This film is about a single ring that ends up in the possession of no less than six characters in the film. The sudden and surprising shifts in possession of the ring mark the shifts in fortune of the characters.
This film beautifully illustrates the Marxist idea that people are turned into commodities under capitalist relationships. There is a beautiful montage sequence in a nightclub where the camera cuts to a series of wealthy men trying to entice beautiful singer Suzanne (Madge Bellamy) over to their tables. It is shortly followed by a montage of wealthy women trying to entice handsome gigolo Tony (Gilbert Roland) over to their tables. They are simply not people but objects to be bid on.
The movie playfully follows the exchange of sexual favors for jewels, furs and money among the rich of Paris. It also shows how this is treated as a game, something of no consequence. Beautiful people are commodities to be bought and sold, just as the perfumes, rings, bracelets and necklaces are in the shops of Paris.
The movie does not object or moralize about this. Like the great Brechtian work it is, it simply teaches and sarcastically comments. Note the montage near the end when Suzanne looks at the different jewels that see has collected and sees the faces of the men who gave each me to her. The men have been transformed into jewelry for her. Man as become a thing, the final result of capitalist commodity production. The gorgeous and natural acting cast was directed by Alphonse Martell. This was his only movie. This is sad as he shows great talent and a terrific visual sense. Martell appeared in over 100 uncredited roles as a Frenchman over the next 35 years after this film.
This is one of only 12 sound roles for silent film star Madge Bellamy, who is delightful, making a totally believable transition from naive shop-girl to high class courtesan. Fans of "White Zombie" will enjoy seeing her here. Mary O'Day as Paulette also seems to be having a great time in her role as the female buddy/sidekick. Natalie Moorehead has the best line in the film, "I was through with you before we started." It indicates that she never took Albert seriously as a love and was just playing with him.
This film is before the horrible Hollywood Hayes moral code. It is hard to see the Hayes code allowing the sexual playfulness and happy ending for our gigolos and gigolettes that we find here. One can only wonder at how many more naturalistic and joyful movies Hollywood would have produced if not for the tyrannical straight jacket of the damn Hayes codes. May it never come again.
This film beautifully illustrates the Marxist idea that people are turned into commodities under capitalist relationships. There is a beautiful montage sequence in a nightclub where the camera cuts to a series of wealthy men trying to entice beautiful singer Suzanne (Madge Bellamy) over to their tables. It is shortly followed by a montage of wealthy women trying to entice handsome gigolo Tony (Gilbert Roland) over to their tables. They are simply not people but objects to be bid on.
The movie playfully follows the exchange of sexual favors for jewels, furs and money among the rich of Paris. It also shows how this is treated as a game, something of no consequence. Beautiful people are commodities to be bought and sold, just as the perfumes, rings, bracelets and necklaces are in the shops of Paris.
The movie does not object or moralize about this. Like the great Brechtian work it is, it simply teaches and sarcastically comments. Note the montage near the end when Suzanne looks at the different jewels that see has collected and sees the faces of the men who gave each me to her. The men have been transformed into jewelry for her. Man as become a thing, the final result of capitalist commodity production. The gorgeous and natural acting cast was directed by Alphonse Martell. This was his only movie. This is sad as he shows great talent and a terrific visual sense. Martell appeared in over 100 uncredited roles as a Frenchman over the next 35 years after this film.
This is one of only 12 sound roles for silent film star Madge Bellamy, who is delightful, making a totally believable transition from naive shop-girl to high class courtesan. Fans of "White Zombie" will enjoy seeing her here. Mary O'Day as Paulette also seems to be having a great time in her role as the female buddy/sidekick. Natalie Moorehead has the best line in the film, "I was through with you before we started." It indicates that she never took Albert seriously as a love and was just playing with him.
This film is before the horrible Hollywood Hayes moral code. It is hard to see the Hayes code allowing the sexual playfulness and happy ending for our gigolos and gigolettes that we find here. One can only wonder at how many more naturalistic and joyful movies Hollywood would have produced if not for the tyrannical straight jacket of the damn Hayes codes. May it never come again.