goldensilents

The only thing I liked about The Show was Renee. I didn't care for Jack's character at all, nor the main theme of the film. No I knew that you mean disagreement more than "argue" in context. Besides, it is possible to have a light hearted argument, too. I am very happy Bardelys was found and that they could get past any ancient copyright problem to get the film to DVD. Cameo is PD so didn't have the same mess involved.

Perhaps you are arguing about it because it's like comparing apples to oranges. One is a fun romp and romantic swashbuckler and the other film is far more serious, often depressing. It depends on what mood you are in when you watch a film, I guess. I think it's very legit to claim a fun and romantic picture can be just as well executed and entertaining as a serious drama. If a person has been depressed in their life probably one of the LAST films I would ever recommend them to watch is The Cossacks. They need their spirits lifted and should go in the opposite direction for entertainment.

I suspect few women were beautiful back then, life was way too hard for them and aged them prematurely. I'll bet by the time most of the women in biblical days were 20 they had had several children, worked round the clock taking care of the home, and were already starting to look like 40 by that age. Modern women are more pampered. On a happier note I watched Bardelys (thanks Jeff!) and enjoyed it very much. I thought the print looked great for one that was thought lost for decades (compare to the worn Beyond the Rocks). So it's really a miracle to watch it. I thought the fencing / dueling in the film was very exciting and well executed (they obviously trained well), Jack and Eleanor looked lovely, and the film had good production values. I am not going to review the French broadcast on my own board; I'll wait for the official DVD with Rodney's score to review it more in depth, but so far, thumbs up from me!

I suspect the opening credits were added later -- by someone who didn't pay attention to details.

Did anyone else realize they spelled Elinor's name two different ways? In the opening credits it is spelled Elinor and in the actual title card that spells her name it is Eleanor. LOL!

I have the Criterion edition too. I just find it really hard to watch some parts of that movie, whereas other parts are beautifully done, like the 2 strip Technicolor resurrection sequence. I just find HB Warner too old and lackluster as Jesus Christ. He just doesn't do anything for me. It's like watching paint dry for me; I feel no connection to him. Even when he is being tortured he barely reacts, like he's in a trance. Then that whole business with Judas having an affair with Mary Magdalene just drives me up the wall.

>OK well, maybe not that last one...... *LOL!!!!*

> it was very interesting to see that early Joan Crawford cameo. I agree. When the picture premiered on TCM I slowed it down to capture the scene in the cab where one second it was a split screen and then for a brief moment it was Joan Crawford as stand in. The film goes so fast you'd miss it unless you slowed it down and took individual snapshots. And here is my favorite colorized portrait of Norma Shearer. I think she looks stunningly beautiful here. Talk about classy dressing instead of jeans and t-shirts! lol

Is that when you were born, Ed? Wow, she looked maybe 30, tops, not 40. That's amazing.

Was Laurette really 40 years old when she made that silent? Wow, she didn't look it at all.

I think we all get tired of the jeans and t-shirt look on both men and women. What a contrast to the silent era when there seemed to be far more pride in appearance.

My monitor tends to run dark but even with that I thought it needed some gamma correction. It was very difficult for me even to see the Fair Eleanor's face.

I've seen it several times before, I really love that picture. Norma gives a great performance in it.

How come I'm the only one posting on this thread? I feel lonely. Isn't anyone else out there watching silent films they can review? Anyway, thanks to Jeff, I watched Laurette Taylor in Vidor's *Peg o' My Heart* (1922) yesterday. I suppose it was broadcast on France's TCM because it had the stationary "bug" on the print the whole time and it had French subtitles on the English title cards. Here is another silent film TCM could premiere here in America, but I suppose they drag their feet because they'd have to commission a new score for it (unless they could arrange to use the one the French station put on it, which I thought mediocre). Marion Davies made a very nice talkie of the same film a decade or so later, but Laurette originated the role so it was interesting for me to compare. I thought she held the film up and everyone else in the cast was just so-so and yawnsville. I don't think this was one of Vidor's better directing efforts. Interestingly enough I think the later talkie removed some of the political intrigue in the story; maybe Hearst did that on purpose to increase the chance Marion's film wouldn't ruffle feathers and would be a success. I enjoyed the picture because of Laurette but overall I prefer Marion's version. She's less hyperactive.

Well that kind of takes the sting out of them removing Glorious Betsy. I have enjoyed Donald Sosin's work quite a bit. I think he's very under-rated. One of my favorites is his score for Mary Pickford's *Cinderella*. It was so charming I put parts of it on CD for myself to listen to in my van. In addition he is a very generous and caring person: he wrote me several emails when I was diagnosed with BC and suggested herbs and supplements I might try and he offered to put music to all my video clips on Golden Silents when I had my clip database up (since removed) for free (I had removed any copyrighted music from them so I wouldn't infringe anyone's rights). I couldn't let him do that though, it would have been too much work for no gain. Eventually I got tired of people taking the clips and putting them on YouTube and so removed the whole thing.

I watched the nifty dream sequence from the obscure silent *Beggar on Horseback* (1925) starring Edward Everett Horton, Esther Ralston, Betty Compson, Gertrude Short and Theodore Kosloff. How I wish I could see the whole film now. Apparently it recently showed at a film festival but it is missing the final reel so I doubt anyone will do anything with it. A shame. Edward looked so young, almost handsome, and the special effects and sets were unique for their time and fun to watch. Oh well, another one not to think about too hard or you get depressed. It's Off Topic in the extreme but this YouTube video I saw tonight picked up my spirits tremendously. Check this out! A new Star is Born! They were all making fun of her because she was homely ... until she opened her mouth and started to sing! A voice like this comes from heaven! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

There are also private citizens who keep copies of old films under old copyrights which people think are lost. They don't wish to be pressured to give up their "babies" to archives.

I just wish that one had music. It's a great print. The reviewers on the IMDb were stating it was in bad condition. If that is bad condition then I'm Mama Cass. *Bucking Broadway* (1917) is an early John Ford western with Harry Carey that's worth watching. It was once thought lost. That one at least has a nice piano score to it. I love the font in the restored title cards too. I wish I knew what that font was. I'd love a copy for my font bank.

This morning while doing housework I put on and watched the Murnau-Borzage-Fox documentary that was included in the big MBF DVD set. I thought it was excellent and really gave one a bird's eye view into the era and the various personalities making landmark early films. I was a bit surprised to hear that Frank Borzage had such an unhappy time of it with his first wife. She said openly she didn't love him, she aborted his child, she insisted on separate bedrooms, and on the 25th anniversary of their marriage she toasted -- another man!!! Since Frank was such a staunch Roman Catholic it was incredible to me that he could put up with that nonsense for so many years. Finally he had enough and divorced her and remarried and that marriage was happy until he died.

I don't have copies of the ones you or Ed list (except for the same fragments everyone else has in documentaries or anthology sets), sorry again coopsgirl. Maybe if the recession ends the overall picture will be brighter for getting some of these rarities to disc. Right now it is just too upsetting to think of all the films that could be available; I prefer to dwell on the ones that are available and can be enjoyed right now.

Yes, the silent one. I have a friend at an archive. That's all I can say, sorry. In my copy the sound part at the end is gone. My print is mediocre, looks like it was recorded via camcorder, and has no music. But I can confirm that yes, it is indeed NOT a lost film, in fact it looks more charming than the later Margaret Sullavan version. Someday I hope someone will put it to official, restored DVD quality.

http://www.europafilmtreasures.eu/the_films.htm This wonderful site has streaming videos of many silents that may be of interest to you. The films are from archives around the world and most have musical accompaniment too. I downloaded a whole bunch of them yesterday and burned them to disc for myself. Even though they are compressed for the internet they still turned out rather good to watch on my HDTV. I was surprised! Enjoy.

I think despite any problems with the film technically what stands out is the sweetness and intensity of the relationship between Guy and Magnolia in this version. They are young people and they look it. The later versions really had to dress down the actors to make them look young and to me at least the chemistry wasn't as strong between the leads in those later films as it is between Laura and Joseph in this version. I can overlook many technical faults when I am watching great performances! The ending in this one is sublime. They play the tune Lonesome Road while a beautiful and bittersweet reunion scene goes on. I tear up everytime. In fact I would include it as one of the most memorable endings in silent film history.

I'm not surprised it's not lost. I've had a copy for a year.

You've come into your own with the 2nd photo, Jeff. It looks very professional. Happy Easter to everyone on this board. Christos anesti!