feaito

I haven?t seen many silent films, but this must be the one of the greatest ?fantasy? films of this period. I read it was made at an astonishing cost (for 1924, year of its release) U$ 2,5 millions!!? (It must have been filmdom?s most expensive feature before the 1926 ?Ben-Hur?). Douglas Fairbanks is in excellent shape & form, for the ?athletic? part he has to play (at his "acrobatic" best-considering he was 40 years old when it was made); and embodies the hero (the thief of the title) perfectly, who is ?redeemed? by the power of love (in the shape of a ?languid? princess played by Julanne Johnston). The sets are just awesome & gorgeous (designed by the legendary William Cameron Menzies), plus deft direction by Raoul Walsh. Great acting by Anna May Wong (as one of the princess? ladies in waiting) and SoJin (The Mongol Prince), who are perfect as the ?villains? of the story. The Kino DVD Release, brings a digital stereo orchestral new score, adapted from the original 1924 cue sheets, a great asset, plus a set of never before seen outtakes and special effects footage, excerpts of Paul Leni?s ?Waxworks? and George M?li?s 1905 ?Arabian Nights??oh...., and a filmed ?introduction? by Orson Welles himself. Highly recommended for silent movie buffs and movie buffs in general, the story line & the plot is very different indeed from Zoltan Korda?s classic 1940 same title masterpiece. This movie stands its own ground besides that other version. I have both and love them!!! TCM Programmer if TCM hasn?t shown this gem, I tell you, it belongs to your wonderful schedule

I don't know why...but I agree that he was one of the greatest actors ever...either in more "mature" roles like in "LIfe with Father" or "How to Marry a Millionaire"...as a suave, elegant villain in many silents....as debonair man of the world in many late twenties-early thirties Paramounts or some Warners, before arriving in MGM in 1934....he was the perfect Philo Vance...the perfect Nick Charles... great opposite Jean Harlow....he's a top actor & star!!!

Hi Path!!! not that one ...good choice... Clue # 2: Nightclub-singer Extra Clue: Also a MGM, like R.Harvest

Thanks BB...I love that one too..Arthur and McCrea make an engaging couple!! and Coburn is so funny!!!...I never liked the remake (Walk Don't Run), in spite that it starred my all-time fave actor (Cary Grant)... Well...here we go Clue # 1: Amnesia?

The More the Merrier??

Dark Passage?

Lost Horizon?

Never seen "Bordertown", would love to see it!! ....BTW congrats bbg....home-run!!!

Yeah!! ya nailed it path!!!!...good movie!!! just watched it the other day...your turn!!!

Bonus Clue: An accident "en route"

Nope Mary Lou...Love to watch that one!! (chuckles) Clue # 2: A "suffering" wife

Kimbo's right...in fact I bought it two months ago at Amazon.com marketplace sellers, used...at the price you mention, more or less... You're right that for some of us it'll be a movie to watch over & over again, just as in my case it has happened with "Dodsworth" and "Portrait of Jennie" too,...but for the people who are just curious, maybe rental is the option; anyhow it's marevlous that a "decent" copy is available. I've just watched "Love Affair" (1939) (Irene Dunne & Charles Boyer) , and the Public Domain copies of this gorgeous film, which everytime I watch "moves me" pretty much, are rather awkward (I bought a PD (copy) DVD) ...the same happens with "Penny Serenade" (1941) (Irene Dunne & Cary Grant), a film which has been so endearing for me, since I was a kid, and is only available on PD copies.

...Welcome Path...maybe the out-of-print VHS can be available for rental at a Blockbuster near you...It's a must...Hope TCM leases it.

Well...hope that "Charley" didn't hurt any of our pals from the boards who live in the affected Zone (mainly Florida) nor any friend or relative of anyone of the boards. To those who lost their loved ones my condolences...to those who lost their homes, my sympathy and my wishes that everything returns to normality as soon as possible. Here we go, Clue # 1: Two brothers

As I promised, watched the movie...and the scene you describe does not belong to "They Drive By Night".

That is the famous "bolero" "Perfidia"...one of the greatest love songs of all time...BTW, love "Mambo Kings" Soundtrack, especially "Cuban Pete" and "Ran Kan Kan".

Thanks for your feedback Mary Lou. I agree about Ophuls' films. Would love to watch "La Ronde" and "Madame de...", for example.

Pals, I want to share with you, a new fave (in my top list), I posted this review on another site last week; I really hope TCM can lease/borrow and show it, because the movie is a "piece of art". I bought the out-of-print VHS, second-hand, and it's originally a Universal Pictures release, but the copy has the Republic Pictures Logo at the beginning; here is the review: I must say that there have been few movies (dramas) which have emotioned me so much as this work of art by master director Max Oph?ls (credited as Opuls here)...only films like "Portrait of Jennie" or "Dodsworth"...this was another one-of-a-kind experience for me. I had read so much about it, that I had to SEE it...so I bought this VHS. Joan Fontaine gives what one can easily be, the most wondrous, poetic, performance, she ever gave, including "Rebecca" and "Suspicion"...Here she simply is at her very best, close to perfection...just as Jennifer Jones, gave (IMHO) THE performance of her career in the aforementioned "Portrait of Jennie". She convicingly grows from an "innocent" adolescent who falls deeply in love with an artist (Louis Jourdan), looking him, following him, listening to him, "in hiding", "in the shadows", quietly, living her life only "for/because of him"... although he's unaware of that. This obsession of hers with this man, reaches to a point where nothing makes sense to her without him. It's platonic love & adoration, taken to extreme limits, almost to the boundaries of insanity, yet so disarmingly naive and true! Louis Jourdan is equally effective, as the debonair, devil-make-care, playboy, man of the world, pianist, who realizes too late, what has been going on. Wonderful art direction, sets, mood, atmosphere, cinematography, narration... excellent "raccontos/flashbacks"...great camera work, gowns, period detail...everything is so right...especially the truth in Lisa's (Fontaine) very deep love for this man, who becomes the only reason of her life, of her "breathing", of her "existence". Max Oph?ls really made a work of art, out of this movie...which by the way, I read somewhere, had a similar plot than the 1933 "Only Yesterday", which marked the debut in the american cinema, of that gorgeous actress, Margaret Sullavan; although Oph?ls' film, is by far superior...'cos it "trascends" the "Tearjerker" status; it has an ethereal quality all of his own. Not since watching "Shadowlands" in March of this year, I had felt & been so moved by a film. Really, ROMANTIC, unrequited love, at his best. And I tell you, I'm not an "easy" person...in other words, I do not "emote" easily, and at the film's conclussion, I have no shame in admitting that I cried like a baby. It reached my heart & soul. This film ought to be restored and released on dvd format, since it is one of the landmark films of all time. Although I must say the Republic VHS Edition, is decent indeed

I bought the dvd some 3 months ago, but haven't watched the movie yet...I'll give it a look, and let you know, ok?

Love the idea; I have some old 1930's and 1940's mags., and I love to re-read them, from time to time, so this "just for fun" idea is great. Good Job Mongo!!

Yeah Sandy..I had heard about it...nothing more "distant" and opposite, in real life, from the most famous character he ever played (Ashley Wilkes)....

Nope I haven't...it's a John Barrymore film (he made late in his career-1939?).... Totally stumped....The glass key?

stumped....The Great man Votes?

I married a witch?

All the king's men?