At his peak in the 1930s and 1940s, to watch Frank Borzage with pleasure, you have to believe in love as something more than a variety of lust. It can be transformative when living (as in the terrific and subtle A MAN'S CASTLE) and, in the hands of performers like Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, can even overcome death -- although I should caution the observant film watcher that the enormous power of those movies lies in the unequaled abilities of Miss Gaynor, who was a truly great film actor; Mr. Farrell was a good one and gave many a fine performance, but it finally occurred to the people who made the movies that no one would go out of his way to see Mr. Farrell on his own.
Although the influence of Murnau on Borzage is usually cited as key, looking at this movie, made three years before SUNRISE, we can see that the essence of Borzage is already in place: the small figures against the enormous vistas, the seemingly inevitable workings-out of the plot but most especially the way people look at each other: Buck Jones never gave a better performance than as the title character of this piece. As another reviewer has put it, it's all in the eyes.
Visually, Borzage has not settled on his signature look, a gauzy effect achieved, according to legend, by filming through a pair of sheer white hose that softened the image and forced the audience to see what was in the viewer's heart. Instead, the print that was used in the Borzage/Murnau at Fox set seems both a little flat -- perhaps from a safety-stock print -- and possessed of a bit of dazzle on the right side of white objects. Perhaps this effect was intended. Perhaps not. In either case, this is a most welcome addition to my collection of silent movies.
Although the influence of Murnau on Borzage is usually cited as key, looking at this movie, made three years before SUNRISE, we can see that the essence of Borzage is already in place: the small figures against the enormous vistas, the seemingly inevitable workings-out of the plot but most especially the way people look at each other: Buck Jones never gave a better performance than as the title character of this piece. As another reviewer has put it, it's all in the eyes.
Visually, Borzage has not settled on his signature look, a gauzy effect achieved, according to legend, by filming through a pair of sheer white hose that softened the image and forced the audience to see what was in the viewer's heart. Instead, the print that was used in the Borzage/Murnau at Fox set seems both a little flat -- perhaps from a safety-stock print -- and possessed of a bit of dazzle on the right side of white objects. Perhaps this effect was intended. Perhaps not. In either case, this is a most welcome addition to my collection of silent movies.