she gets exactly what she wants by the end of the picture. She doesn’t become a nun or get hit by lightning. Things happen the way they happen in real life: sometimes, people act terribly, and yet nothing bad happens, or they’re even rewarded. Best example I’ve seen recently was the end of Employee’s Entrance, where Warren William just continues with his behaviour, not changing an iota of it even after it causes pain and shame to quite a few people. To quote an oft-used phrase: “it is what it is”.

I know someone’s going to bring up Female, with its cheesy and disappointing ending. Yes, it’s true that it doesn’t quite follow the pattern. All I can say is, watch the first half of the film; I think perhaps such a strong woman was a little too threatening for Hollywood, and they needed to tone her down somehow. Such a case is the exception, though, rather than the rule.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end. – Seneca

Street Scene (1931)

2011-10-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Let's play "guess which tenant they don't like"!

It’s summer, and the occupants of a tenement spill out onto the sidewalk in order to escape the heat. Conversation waxes and wanes, and everyone has their troubles…until one tenant’s problems envelop them all in a world of intrigue and, ultimately, violence.

I think the first thing that struck me about this picture was how modern it was, while simultaneously being a perfect snapshot of early 30s working-class New York. Every immigrant group was represented: Irish, Jewish, Italian, Swedish, each with their own quirks and stereotypes. The film is adapted from a play by Elmer Rice, and even though it retains some stageyness, it never feels static, thanks to the wonderful direction of King Vidor, In many ways, this film reminded me of a grittier, more jaded version of The Crowd, which he also directed.

Sylvia Sidney plays Rose, the oldest daughter of a couple on the rocks; Mom (Estelle Taylor) cheats with the milk money collector and Dad (David Landau) drinks too much. William Collier Jr plays Sam, the son of the Jewish family, raised by a long-winded Socialist father and a sister who tries to break him of his lifelong love for Rose. Both children are desperate to get out of the tenement but aren’t quite sure how…then Fate intervenes, and we aren’t quite sure for the better.

Beulah Bondi owns this picture with her portrayal of Emma Jones, the “mayor” of the apartment building and an informal narrator of sorts; it’s through her gossip that we learn the background of the folks living in the building, their heartaches and foibles.

This film was restored by the Library of Congress – the print can be a little scratchy at times but believe me, you will not even notice it. A gripping story with fine performances by all, and a slice-of-life ending that will keep you guessing.

(Something interesting I found out while Googling for pictures: Rice's play was also adapted into an opera/musical in 1946, with music by Kurt Weill and lyrics by Langston Hughes. Catherine Zeta-Jones performed in a 1989 production.)
I give this one:

OT Post -- but please read!

2011-10-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

(Because I know quite a few of you are in school or have your own blogs...)

Do you need to write an essay, blog entry, or important email, but are having trouble wording it just the right way?

Help is here!

Contact me at silentstanzas@gmail.com

or comment here with your email for further details.

Happy Birthday Buster!

2011-10-04T11:07:00.000-07:00

Happy 116th Birthday to one of the most talented men to ever grace the screen (and my silent film boyfriend -- shh, don't tell Eleanor!). I watched "The Boat" and "The Love Nest" last night and have more goodies waiting for me when I get home!

The Story of Temple Drake (1933)

2011-10-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

This does not end well.

For lovers of pre-Code, this is somewhat of a Holy Grail. Not on DVD and shown infrequently on cable, I was thrilled to finally watch it – and boy, does it earn its reputation. Promiscuity, rape, violence, murder, intoxication, bootlegging: you name it, Temple Drake has it…including a very pre-Code ending.

The beautiful and sadly forgotten actress Miriam Hopkins plays Temple Drake, a party girl who one day runs away with one of her many, many boyfriends. An accident steers them off the road and into some really big trouble, from which Temple might never recover. How does she handle the changes in her life? How will she tell her family what’s happened? Will the man who loves her make her come clean about everything before an entire courtroom?

Hopkins is fantastic in the lead role, infusing it with enough fire and passion for two films, yet somehow never overplaying or inching towards melodrama. William Gargan is excellent as Steve, the man who loves her but loves justice more, and has to find a way to choose one over the other. But the man who steals the show is Jack La Rue. He oozes onto the screen as Trigger, the gangster who changes Temple’s life, and there’s never a moment where he isn’t genuinely menacing, the ever-present phallic cigarette dangling from his lips.

I think my favorite part is when Temple and Toddy, her flavor of the month, are forced to hole up inside a bootlegger’s shack. It is truly a house of horrors, and I will not spoil it for those who haven’t seen it; but trust me, it’ll give you the shivers. Florence Eldridge as the bootlegger’s common-law wife is chilling.

I really, really liked this – if you ever get the chance to see it, walk, don’t run.

I give this one:

Employees' Entrance (1933)

2011-09-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

This picture can be summed up in one sentence: Kurt Anderson is a bastard.

His job as head of the Franklin-Monroe Department Store shows him to be a heartless taskmaster, planning to keep his store on top regardless of what –or who—comes his way. In this case, it’s Madeline (Loretta Young), whom he comes across camping out in his department store, waiting for an interview. He takes an instant liking to the girl, and with her sweet smile and giant, liquid eyes, who wouldn’t? She flirts with him, and suddenly his icy demeanour appears to melt…but the next day, he’s back to his soulless, whip-cracking self. However, satisfied with what happened behind closed doors, he gives the girl a job, where she meets an up-and-coming employee, Martin West (Wallace Ford), and the two hit it off.

Will Martin and Madeline end up together? Will he find out just how she got her job in the first place? Will Mr Anderson’s stone heart ever crack? Will the store survive an encroaching financial collapse? Will I ever stop typing questions?!

Employee’s Entrance is one of the perfect pre-Codes. It comes in with the frank bitterness only the Depression could spark; everyone’s on tough times and it shows in their attitudes. Everyone’s willing to tarnish their halo a little in order to eat. Alice White plays a particularly jaded woman who appears to be on the payroll purely to “entertain” anyone Anderson needs to be on his side, and is not only okay with this, she revels in it, happy to identify as company whore if it puts dollars in her pocket.

photo courtesy Immortal Ephemera

It’s a harsh film, filled with grit and sex and pain, and the end is what I love most about pre-Codes: there is no moral, no lesson learned…everyone just keeps on keepin’ on, as it were, with no treacly sentimentality to gum up the works. Warren William is a treasure, and better minds than mine have written about how priceless he was to these hard-boiled films of the early 30s; I can’t imagine anyone else in the title role. Loretta Young is luminous and emotional without overplaying; Wallace Ford wrestles beautifully with the horrors William dishes out with glee. Highly recommended.

I give this one:

Apologies

2011-09-20T06:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks! Been dealing with some health issues and as such, have been neglecting FF&SS.
Been working on some reviews, though, so stay tuned for those and for a Silent Stanzas poem about Eleanor Boardman -- all coming very soon!

I also want to take a moment to thank you readers and fellow bloggers for all you do. You've been the bright spots in my day more often than I can say. ^_^

Fairbanks and Chaney and Veidt (oh my)!

2011-08-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

Catching up on some recorded movies while the cable's out (just don't spoil me on True Blood)!

First, we have

The Mark of Zorro (1920)

Most folks already know the mythos, since it's been remade so many times: a masked, Robin Hood-style character defends the common people against corrupt government officials. Because it's such a familiar story, parts of it that were probably interesting in 1920 come across a bit dull. However, and this is a BIG however, once Douglas Fairbanks takes over, it's anything but dull! He plays Don Diego (the daytime alter-ego of Zorro) as strange and effete, constantly pulling little magic tricks in an attempt to impress ~~Lois Lane~~ Lolita (Marguerite de la Motte, who could pass for Dolores Costello). Lolita is only there because her father wishes her to marry money, and finds Diego boring and awkward. This only gets worse after a chance run-in with Zorro, who steals her heart. Little does she know! *wink wink*

This was the first time I got to see the legendary Fairbanks in action, and oh, those stunts! Amazing! At one point I wrote in my notebook "grandfather of parkour". I was duly impressed by his strength and finesse. (Hey, that rhymed!)
Silly little thing that I loved: watch Marguerite de la Motte's hands in the closing scene. Hee!

I give this one:

Next one up is

The Ace of Hearts (1921)

A drama with an interesting premise: a Secret Society exists to rid the world of those who make the world worse instead of better. The soldier of the Cause, as it were, is chosen via a deck of cards - he who chooses the Ace of Hearts must kill "the man who has lived too long".

The Society is composed of nine (in numerology, a number of completion) - one woman, Lilith (Leatrice Joy), and eight men, two of whom (Lon Chaney and John Bowers) are in love with her. She feels no affection for anything but the Cause, until Forrest (Bowers) draws the "lucky" card. She warms to him and they marry, much to the anguish of Farallone (Chaney, who is just heart-rendingly pathetic in his scenes on the steps). Love changes a person, however, and suddenly both Forrest and Lilith are unsure of what they're about to do. Will they still carry out the assassination? Will Farallone help them, or will his bitterness cause a rift?

I really liked this movie. Yes, it was predictable, and hugely overacted (especially by Joy), but it was different than the usual "boy meets girl" plots, and the ending is terrific. I especially enjoy when Chaney gets to play a man rather than a monster, and uses that beautiful face of his to tell the story just as well as when he's in prosthetic makeup.

I give this one:

The last film I watched before the power went out (of course) was

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)

Aaaaaaand then the lights went out.

At the top of my notebook in big block letters: CREEPY.

The plot has so many twists and turns that you will get dizzy (in a good way) so I will just say this: Dr Caligari (Werner Krauss) has a booth at the annual carnival, presenting Cesare the Somnambulist (which literally means "sleepwalker", but in this movie is more like a zombie). He sleeps day and night but is still able to tell your fortune upon a command from Dr C. Two young men (Friedrich Feher and Hans Heinrich v. Twardowski) visit the booth and one asks when he is going to die. "Before dawn tomorrow," replies Cesare (a very young Conrad Veidt). Sure enough, Alan (Heinrich) is found dead the next morning. Francis (Feher) rushes to tell Jane (Lil Dagover, who looks like a cross between Theda Bara and Siouxie Sioux), the woman they are both madly in love with, then off to the police. Meanwhile, we see Dr Caligari feeding a still-sleeping Cesare, sitting up in his cabinet/casket...

So much has been said about the German Expressionist sets, but they really are striking and heighten the sense of eerie claustrophobia. (An aside: "crooked" is often used to describe the occult.) They make the film, hands down.

I can't describe any more. You have to see this. If you are a fan of modern fare by Tim Burton, you will love the sets. The plot blows away most of today's "horror thrillers". It is spooky, nightmarish, and absolutely riveting. Look for the scene where Caligari staggers through the streets while chased by his own horrible thoughts, quite literally.

I give this one:

¡Azúcar!

2011-08-18T05:53:00.000-07:00

Thank you (and lots of glitter) to FlickChick at the wonderful A Person in the Dark for bestowing this delicious little award on me! If you don't follow her blog, what are you waiting for? GO NOW

There are rules, however, and because I'm a good, law-abiding citizen, I will only follow half of them. ;) Waaay too many terrific blogs for me to tag, so all you folks - consider yourselves Irresistibly Sweet!I will comply with the Seven Random Facts about myself, however:

• I am addicted to lip balm. I have one with me at all times.
• Yes, I am a proud Star Wars Nerd™. Original trilogy, though I did like Sith.
• I'll be 35 next month, or 872 in Tumblr years.

• Smiley faces are my trademark!
• Red is my favorite color. Especially deep shades like garnet.
• Long fingernails drive me crazy. I have to keep them cut very short.
• My favorite authors are the Brontes and Oscar Wilde.

P.S. After this post went live, I was also awarded the same honor by Rianna of Frankly, My Dear. Thank you so much!

Hollywood Blondes (that have nothing to do with wrestling)

2011-08-17T11:38:00.001-07:00

I have a thing for 1930s peroxide blondes. Hardboiled little things with vanilla-colored hair, tough and fiery and sure of themselves. They turn up in every pre-Code movie, forever Party Guest #3 or Telephone Operator. Even though I know they're a Hollywood invention, they've come to represent the Depression for me: women who know a thing or two about struggling and are willing to fight to survive. Here are three I love:

Jean Harlow is the quintessential example, the Platinum Blonde who started it all. Sure, she was sexy, but she was also smart as a whip and quick with a comeback. (She was also very intelligent off-screen, too; one day I'll devote more time to the Baby, one of my favorites.)

Another favorite of mine is Toby Wing, the world's most famous chorus girl. She never rose to the heights of stardom, but she was in quite a few important films -- yup, that's her getting serenaded by Dick Powell in 42nd Street -- and even though she was usually uncredited, she managed to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

I absolutely adore Polly Walters and squeal when she shows up in a movie! Her career was short, and mostly spent playing telephone operators, but her nasal honk and sweet little face is immensely endearing. She did very well in Broadway, starring in a hit 1933 show called She Loves Me Not.

Almost everyone tried to go super-blonde when it was popular, with mixed results. Here's Bette Davis early in her career:

And here's Joan Crawford, looking, well...let's just say brunette suited her much better.

(screencap courtesy The Crowd Roars)

Regardless if they're in the lead or only on-screen for a moment, these "broads" with a heart of gold are just one of the things I find so irresistable about the pre-Code era.

(p.s. I know I didn't mention Joan Blondell. Shame on me! She's fantastic! Oh - and how could I forget Thelma Todd? Yikes!)

Telling it to the Daisies

2011-08-16T11:54:00.000-07:00

and to my readers, too!

Look for more personal stuff, more things about my life and love of the 20s and 30s, in between reviews. Because one does not live on movies alone! ;)

What do you guys think, should I consolidate this blog and Silent Stanzas? Or should I keep 'em separate?

Since I have it stuck in your head now, here's a little Annette Hanshaw for you. Blame maudelynn on Tumblr for getting me started.

Hartsook Studio, 1916

2011-08-10T06:40:00.000-07:00

When I came across his photos, I was struck by how attractive Carlyle Blackwell was. Not much info exists on him, however...so I let my imagination play a little with this one. Hope you like it.

"Please put this on, sir,"
she said, her hands
shaking a little as she
held out the freshly pressed suit.
He was the handsomest man
she'd ever seen --
no wonder he was in the flickers.

With a nod and a
"thank you, miss"
he went to change.
With all the primping and posing
for his portrait

did he know she hid behind
the curtain, watching as
they captured it?
One cannot be sure, of course,
but I'd like to think
that after it was over

his solemn eyes began to twinkle
and he turned to her
and smiled.

Carlyle Blackwell

Operator

2011-07-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

The singular actress of this week's selection
is the Biograph Blonde who sounds like a confection
But the name was, for her, quite an oxymoron -
there was hardly a soul she did not slam the door on.
A talented woman, with Pickford and Gish,
who ruined her chances being too diva-ish.
In the storms of success she was more like a shower,
but a potent one - our little "Miss Sweet and Sour".

Blanche Sweet

Jennifer's Massive Film Dump Post (what a lovely name!)

2011-07-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Kids! I took a little holiday, and as every good film fan knows, watching movies is a manditory part of it. I caught up on a bunch of things I've been wanting to see, and rather than make you wait for a formal review on each, I'm going to put them up in one giant post with the notes I made while watching 'em. No muss, no fuss! Oh, and I've marked the ones I particularly enjoyed with a . Here we go...

City Lights (1931)

starring Charlie Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill

I'm not a huge Chaplin fan, but this was just gorgeous -- no one does sad / pitiful better than him. A beautiful story with an iconic end shot; everyone should see this.

Gambling Lady (1934)

starring Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea

Solid little soaper with good performances from all. Barbara Stanwyck is always fantastic.
The costumes by Orry-Kelly are both impressive and bizarre; I love the scenes where Claire Dodd and Stanwyck are standing there, being bitchy to each other, in fabulous gowns.

Secrets (1933)

starring Mary Pickford and Leslie Howard

I LOVE THIS MOVIE. Mary Pickford (in her last film) is MUCH better in this than Coquette, and she has terrific chemistry with Leslie Howard, who is very charming and looks younger than I ever thought possible (in the first half of the film anyway). Borzage's direction is masterful, and Pickford somehow manages to still look like a luminous girl.
• changing scene = LMAO
• Leslie Howard makes a surprisingly sexy cowboy
This movie takes a complete and utter turn, and while I don't want to give it away, you will feel as riveted through the end as you do in the beginning. Both Howard and Pickford emote like crazy and it is anything but treacly.

Son of the Sheik (1926)

starring Rudolph Valentino and Vilma Banky

Valentino's final film is a fun one! He does an admirable job with the dual role, playing himself and his own father (The Sheik from the 1921 film of the same name). He does an impressive amount of his own stuntwork while still pleasing all the ladies with his romantic overtures to Banky, who is lovely but otherwise unremarkable. Karl Dane as Ramadan is a fun bit of comic relief. I really enjoyed the big Fairbanks-style fight scene at the end and think Rudy would've done well in action films.
• The split screen work was very smart for 1926! Dad Rudy putting his arm around Son Rudy -- an obvious splice but still well done.

Five Star Final (1931)

starring Edward G Robinson and Aline MacMahon

Another great early talkie; feels like one of Warner Bros. hard-boiled stories. It's hard to pick one person out for their performance -- the entire cast is excellent: Edward G Robinson plays his character perfectly; tough, hard-to-crack, but eventually with that heart of gold within. Aline MacMahon is perfectly disillusioned and brittle. H B Warner is absolutely heartbreaking, and to tell you more would be to give away the plot, but he will stay with you even after the movie is over. Boris Karloff has a small but pivotal role suited to his ability with creepiness.
• I have a crush on Polly Walters (the telephone operator). LOL See how many pre-Codes she turns up in!

and last but not least...

The Wild Party (1929)

starring Clara Bow and Fredric March

Now I'm sure you all think that I liked this so much purely because of Clara. Well, you're right. She never looked better -- all the little improv things she lends to a picture are at their more apparent (and adorable)! But that's not the only reason I liked it; for an early talkie, it is actually quite good...an entertaining plot with nice flow and movement, equal to late silents.
Fredric March plays his role well but seriously, making Clara and her merry band of college co-eds seem even more playful! They are a cute little bunch and their silliness will have you giggling, I promise!
• Look for the scene where March tells Bow to "shh" -- he sticks his finger in her mouth by accident, and Clara stifles a laugh. Only one of many unscripted moments that brighten the film.

Whew! That was a lot of movies, but thanks to the generosity of my friends (blows kisses) and my rickety VCR actually taping (gasp!), there will be lots more coming soon!

Professor

2011-06-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

Here,
in the fading light of the St Loubes Cimetière,
lies The Man in the Silk Hat.

Distinguished in Europe,
damaged by the Great War,
disillusioned by America.

Tread softly,
for he is a Father of comedy
and deserves your respect.

For all he has done
and all he continues to inspire...

...merci toujours, Monsieur Leuvielle.

Max Linder

Seven Years Bad Luck (1921)

2011-06-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

*hic*

Max Linder, a groundbreaking early silent film star plays Max, a rich (and superstitious) playboy with no worries other than marrying his sweetheart (Alta Allen). Until he breaks his mirror, that is. Suddenly his life is consumed with avoiding the bad luck it's sure to bring him -- inviting loads of worse luck in the process!

Early in the movie, Max's valet (Ralph McCullough) tries to keep the broken mirror a secret, and when Max comes to get ready...they launch into an absolutely brilliant mirror-image sequence. You thought the Marx Brothers were good? Linder and McCullough mimic each other so perfectly, you forget it's two actors.

After seeing that, I had high hopes for this picture; but, while Linder was immensely talented - Chaplin himself called him "Professor" - something was missing for me. The gags are there, and they're funny, but I found it lacking a charm and warmth I've come to expect from Chaplin, Keaton, or Lloyd. (Not having seen a great deal of Chase or Langdon, I reserve opinion on them for another time.) Even the ending, albeit sweet, seemed empty.

Linder's career never took off in the US, but I can see sparks of why he was so immensely popular in Europe, and even though I wasn't thrilled with this picture, I would seek him out again. His daughter Maud produced a documentary, "The Man in the Silk Hat", that contains many clips of his work and would be worth tracking down.

I give this one (I had to use Frizotto!):

For Beth, An Italian Sonnet Cut Short

2011-06-23T08:37:00.000-07:00

The world existed for her to devour;
Great Venus’ beauty put by hers to shame,
Nimble Reatha, lovely dancing flame
That only rested for two fleeting hours.

A child of speed, frivolity, a miss
Whose intellect and talent were unique;
Fast living cast a shadow on her cheek,
And Death placed on her brow a morbid kiss.

Barbara! We should have had much more
But you were harvested before your prime;
You remain a victim of your time,
An early casualty in stardom’s war.

Barbara LaMarr

An Eastern Westerner (1920)

2011-06-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

*gulp*

What a fantastic little short this was! Harold Lloyd is The Boy (who else?), sent to his uncle’s ranch by his father to toughen up and stop his irresponsible playboy ways. Upon his arrival he’s greeted by two people: Tiger Lip Tompkins (Noah Young), rough and tumble leader of the local gang, and The Girl (Mildred Davis), whose father is being held hostage by Tompkins until she agrees to marry him. The Boy is instantly smitten, and jumps in to help her against Tompkins and his Masked Angels – even though he has no chance against them. Or does he?

Never has Lloyd’s “can-do” aesthetic been as clear as in this short! Young is genuinely scary and violent, and our hero must rely on the one thing city living has given him: sharp wits. Will he save the day (and the lovely Davis)? Not without a breakneck chase scene! My favorite part, though, was the poker game. Oh, and the very last thing The Boy does. Sweet.

It’s fun and fast, and Lloyd is at his best – keep in mind, too, that this was made right after the accident that blew off his right thumb and index finger; I defy anyone to see a difference in his stunts. Amazing!

I give this one:

Cosmopolitan

2011-06-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

Even though I know she was Greek, I chose a Welsh form of poetry -- the cyhydedd hir -- to celebrate her. We are who we choose to be.

A realtor's sign -
his name is now mine!
The chorus girl's line
gave me a start;
then Hearst came one night,
my future seemed bright!
It all seemed so right
(God bless his heart).

Oh, life was so blessed!
We had all the best
and shared with each guest
at the estate;
we partied and sang
with Hollywood's gang
way past when clocks rang
"it's very late".

A rumor, you know,
started long ago
saying I had no
skill, just money.
So they watched, those fools,
and fell off their stools -
I wasn't just jewels,
I was funny!

Marion Davies

Old San Francisco (1927)

2011-06-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

That's right, boys. I'm ready for stabby times.

This picture follows the aristocratic Vasquez family from its first settlement in San Francisco to its threatened demise. Dolores Costello is Dolores, the lovely granddaughter of Don Hernandez de Vasquez (Josef Swickard), and the apple of her grandfather’s eye. Money-hungry speculators try to take away the old man’s rancho – home to the family he once protected and avenged through murder – but the young one, Terrence O’Shaughnessy (Charles Emmett Mack), is smitten with Senorita Dolores and refuses to play along. This drives the older of the two back to his partner, Chris Buckwell (Warner Oland), leader of the Asian underworld, for assistance. Will Dolores be able to defend her family’s honor against such criminals? Or will she be able to count on help from Terrence, the Lord, and some old-fashioned luck?

I have to give Costello credit here. I know in the past I’ve been a little rough on her acting ability, and for the first part of the picture it looked like she was going to offer more of the same: teary gazes to the rest of the cast, a confused little bird. However, when the main point of the plot kicks in – and it’s time for Dolores the character to take over as head of her family – Dolores the actress grows strong, emotional, dare I say…good?! Her lovely eyes flash and she becomes Joan of Arc, fierce and powerful in the face of her enemies.

Oland does his best with (unfortunately) another yellowface role, complete with hidden Mongolian temple in the basement. He manages to imbue some humanity into what is basically racist caricature. The same must be said for Anna May Wong, Oland’s partner and “a flower of the Orient”. Even though her role is small (and typical), she still commands the screen with her ferocity and great physical beauty.

One of my favorite things about the picture, though, is a peripheral character: Chang Loo, the dwarf brother of Chris Buckwell (Oland), played by the great Angelo Rossitto. His lines are few, but spoken with proper vitriol towards his cruel brother (who keeps him in a cage. I am not making this up.) When Buckwell meets his fate towards the end of the film, Chang Loo gleefully steps on his head climbing over rubble – ah, karma. Rossitto was discovered by John Barrymore, and was very much in demand – working steadily from his first film in the late 20s until his death in 1991. He’s known best for his role in “Freaks” or as Master Blaster from “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome”.

A note about the earthquake sequence: don’t hold your breath. The special effects are only passable, even for the time.

I give this one:

As always, Chris Edwards' review deserves a mention -- you can check it out here, at Silent Volume.

The Unknown

2011-06-03T06:38:00.000-07:00

So now she was Joan Crawford.

She hated the name, but what was one more?
She was already a kaleidoscope of a girl,

Billie with the rough start,
whose body was her ticket
(before she even knew the cost)

Lucille, diamond-hard beauty,
eyes focused like lasers
behind a pinup smile

and now Joan, flaming youth extraordinaire.

Which one was the real her?

She smiled to herself.

"The one that would make it big."

Joan Crawford

The Doorway to Hell (1930)

2011-06-02T05:30:00.000-07:00

See? I can be tough too, baby.

Lew Ayres plays Louie Ricarno, crime kingpin who organizes the various gangs into one syndicate, then “quits the racket” to rest on his laurels and enjoy his new wife (Dorothy Mathews). All is not as agreeable as it seems, and as soon as Louie is gone, warfare breaks out. Best pal and right-hand man Mileaway (Jimmy Cagney, in his second movie role) does his best to keep the peace but eventually the mob lures Ricarno back through a twist with his beloved little brother Jackie (a young Leon Janney).

Interesting early talkie that suffers from poor casting: it’s obvious to even the most casual film buff that Ayres and Cagney’s roles should’ve been reversed. Ayres does a commendable job, but is a bit too pretty, a bit too gentle. He doesn’t have the coiled menace that Cagney has, the sense of danger that’s just behind everything he says or does. You can’t believe “the boys” would be afraid of him. Mileaway, now, there’s someone I wouldn’t cross. (William Wellman thought the same thing – Jimmy’s performance here got him his breakout role in The Public Enemy.)

The Doorway to Hell is slow and ponderous in spots, and needlessly wordy (Hollywood was still in love with the sound of its own voice), but it has its moments – especially those involving Jackie. Cagney is, as always, electric anytime he’s on screen, and Ayres deserves credit for a genuinely moving ending.

I give this one:

Just a Gigolo (1931)

2011-05-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

"Nothing says love like false identity!"

Billy Haines once again plays it devil-may-care in this disposable romantic comedy. He’s still charming as Lord Bobby Brummell, a playboy and eternal bachelor who has little faith in women’s virtue. When Lord George Hampton, his aristocrat uncle (played with proper bluster by C Aubrey Smith) purports to arrange a marriage between Bobby and a Roxy Hartley, a friend’s daughter (the lovely and birdlike Irene Purcell), he balks – then decides to pose as a gigolo in order to trick Roxy into indiscretion, therefore proving his theory correct. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and Brummell finds himself falling for Hartley despite himself. How will this end? Will Roxy discover Bobby’s plan?

Haines is a bit long in the tooth to be playing the young, impetuous nephew, but he does so with his usual mischievous humor, and he and Purcell have an oddly pleasing chemistry together. Charlotte Granville is appropriately grand as Lady Jane Hartley, Roxy’s mother (and defender of her purity). The plot has some fun, racy dialogue, and goes south towards the end – are we to truly believe Bobby wouldn’t have taken advantage of Roxy in that situation? – but is otherwise like a cup of coffee from the corner deli: light and sweet and nothing to write home about. Keep an eye out for Lilian Bond and Yola d’Avril in small but pivotal parts, and a ridiculously young Ray Milland hiding amongst the cast.

I give this one:

Prince

2011-04-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

In his photos,
I see not a Latin lover,
not an Arab or a sheik --
but a gentle, dark-eyed man,
beautiful, intelligent,
called by Hollywood and heaven
(some consider them the same)...

Madre de Dios,
you left your image on his heart,
A cloakful of roses
for the winter of his life.

Ramon Novarro

Blonde Crazy (1931)

2011-04-20T05:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome! It's time for Cooking with Flappers and Flickers! Today's recipe:

Pre-Code Perfection

Aprons on? Okay, let's begin. Take one wiry, winsome tough guy, who knows all the angles (and loves all the curves)...

...then add one big-eyed beauty with a smart mouth (and a slap to match)...

Mix well with a snappy plot, witty dialogue and fast-paced direction. Set on HIGH for 79 minutes, and you will get:

Man, do those two have chemistry! I can see why they were paired up so often. They make the most of a crackling script about the sordid life of con men. It's sharp, it's funny, and although a sappy ending robs it of some of its steam, it's still a textbook example of what makes Blondell, Cagney, and early 30s movies so great. I had so much fun with this one! Highly recommended.

I give this one:

Denizen of the Lost City

2011-04-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

little princess
patchwork girl
your life was like
a tilt-a-whirl
brazen bullet
speeding star
flying faster
than your car
a household name
we all should know
but yours got buried
in the snow

Juanita Hansen

The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)

2011-04-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

To watch Mary Pickford is to be instantly taken by her. You enter a world where it is perfectly feasible for a 24-year-old to play a child, and what's more -- she's more charmingly childlike than the actual children in the film.

In one of her best-loved roles, Pickford plays Gwendolyn, the girl with everything anyone could ever want...except love and companionship. She longingly gazes at the children playing outside and struggles for the attentions of her Wall Street father and social butterfly mother. Gwen gets herself in more than one scrape, but always her cheery innocence saves her from real trouble. When difficulties befall the family - and a desperate situation threatens Gwen - will they be able to pull together and learn to treasure what really matters?

It's a Pickford picture, so you can probaby guess the answer.

The film never tries to be anything but a sweet little melodrama, and this honesty of approach seems almost fresh through the veil of ninety years. Sure, it's treacly ("why do my to-morrows never come?") but due to its simplicity, it works.

Amazingly, this was my first time watching Mary in her prime; previously I'd only seen her in Coquette (not the best way to start). I now can see why she was America's Sweetheart. Her eyes, her smile, every move of her hand is magic. Like Clara Bow, she commands the screen, but in a gentle, less kinetic way (even through some very cute foot-stomping tantrums). I am very much looking forward to the rest of her early work.

I give this one:

Chris Edwards of the sublime Silent Volume reviewed this, too. Read it here.

little french girl

2011-03-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

(with apologies to e.e. cummings.)

i want to write

a sentence (not
quite a poem) for
you Marie

thebreathlesslykinetic

a flurry a flash of dark
eyes and hair and
oh
that
smirk

everybody's best friend
the bridesmaid (but never the

bride)

your self your self your perfect self
cuddly and cute
forced to change it (sadness)
and so you did

they put you on a rollercoaster
without a safety belt
and were shocked when
you

fell

off

Marie Prevost

You can help Japan over on Silent Stanzas

2011-03-18T05:50:00.000-07:00

This week's poem over on Silent Stanzas is part of the Japanese Cinema Blogathon, hosted by JapanCinema and CinemaFanatic, to aid the victims of the recent devastation in Japan.

Silent Stanzas: Sessue Hayakawa

If you would like to donate, you can either click the link at the end of the post, or the one I'm posting here. They need every bit of our help. Thank you.

A Tanka for Sessue, and how you can help Japan

2011-03-18T05:42:00.000-07:00

This week's poem is part of the Japanese Cinema Blogathon, hosted by JapanCinema and CinemaFanatic, to aid the victims of the recent devastation in Japan. Please click the banner at the end of the post to donate. They desperately need our help.

Fate was a shed door,
and a slow-moving steamship;
you built your life to
the sound of two hands clapping.
Your brand is on film, always.

Sessue Hayakawa was film's first Asian "movie star". He was born in Japan and returned there after his retirement in the 1960s, becoming a Zen priest.

Sessue Hayakawa

To help in the relief effort, please click below. Thank you.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920)

2011-03-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

"You come here often?"

I'd heard good things about this picture for awhile now. You already know the story: Dr Jekyll invents a potion that enables man to be split into two separate entities, one wholly good, one entirely evil. Combine that with John Barrymore (and you all know what a fan of Jack I am), and, well...I was a little disappointed that I didn't enjoy the picture more than I did! I found it stagy and stilted, even (dare I say it?) boring in some places. There were, however, two bright spots: the famous Barrymore transformation scene(s), and Nita Naldi, as the dancer in whom the terrible Hyde indulges his lust.

Many people have written about the moment Dr Jekyll becomes Mr Hyde, and with good reason; when Jack takes the potion, without any help from special effects, he becomes another person. He thrashes, he tears at his clothes and hair, and a sinister aspect settles over him like a cloak, right in front of your eyes. In this age of CGI, it's nothing short of miraculous, and fascinating to watch. (His transformation back to Jekyll is no less amazing, even with the small blooper of a prosthetic finger flying off.)

Nita Naldi, as Gina the Italian dancer, is not beautiful - not in the typical way of her time - but there is a sensuality about her; an earthiness that is very attractive, more so than the squeaky-clean and incredibly dull Millicent Carew (Martha Mansfield). Naldi is seductive. Her eyes hold carnal promises. It's not difficult to see how Jekyll was aroused by her, how Hyde desired her (and Barrymore, for that matter).

There are moments of tension and excitement, and the rest of the cast plays amicably, but for the most part, excepting the aforementioned bright spots, it was mediocre for me.

I give this one:

Happy Birthday Harlean!

2011-03-03T05:57:00.000-08:00

Today is Jean Harlow's 100th birthday, and I'm taking a moment to plug my contribution to The Jean Harlow Blogathon! You can read my entry over on Silent Stanzas:

http://silentstanzas.blogspot.com/2011/03/for-harlean.html

When you're done, go hop by The Kitty Packard Pictorial and read all the other terrific classic blogs participating. There are some fabulous posts there - and more coming, so check back often!

For Harlean

2011-03-03T05:39:00.000-08:00

Today is Jean Harlow's 100th birthday! Usually I write about silent film stars, but being that Jean is one of my favorite actresses, I couldn't let this special day go by without a tribute. Besides, she did get her start in silents, her first role being a bit part in Richard Dix's Moran of the Marines (1928). Happy Birthday Baby!

a century ago,
the sun smiled on a little patch of Missouri
and a legend was born.

a child of dreams and diamond dust,
a white hot chameleon
adapting to everything but never quite finding home.

Aphrodite chased by Persephone's shadow,
hothouse flower destined to fade,
i hope that on your special day

heaven picks out a star for you
as big and bright as you deserve.
(i don't think bill would mind.)

Jean Harlow

Come join the party! See how other classic film blogs are celebrating The Baby's 100th - The Kitty Packard Pictorial has a list of everyone participating in The Jean Harlow Blogathon!

Imogene Follies

2011-02-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

the footlights would catch her eye
and that glance,
that half-smile, coy and sweet
as she'd dance -
every arrow-collared chap thought
it for him
but she did little that wasn't on
a whim

to Germany, forced into a new life
(she was to blame)
then Hollywood when it was safe
(with a new name)

a short-lived starlet, keen and bright
before her troubles
brought her to an unkind end
and burst our Bubbles

Mary Nolan

Gilbert-o-Rama #5: Desert Nights (1929)

2011-02-04T11:12:00.000-08:00

Ah, Jack, how we've missed thee!

"The diamonds are mine...and you'll be mine when I want you."

When this film was released, in 1929, the world had already been taken over by talkies, and as such, Jack Gilbert's last silent was instantly regarded as outdated. Jeanine Basinger recounts in Silent Stars that most reviews consisted of "No Dialogue!" It's a damn shame because this is one of the most spirited and fun of Jack's films. The storyline is simple: thieves (Ernest Torrence and Mary Nolan), posing as visiting arisocrats, kidnap the manager of a diamond mine (Gilbert) and take him along as hostage. Deep into their trek through the desert, they realize they are lost and out of water - and suddenly are dependant upon their hostage to show them the way to survival.

Jack plays it to the hilt in this picture, and I don't believe he ever looked better: virile, devil-may-care, a downright handsome and amusing bastard. When he gazes at Mary Nolan he practically devours her with his eyes. For her own part, Nolan is a lovely and amiable costar - and quite beautiful; if you know nothing of her backstory, it's definitely worth a read. Ernest Torrence is the rock of so many silent movies - his performance is solid and downright menacing at times.

Desert Nights (also known as Thirst) is a briskly paced picture with a satisfying (if expected) ending, and I definitely recommend catching it. This kind of work is what Jack deserves to be remembered for, not the disaster that followed (His Glorious Night was looming on the horizon).

I give this one:

Madame

2011-01-31T06:16:00.000-08:00

there once was
a little girl
with violet eyes and a violin

who grew up to be
a celluloid Scheherazade
telling a thousand tales

of queens and fallen women
Camille
Salome

she was a peacock
a d-minor chord
a crushed velvet shawl

she was chypre
incense as dark and thick
as her hair

madame
you were the most important flower
in the garden

even when it dwindled to one
solitary
blossom

a child of the streets
who still lingers there
like the fading strains of your violin

Alla Nazimova

Oy, this winter!

2011-01-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

This winter is doing nothing for productivity. Every week we've been getting snowstorms; I spend most of my free time shoveling and drinking tea! I am currently working on a poem for Nazimova, and I promise to have it up as soon as possible - it needs to be as epic as she was, so I'm taking my time with it.

Those of you in the same boat - be safe and stay warm!

Intolerance (1916)

2011-01-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! It's time we get back in the swing of things, and what better to start with than one of Griffith's epics?

First, a disclaimer: I've never seen Birth of a Nation. Now I know what you're thinking: "Jen, how can you call yourself a film buff - a silent film buff - and still not have this one under your belt?" My reply would be "My good reader, I don't wear belts."

*ba-dum ching*

This was my introduction to the world of Griffith, and I enjoyed it for the most part; the main drawback for me was the film's length. I found myself on the edge of my seat for the Babylonian and Modern Day sequences, but when the French Renaissance sections came on I was - to be blunt - bored out of my skull. I realize how each part was necessary to tell his story in whole, but I can't help but feel Griffith could've left out the French part entirely and still have had a wonderful film. Having said that, Intolerance is beautifully shot, with an ageless story to tell, punctuated by Lillian Gish's endless rocking.

I also discovered the revelation that is Mae Marsh. I have rarely seen - especially in a picture this early on - someone with such natural skill. She becomes the Dear One: innocently effervescent, then heartrendingly sad; a quiet, gentle soul who becomes the fires of Hell itself when her child is threatened. Her scenes with Bobby Harron are so frank and intimate you almost forget it's a movie.

Constance Talmadge is the Mountain Girl, and I don't think I've cheered that hard for someone in a long time. Her tough and spunky portrayal rescues the Babylonian story from being a one-dimensional condemnation of decadence.

Definitely see this one - it is considered a masterpiece, and for good reason. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to buy a belt.

I give this one:

Zephyr

2011-01-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

I sat down to write a poem
about Mae Marsh
and her name took my mind
to a warm, soft, natural place,
sun-dappled and fresh
with the breezes of spring;

then I realized
that Mae herself
was all of that,
her gaze, her manner
as clear and gentle
as the balmiest day -
Spring itself.

Mae Marsh

Belated Holiday Wishes

2010-12-28T07:48:00.003-08:00

Colleen is ready for the weather.

It hit me on Christmas Night that I'd neglected to wish all my readers a very happy holiday! My apologies and I hope you had a lovely one!

Did any of you get socked by the blizzard? We're still trying to dig out the house!

Belated Holiday Wishes

2010-12-28T07:47:00.000-08:00

Colleen is ready for the weather.

My labor of love gets a mention!

2010-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Silent Stanzas, the silent film poetry blog I write, has gotten a mention from both the Louise Brooks Society (wow!) and The Kid in the Front Row.

You can read the posts here:

Louise Brooks Society - http://louisebrookssociety.blogspot.com/2010/12/stanzas-about-louise-brooks.html

The Kid in the Front Row - http://www.kidinthefrontrow.com/2010/12/jingle-blogs.html

Cool!

Another blog mention!

2010-12-21T11:20:00.000-08:00

Bebe and her mother catch up on the latest film blogs.

Both Silent Stanzas and Chris Edwards' wonderful blog Silent Volume get a shout-out in this post from The Kid in the Front Row. Lots of other great blogs to check out as well!

Read it here:

http://www.kidinthefrontrow.com/2010/12/jingle-blogs.html

Silent Stanzas on the LBS!

2010-12-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

Thomas Gladysz of the Louise Brooks Society has posted an entry about poetry and film, and highlighted Silent Stanzas - in particular, "Scrubbie's Sonnet". Click here to read!

The Man Who Had Everything

2010-12-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

The boy next door, the bon vivant,
the off-screen lush, the dilettante,
the king of self-defeating hype,
celebutantic prototype.
The Pickford name would serve him well
(though through him, tarnished straight to hell);
talent was but secondary
to his lifestyle legendary!
A candle burning at both ends?
Jack's fuse flashed strong and bright -
mercurial in many ways,
he could not last the night.

Jack Pickford

1967

2010-12-03T07:26:00.000-08:00

He looked at the chart
and his heart jumped a bit --
the spectre of Time
never failed with His wit.

He pulled back the sheet;
in the space of a breath
they were both young and beautiful,
laughing at death.

Forging a path
through bigotry's weeds,
talent their ticket,
charisma their creed;

But decades march on
and paths change and falter.
Former successes
are laid at Fate's altar,

Until reunited
in irony's glow --
"The Black Valentino",
"The Brown Clara Bow".

Lorenzo Tucker, "The Black Valentino"

Nina Mae McKinney, "The Brown Clara Bow" / "The Black Garbo"

One Week (1920)

2010-11-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

(Where's Bob Vila when you need him?)

You all know how fond I am of Buster Keaton, so I'll do my best to be objective.

Yeah, right. ;)

This was a clever, adorable, and thoroughly enjoyable short film - Keaton's first to be released without Roscoe Arbuckle. In it, he plays a newlywed trying to set up house (and failing miserably). He's supported by Sybil Seely as his new bride. Seely does a fine job with Buster, keeping up with the fast-paced gags (even the scary ones!) and even injecting her own vivacity into the story. Not an easy feat when you're opposite a genius (and a house that's trying to kill you!). She's quite pretty, too; I suspect quite a few men in the audience got a thrill out of the bath scene. Oh, and the stunts! The stunts alone are nothing short of amazing!

One would be hard-pressed to give much of Keaton's work a bad review...but this short, especially, is a lot of fun and highly recommended.

I give this one:

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

All those who celebrate it: have a lovely holiday, filled with many blessings. ^_^

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T08:56:00.001-08:00

All those who celebrate it: have a lovely holiday, filled with many blessings. ^_^

A little different this week.

2010-11-16T13:29:00.000-08:00

This week was to be for Florence Lawrence, and so it still is...but when I sat down to write a poem, I wrote a song instead. I'm still working on the music for it, but here are the lyrics. ^_^

you can see her in the chair

on a monday in the afternoon
waiting for the call

will they need somebody's mother?
or merely some atmosphere
or nothing now at all

that streetcar seems so long ago
her making and her breaking
her start and yet her fall

CHORUS
her name means flowers
and if you talk to her
they bloom as bright as yesterday
when all the world was wanting her
her name means flowers
and if you look at her
her face is still a bright bouquet
but lately things are haunting her

Wasn't so long ago
the crowds would run to get a seat
and watch her on the screen

She was a mystery
who was that gorgeous creature up there
stealing every scene

And then a whirlwind made her known
They said her name, they brought her fame
the hollywood machine

CHORUS

Bridge:

Time ticks on
And after they dispose of you
There's no one left that knows of you
Your head's held high
but in your eyes are words unspoken
you're tired and your heart is broken

this monday florence wasn't there
her legacy an empty chair

Florence Lawrence, the First Movie Star

Oh the humanity!

2010-11-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

I had a plan.

I was going to watch M last night, and review it for you bright and lovely folks.

My rickety old VCR had other ideas.

Ones involving wavy lines. Lots and lots of wavy lines. And snow.

More reviews coming as soon as I get my fist out of the videotape slot.

Pathélogical

2010-11-05T06:32:00.000-07:00

Daughter of the perilous,
was anything you told us true?
Did it matter in the end?
We still fell in love
with the person you showed us,
a fearless ball of fire
glowing like your namesake.
Grit's all you need
when the world is your oyster.

Pearl White

It's eerie, dearie...

2010-10-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

When the ghosts and goblins hover

and there's monsters on the scene,

you know what day is coming -

that's right! It's Claraween!

Have a scary good holiday, folks!

The Man Who Laughs (1928)

2010-10-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

He's such a joker.*

I had the great fortune to catch this on the big screen, with the wonderful Ben Model accompanying on the Mighty Miditzer. Before I even get into the film I have to give Ben accolades - he never fails to give his all and treat us to a masterful performance. Well done!

Now, onto the picture...

Conrad Veidt is Gwynplaine, the son of a disgraced nobleman disfigured by decree of King James II in retribution. After his father's death, Gwynplaine is abandoned, doomed to wander the snowbound countryside...until he finds an infant nestled in her dead mother's arms. Gwynplaine takes the child and eventually finds the home of Ursus, who takes both of them in and discovers the infant is blind.

Years pass and both Gwynplaine and Dea (the blind infant, now played by Mary Philbin) are now part of a traveling showm run by Ursus, centering around Gwynplaine's horrific visage. This upsets him afresh every night, because he is in love with the beautiful and kind Dea, but will not marry her, refusing to burden her with his horror. One day they play at a fair near the Royal Court, and the Queen's jester discovers that The Man Who Laughs is actually the son of a nobleman. Only problem is, his rightful inheritance is now owned by Duchess Josiana (an almost unrecognizable Olga Baclanova). Queen Anne decides Gwynplaine must marry the Duchess in order to restore things to propriety.

Does Gwynplaine actually marry the Duchess, a highly sensual woman simultaneously aroused and digusted by his face? Does he stay with the angelic Dea, who loves him regardless of his appearance? Or does something else happen entirely? You'll have to watch the film and see.

Veidt is heartbreaking as The Man Who Laughs, managing to move the audience with a variety of emotions - all while his face is contorted into a perpetual smile. His anguish is palpable and at times it is difficult to look into his eyes (shades of Chaney, who was unable to star due to contractual obligations). Philbin has one or two instances where she does a fine job, particularly when in pain over Gwynplaine, but otherwise spends most of the role looking lovely (and rather like Mary Pickford, in my opinion). The picture itself was stretched a little long in spots - I felt that most of the action at court could've been condensed without affecting the story or it's outcome. Otherwise, a very good film. And three cheers for Homo the Wolf!

I give this one:

*"The Man Who Laughs" was indeed noted as one of the inspirations for The Joker. You can read an interesting blog entry about it here.

On a Side Street

2010-10-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

"I was not Mr Mary Pickford,"

he said, head slightly down,
fingers tracing the moisture on
the whiskey glass.

It was his third.

"I came here with Matt and Tom and Joe
to find a better life,
and I made a name for myself.

My own good name, too;
not some phony moving picture name
like Gladys had."

He paused, eyes clouded over with memory.

"Joe, God rest his soul."

He slapped a few bills on the counter and
slid off the stool,
walking out into oblivion,
the nitrate dust of almost three hundred films
beneath his heels.

Katherine would be waiting.

Owen Moore

False Starts and Funnymen

2010-10-04T10:43:00.000-07:00

Wake up, Buster! Today's your birthday!

I had intended to do a review of Jack's Make Way for a Sailor, but I got about three minutes into it and had to switch it off. I remain valiant, however, and will try again, have no fear!

A Pillar of Society

2010-09-24T06:10:00.000-07:00

An elegant person,
a renaissance man.
He held the whole world
in the palm of his hand.

He excelled without question
at all that he tried,
sports, music, acting -
all brought him great pride.

Griffith and "Nation"
secured his career.
The role of a lifetime
made everything clear:

That his was a talent
sharp as a knife.
He kept his gift honed
'til the end of his life.

Of equals to Henry,
there really were none.
Well done, Little Colonel!
Well done! Well done!

Henry B Walthall

Gilbert-O-Rama #4: Flesh and the Devil (1926)

2010-09-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

Ulrich von Eltz (Lars Hanson) and Leo von Harden (John Gilbert) are lifelong best friends serving in the army together. At the station during leave, Leo sees Felicitas (Greta Garbo), and it's love at first sight. Unfortunately, her husband discovers their budding romance, and after Leo kills Felicitas' husband in the resulting duel, he is sent away to Africa for five years. He asks Ulrich to please watch over her while he's away (you see where this is heading). Without giving away the rest of the plot, suffice it to say their friendship is torn apart...but something towards the end of the film changes everything.

You have to see this film. Yes, it has a good story, and the entire cast does a fantastic job (including Barbara Kent as Hertha, Ulrich's little sister who is hopelessly in love with Leo), but the main reason to watch it? Jack and Garbo. Both are absolutely gorgeous in this film, and when in each others' embrace...WOW. I always doubted it before, but now, after seeing it for myself...you can see the explosive chemistry between them. Especially Jack - he looks positively bewitched by Garbo. They were NOT acting. Jesus, that scene in the garden with the cigarette was one of the sexiest things I've ever seen in my life.

I give this one:

Hoop-La (1933)

2010-09-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

The plot is simple: Lou (Clara Bow) is a cooch dancer who takes a bet: if she get the barker's naive and innocent son Chris (Richard Cromwell) to fall in love with her, she'll earn $100 from Carrie (Minna Gombel), a fellow performer furious at the barker (Preston Foster) for choosing said son's welfare over their relationship. Along the way, Lou finds herself actually falling in love with Chris, and must deal with the resulting fury from his father, but she eventually proves herself worthy of his son's love. (An interesting aside: this is a remake of 1928's The Barker, which earned Betty Compson an Oscar nomination.)

A predictable yet fun film, with affable characters (if not a little one-dimensional - Cromwell gives off the impression that he had a head injury as a kid); but its highlight was the new, hard-boiled Clara. I could see her fitting in beautifully with the fast-paced gangster films of the 1930s. Closeups reveal her to be as lovely as ever, and that she still had the vivacious charm and heart-stopping gaze that made her such a success in silents. The extra half in my review is purely for her performance.

I give this one:

I must thank the generous Bill Cramer of The Clara Bow Page for providing me with a copy of this picture. If you click the link, you can read his reviews of both "Hoop-La" and "Call Her Savage".

Gilbert-O-Rama #3: Gentleman's Fate (1931)

2010-09-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

An MGM film that almost feels like a Poverty Row production, spare and dingy. Jack plays Jack Thomas, a man seemingly on top of the world - he has money, he has a lovely fiancee (Leila Hyams) - until one day he receives word that his father (he thought himself an orphan) is dying and wants to see him. Dad reveals on his deathbed that Jack is really Giacomo Tomasulo, part of a bootlegging family, and his brother Frank (a very good performance by Louis Wolheim, who sadly died before the film's release) wants him in the business. There is genuine pathos as Jack fights with the two selves he's forced to become - ironically, Gilbert's best scenes are the ones in which his character is intoxicated. Good acting all around, with a slight but pleasant performance by Anita Page (as the girlfriend of a key character) and some comic relief from the always adorable Marie Prevost (I wish they didn't make her eat all the time, though). It's one of Jack's lesser shown pictures, and at times it's a jumbled mess, but one that deserves more attention - for his emotional performance.

I give this one:

Note: You can find another great review of this film at Jenny the Nipper's terrific blog Cinema OCD.

Gilbert-O-Rama #2: He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

2010-09-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

"What is Death? What is Life? What is Love?"

I can't remember who said (if it was you, please tell me!) that Victor Sjöström was the forerunner to Ingmar Bergman, but boy were they spot on. This is a surreal, sadistic, dreamlike film about Paul Beaumont (Lon Chaney), an inventor who is wronged by both his mentor and wife, and becomes a clown to wallow in his cynicism and torture - "HE", who relives his betrayal and is slapped every night. There is only one bright spot in his new life: Consuelo (Norma Shearer), the beautiful new bareback rider, who unbeknownst to her is being sold by her horrendous father to the highest bidder (a man with whom "HE" is quite familiar). Bezano (Jack Gilbert) is the daredevil rider and the man Consuelo falls in love with, and with whom, after much sorrow, "HE" is dead set on saving Consuelo from a cruel fate.

Lon Chaney is one of my favorite actors, and becomes more wonderful with each film. Even though this could easily become a syrupy melodrama, he makes it work with heartbreaking intensity. You can feel the knife's edge he walks on, between madness and pain. The scenes with Shearer are particularly touching, with Chaney doing what he does best - loving from afar. Other scenes are nightmarish, with deliberate overcranking enhancing the terror; you are trapped in the automaton of Beaumont's broken dreams. An absolutely fantastic and highly recommended film.

I give this one:

Gilbert-O-Rama #1: The Busher (1919)

2010-09-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

A sweet little film, but one that couldn't hold my attention. It's a shame, because Charles Ray gives a lovely performance as Ben Harding, small-town boy with a big talent for baseball who, through twists and turns, gets the opportunity to show the big leagues what he's got. Colleen Moore is charming as Maizie, whom he loves but must compete for with a more self-assured Jim Blair (Jack Gilbert). The story is rather predictable - country mouse goes to the city and is corrupted; will he be able to get back to himself again in time to help win the big game?

I enjoyed the scenes at the box social; a glimpse into a simpler time peppered with the same complex emotions of love and loss. Not a bad movie by any means, but it fails to keep the steam with which it begins, and even with the exciting (yet expected) ending, I felt disconnected, even a bit bored.

I give this one:

For a much more astute and in-depth review, hop on over to Chris Edwards' blog Silent Volume, which you should follow (if you're not already).

Changing the Format

2010-09-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

When I watch these movies, I take notes. On actual paper. So when it comes time to review online, I have to wade through all my strange comments like "Jack is weird - mustache - lunch". This is why my reviews never seem to make it up. I have two Jack Gilberts and a Clara Bow in my notebook, which doesn't do any of you any good.

From now on I'm going to scribble less and blog more! Also, I need to come up with a basic symbol for my reviews, instead of getting a different object every time. What to pick? Aha, I've got it!

Because nothing says "classic film" like Clara Bow's disembodied head.

Next week: The Busher, He Who Gets Slapped, Gentleman's Fate, and Hoop-La.

Wildflower

2010-09-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

A different story, seldom-told
amongst these pages mine,
about an actress of the screen
who turned out well and fine!
Her childhood was idyllic; her
performances on stage
enraptured audiences with
her beauty, poise, and range.
In Hollywood she did quite well
playing roles Pickfordian,
and at her peak she chose to leave
for farm life, which she gloried in.
Walt Disney based his Snow White on
her version, warm and sweet;
a smile, a kiss, for our young miss -
the darling Marguerite!

Marguerite Clark

Gilbert-O-Rama: Coming Soon!

2010-08-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the help of a generous friend, I now have a whole disc of John Gilbert movies just waiting to be ~~ripped apart~~ reviewed! Stay tuned...

The Ballad of the Beautiful Slacker

2010-08-26T05:34:00.000-07:00

George Jack Warren Kerrigan
was Indiana raised,
followed Dad in warehouse work
'til theatre filled his days.

With thick dark hair and hazel eyes
they crowned him "Gibson Man",
And Essanay was quick to act
(hey, grab 'em while you can!)

He soared into the stratosphere
As star of Flying A,
Then on to Universal - he was
King of Photoplay.

But even demigods must fall
and he was no exception.
His stance on the Great War was one
of natural selection:

Why send great talent overseas
when they were filled with beauty?
Send over lesser working men
to fight, their nation's duty.

Such comments stole his princely spot,
it never to recover.
And other questions followed him -
Where was his lady lover?

He didn't think that picture stars
Should anchor to another.
"It doesn't seem quite fair," he said,
"Besides, I have my Mother."

The Covered Wagon brought back fame
from his obscurity,
A few more films, then he retired -
to James (and privacy).

His films and face are lost, but Jack
Knew this the way of art.
"I have had my day...and I
Loved it with all my heart."

J Warren Kerrigan

A Lady of Chance (1928)

2010-08-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

(There is a sound version, with a smattering of dialogue added. My review is for the silent one.)

I'm starting to really like Norma Shearer! She comes across as very natural onscreen - and when she is a bit affected, she's cute and spunky enough that you don't mind. This, her last silent film, finds her as Dolly, aka Angel Face, a grifter who thinks she's found an easy mark in trusting country boy Steve Crandall (Johnny Mack Brown - who always does well in these "gosh-golly-gee" roles). Once she marries him, however, and makes her way back to his Southern "plantation", she finds herself falling in love with him despite things not being quite what she'd expected. When her old partners in crime, Brad and Gwen (a convincingly oily and smarmy Lowell Sherman, and the appropriately hard-boiled Gwen Lee) show up at Steve's home looking for a piece of the action, does Dolly admit her past - or let Steve be taken for everything he's got?

It's a funny, good-hearted film, with clever intertitles. Also: keep your eyes open for a silly little cameo by Polly Moran.

I give this one:

Blog Crossover

2010-08-12T12:06:00.000-07:00

Most of you know that I keep another blog, Silent Stanzas, where I write poetry about silent film stars. Last night, however, this popped into my head, and I thought I'd post it here.

nitrate soul

comedy

tragedy

needs to be cherished

images

memories

need to be loved...

or they

warp

and sour

and crumble

the

dark.

A Yankee Princess

2010-08-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

Just a precious little thing,
Under Mr Griffith's wing
Another "baby star" would start
Next to Fairbanks, Stone and Hart.
Ingénue or flapper, she
Triumphed with skill and fresh beauty;
And truly, there will never be

another
Bessie
Love.

Bessie Love

Their Own Desire (1929)

2010-08-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, Bob! I'll find your top hat if it's the last thing I do!

Usually I wince my way through early talkies; stilted dialogue and static direction makes them tough to sit through. Not this one - and it's all due to the amazing chemistry between Robert Montgomery and Norma Shearer (which you'll see again in When Ladies Meet, Strangers May Kiss and the excellent The Divorcee).

Lewis Stone plays Henry Marlett, a man having an affair and getting ready to leave his wife; when his daughter Lally (Shearer) finds out, she hardens her heart towards her father - and every man. That is, until she meets John (Montgomery) while on a trip with her mother. Are they meant for a life of romance? Or are there circumstances at work beyond their control?

Snappy dialogue, good performances by the entire cast (Shearer was nominated for an Academy Award - ultimately losing to herself in The Divorcee), and a surprisingly exciting mix of romance and drama take this little soaper above the norm for its era.

Plus, let's be honest. Early, devil-may-care Bob Montgomery is always a delight to watch. ;)

I give this one:

The Circus (1928)

2010-07-29T05:28:00.000-07:00

Now I'm firmly a Keaton fangirl, and while I acknowledge Chaplin's genius - and the brilliant contributions he's made to film - I always come away feeling that Charlie's being too self-indulgent, self-aware. So when a friend asked me to a showing of The Circus, I happily attended, but didn't expect too much.

I am so pleased I was wrong!

Maybe it was the energy of the crowd, maybe it was the novelty of seeing it on the big screen, but this was the funniest Chaplin movie I've ever seen. Just the right balance of sweetness (the Tramp's relationship with Myrna Kennedy, who was surprisingly good) and silliness (how the Tramp winds up in the circus in the first place) - and the tightrope scene towards the end had me in tears.

So Charlie, I'm giving you another go 'round. Thanks for making my evening such a blast!

I give this one:

A much more thorough (and eloquent) review can be found at Chris Edwards' terrific blog, Silent Volume.

Walking Back (1928)

2010-07-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Oh those crazy modern sheiks and shebas!

This movie was SO much fun! Rife with slang and pop culture references, it tells the story of "Smoke" Thatcher (Richard Walling) and his jazz baby girlfriend, Patsy Schuyler (Sue Carol) as they live it up as teens in the Roaring Twenties. Yes, there's a plot: Smoke steals a car and plays demolition derby with another boy to impress Patsy - entangling the two in gangster imbroglio when they stop by the shop to get it fixed.

The main tone of the film, however, is teens vs. parents. It's a 1920s John Hughes movie, complete with hopelessly old-fashioned parents (including Florence Turner as Patsy's mother) and fast-talking smart aleck kids. Richard Walling is good, but information on him is scarce; he only went on to make two other pictures. Sue Carol is a Clara Bow type, the cuddly flapper spitfire, and she plays her well. ~~She even resembles early Clara:~~ Never mind. Those pictures were both Sue Carol. She resembles...herself. *facepalm*

A light-hearted (and, towards the end, exciting) time capsule you can't help but enjoy.

I give this one:

True Heart Harron

2010-07-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

I sat down to write about you, Bobby,
and I thought
"was any boy so prolific?"
custom made for the early days
with your sweet face
with your sweet nature

your story was so brief
and I think
the best parts were left on the cutting room floor

Bobby Harron

The Eagle (1925)

2010-07-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Vladimir Dubrovsky.
You have wronged my father; prepare to die!

Lieutenant Dubrovsky (Valentino) deserts his military post (both breaking and infuriating the Czarina's heart in the process) in order to exact revenge on the man who has ruined his family; he maneuvers his way into the enemy's household, only to fall for his daughter (Vilma Banky). Is love strong enough to override vengeance?

This was a mediocre, but pleasant little romantic drama, with nods to swashbuckling adventure and some wonderful tongue-in-cheek moments. Valentino is handsome - almost leonine; Banky is lovely and her acting is capable. Her beauty at times is almost startling (the nightgown scene in particular). Another bright spot is Louise Dresser as the Czarina - she plays the role with just the right amount of self-aware grandeur.

It's a shame that Valentino didn't get a chance to do more comedy - he is certainly adept at it! My favorite parts of the picture were these little flashes of humor: his facial expressions when the ring gets stuck...the soup scene...and the thorough job he does at massage. Too funny!

I give this one:

The Marines Are Coming (1934)

2010-07-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

"He spank me. I liked it!"

Billy is up to his old tricks in this one, stealing the fiancee of the Captain (Conrad Nagel); he seems a bit mature (I'm trying to be kind here) for the role of young upstart. He is amazing to watch, though - I stand by my assessment that he's the Robin Williams of the 20s/30s. Frenetic, hyper, and always intensely likeable.

I didn't want to like Armida as much as I did. She plays a broad, stereotypical "Mexican spitfire" character, deeply in love with Wild Bill Traylor (Haines) and as ready to throw a punch as give a kiss. Her charisma won me over; so tiny, yet so beautiful - and explosive!

Esther Ralston (as the fiancee) is beautiful as always, and does well against Billy's nonstop energy, though she loses some credibility by going from Nagel to Haines like she's changing socks. Why do so many movies of this period portray women as being content to love whomever is directly in front of them?

The end of the picture gives us William Haines, action hero, as he must rescue the captain from guerillas who have kidnapped him. He does some shooting, socks a few folks in the nose; it's kinda cute to watch. You get the sense that they really wanted to hit you over the head with Billy's virility (he's strong, he's tough, and a stud with the ladies!).

Edgar Kennedy does his usual comedic turn, this time as Haines' manservant "Buck". I will say nothing except this: did we really need to see the cough test?

The picture was goofy, sloppy, and Haines' last gasp of youth is palpable (this was his last film). Still enjoyable though. I give this one:

The Riddle: Madge

2010-07-15T05:30:00.000-07:00

(I felt badly for giving Madge such a poor review, so this week is dedicated to her.)

Margaret Philpott, dancing queen,
ran away at seventeen,
debuted on stage to great acclaim
and shortly after changed her name.
Madge Bellamy had Broadway's best,
yet ditched it all for a screen test.
Lorna Doone, The Iron Horse,
Her career was straight on course --
but storms destroy the brightest days;
the tempest here? Her haughty ways.
Uncompromising, aggravating,
never content with just waiting,
injuring herself with choices
warned against by friendly voices.
Refusing almost everything...
until her phone just ceased to ring.
A later comeback slumped and stopped;
her star had permanently dropped.
Take heed and be one who prevails --
get some dirt beneath your nails!

Madge Bellamy

Gigolettes of Paris (1933)

2010-07-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

Madge Bellamy plays Suzanne, a woman whose trust is destroyed when her Count fiance (Theodore von Eltz) breaks their engagement, only to give her ring to another woman (Natalie Moorhead). Shattered, she becomes a "gigolette" and with the help of her friends (Gilbert Roland and Molly O'Day) is determined to get back her ring - and get revenge on the Count.

This is an Equitable Production and it shows; the sets are below-par, the costumes awful (Madge Bellamy's dresses didn't even fit), and the background music used in the club scenes is insufferably repetitive.

The film itself is marred by Madge Bellamy's poor performance. I hate to say it but - at least in this picture - she was a really bad actress. Gilbert Roland and Natalie Moorhead were good, but the former looked incredibly old and tired. How can this be the same man who made Call Her Savage just a year before? (They wanted us to believe he was 26!)

Every film has its bright spot, and for me it was Molly O'Day. Salty and sweet, she reminded me of Marie Prevost in Three Wise Girls. And what an interesting face! She injected some much-needed comedy and for her I am grateful.

I give this one:

The Greeks Had a Word for Them (1932)

2010-07-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a trip to Big Lots, where all the cool kids get their toilet paper and sandwich bags, I found an old AMC box set for $5 - sweet! So without further ado, let's get reviewin'.

My copy was the reissue print, since it was named:

Maybe I'm a little wonky, but I found this film confusing. The plot is slim - working girls "working men", as the early title says - but there's so many ins and outs and interrelationships that it comes off disjointed and silly. The real reason to watch this is to revel in the beauty of the three leads, especially Joan Blondell, and the occasional smart wisecrack. The best part was the comic mass confusion at the end, involving the Three Musketeers (as they are referred to) and a wedding. It sparkles with humor, which is sadly missing in the rest of the picture.

Pretty to look at, but lacking enough substance to arouse interest for long.

I give this one:

Swell, the bees' knees, the berries, etc. Hooray!

2010-07-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks for helping Silent Stanzas reach 50 followers! ☺

Our First Year Here, Too!

2010-07-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

Our First Year...

2010-07-02T08:15:00.001-07:00

The Extra Girl

2010-07-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Diminutive, with eyes crepuscular --
Mere space itself would bow and acquiesce,
Comedienne, director, writer, star,
The total package, destined for success.

Mere space itself would bow and acquiesce
So that our Icarus could reach her sun.
The total package, destined for success?
It seemed that Sennett's Keystone was the one.

So that our Icarus could reach her sun
Mack offered up himself with open arms;
It seemed that Sennett's Keystone was the one,
the laughter tinged with encroaching alarms.

Mack offered up himself with open arms...
The King of Comedy could not protect her;
The laughter tinged with encroaching alarms,
Her wings destroyed by scandal's evil spectre.

The King of Comedy could not protect her --
Diminutive, with eyes crepuscular;
Her wings destroyed by scandal's evil spectre...
Comedienne, director, writer, star...

Mabel Normand

Picture Snatcher (1933)

2010-07-01T07:17:00.000-07:00

Any film that starts with Cagney in a lavender bath is gonna be good.

Fun, speedy little picture, starring our bathing beauty as Danny, a ne'er-do-well gangster ready to "make good", and Ralph Bellamy as McLean, the editor who gives him that chance - little knowing what was in store. You can take the man out of the business, but you can't take the business out of the man: Cagney states that his camera "works just like a gun, trigger and all". (Uh oh.) Alice White is the love interest here, and I remember reading she was being marketed as the new Clara Bow (who was breaking down by this time); she's cute, and appropriately vivacious, but she's no Clara. Patricia Ellis plays the "good girl", the one for which Cagney wants to better himself, and she does so with aplomb.

Quick-thinking, fast-talking (this was early 30s Warner Bros after all), tense and exciting and smarmy as hell. A moment of sweetness amongst the grit: watch Cagney towards the end, when he's alone in the apartment. He fills this brief wordless scene with such beauty of movement it's almost like dance.

For those confused by the movie's last line, it's "vass you dere, Charlie?", a catchphrase from a popular radio show of the time. James Lileks goes into detail about it in his review, which is much better (and funnier) than mine.

Highly recommended.

I give this one:

Opinions, Please!

2010-06-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

Miss Normand tries to divine an answer.

My next subject is the inimitable Mabel Normand, and a woman like her deserves a doozy of a poem. Problem is, I can't decide on a form - and I really want to use one. Which one do you think would be best for dear Mabel? Here are your choices (click for examples):

• kyrielle
• pantoum
• sestina
• sonnet
• triolet
• villanelle
• virelai

Thank you for your help - I can't wait to see what you choose!

EDIT: Looks like pantoum is the winner! Thanks to all who voted and stay tuned for the poem by the end of this week. ☺

Captain Salvation (1927)

2010-06-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

A touching, spiritual little picture about Anson Campbell, a young man (Lars Hanson) studying to be a parson, and how no good deed - in this case, a helping hand towards a fallen woman (played with great fervour by Pauline Starke) - goes unpunished. Anson suffers through many Christlike trials while trying to protect Bess Morgan (Starke) and still hold onto the love of his sweetheart Mary Phillips (the lovely Marceline Day). Hanson does an admirable job; his turn as a crazed man in the second half of the film is terrific. Wonderful supporting cast including Ernest Torrence and Flora Finch. A little heavy-handed in the morality department (as you might expect), but still an all-round good picture that you wind up carrying with you for a while after it ends.

I give this one:

An Open Letter to Mr Chase

2010-06-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

I really should write something
about your unsung talent,
how you deserve to be elevated
alongside the Big Three
but instead, my heart breaks
when I read of yet another funny man
tortured
tormented
a victim to his demons.

Charles, there was nothing you could do.
Jimmy would have told you the same.

Charley Chase

Silent Gems Found! (reposted from Silent Stanzas)

2010-06-07T12:37:00.000-07:00

Clara can hardly contain her excitement!

Yet another treasure trove of silent films has been discovered! This group of seventy-five(!) comes from New Zealand, and includes Clara's early film "Maytime" as well as work by John Ford, Mabel Normand, and others!
Click the below link to get the full story. This is such an exciting time to be a silent film fan!

Silent Films Found - The San Francisco Silent Film Festival Blog

More reviews coming soon, I promise. Things have been hectic in the Avalon abode!

Silent Gems Found!

2010-06-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

Clara can hardly contain her excitement!

Paws to Remember

2010-06-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

With apologies to ee cummings.

staccato little steps
tick
tick
ticked their way on set
(and sennett was surprised but
liked the little grey cat)
chaplin chucked her

chin

and there were tricks with turpin

but with marie, oh beautiful marie...
(i can only assume that

much purring was heard)

teddy was pretty swell, too - not a bad costar

even though he
was a

dog

Pepper, the First Feline Movie Star

Our Lady of New Amsterdam

2010-05-24T05:52:00.000-07:00

Her face was the fever dream

of the elite, her half-nude body

blindingly arousing. The dance
an exercise in lust and mystery,
the businessmen instantly in love
with her eyes and their knowing shine.

Her fingers dripped with the shine
of diamonds – life was a dream!
First, New York fell in love
on that rooftop; bless that nubile body,
her ticket to Hollywood. It wasn’t a mystery –
all you had to do was frolic, give a private dance.

In no time her image danced
across the silver screen, the shine

of stardom her halo – the mysteries

of sex only a secret dream

to the Olive in the flickers; her body

a virgin’s, destined only for true love.

And then one day, in walked that love –
a handsome fellow who loved to dance.
They fit together, body against body,
his gilded with the shine
of the Pickford name – a dream
come true, but their world was a mystery

to the uninitiated. A mystery
how two could fight so bitterly, yet love
so ardently; they were children whose dream
usurped reality, until the dance
ended suddenly…and her star ceased to shine,
and down to earth fell her body.

In his arms he cradled that body
and wept for her death’s mystery;
some said suicide, but she shone
too brightly, too filled with love
of life, and parties, and dancing,
laughter, fame, and candy-coated dreams.

Now dead was the dream, and here lies its body;
Olive of the Dance, forever a mystery,
where pain and love collide and eternally shine.

Olive Thomas

The Fable of the Bush League Lover Who Failed to Qualify

2010-05-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

The title of this cinquain comes from a film Bushman did in 1914. The character he plays? "The Matinee Idol". Perfect!

Messala

powerful, skilled

imposing, courageous, heroic -

a giant of a man!
Francis

Francis X Bushman

Flapper Flickers and Silent Stanzas

Shut Up and Dance!

Words With Flappers

Happy John Barrymore Awareness Day!

Whitney, Jeanne Eagels, and Junior High

The Miracle Woman (1931)

*rubs eyes*

House Problems = Lack of Inspiration

Buster Keaton: Parkour and Pathos

The Thanhouser Twins

Endings

Street Scene (1931)

OT Post -- but please read!

Happy Birthday Buster!

The Story of Temple Drake (1933)

Employees' Entrance (1933)

Apologies

Fairbanks and Chaney and Veidt (oh my)!

¡Azúcar!

Hollywood Blondes (that have nothing to do with wrestling)

Telling it to the Daisies

Hartsook Studio, 1916

Operator

Jennifer's Massive Film Dump Post (what a lovely name!)

Professor

Seven Years Bad Luck (1921)

For Beth, An Italian Sonnet Cut Short

An Eastern Westerner (1920)

Cosmopolitan

Old San Francisco (1927)

The Unknown

The Doorway to Hell (1930)

Just a Gigolo (1931)

Prince

Blonde Crazy (1931)

Denizen of the Lost City

The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)

little french girl

You can help Japan over on Silent Stanzas

A Tanka for Sessue, and how you can help Japan

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920)

Happy Birthday Harlean!

For Harlean

Imogene Follies

Gilbert-o-Rama #5: Desert Nights (1929)

Madame

Oy, this winter!

Intolerance (1916)

Zephyr

Belated Holiday Wishes

Belated Holiday Wishes

My labor of love gets a mention!

Another blog mention!

Silent Stanzas on the LBS!

The Man Who Had Everything

1967

One Week (1920)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A little different this week.

Oh the humanity!

Pathélogical

It's eerie, dearie...

The Man Who Laughs (1928)

On a Side Street

False Starts and Funnymen

A Pillar of Society

Gilbert-O-Rama #4: Flesh and the Devil (1926)

Hoop-La (1933)

Gilbert-O-Rama #3: Gentleman's Fate (1931)

Gilbert-O-Rama #2: He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

Gilbert-O-Rama #1: The Busher (1919)

Changing the Format

Wildflower

Gilbert-O-Rama: Coming Soon!

The Ballad of the Beautiful Slacker

A Lady of Chance (1928)

Blog Crossover

A Yankee Princess

Their Own Desire (1929)

rubs eyes