The Wind is a story about a young woman who comes to the west in order to live with a relative, and finds that conditions in this part of the country aren't all that hospitable and sometimes the people aren't either. I found the struggles of Letty to be fully engaging, even if I kept wondering why she didn't run away and return to her life in the east. This movie takes you on an emotional roller coaster as there are some humorous moments, some frightening moments, and even a bit of romance as well. I genuinely didn't know where the journey of this film would end up, and part of that is because the customs and way of life back then are different from what we have now. For instance, the laissez-faire way they get engaged was quite strange to me. I was willing to go with it because the story takes place so long ago that I just can't relate, but it still felt weird.
I tend to think that they exaggerated the mental anguish in The Wind. I can understand a person being a bit crazed from dealing with the isolation and extreme weather conditions in this Old West town. However, the seemingly short amount of time it takes the protagonist to go from fun-loving to freaked-out felt a little crazy. Also, while I recognize this is probably more of a symptom of the silent film era where you needed to rely more on big performances and extreme expressions to convey what is happening without needing so much dialogue, Lillian Gish looks almost like a caricature of a crazy person. Finally, the ending felt a bit too convenient, and I'd argue it might be sending the wrong messages. However, for the time it probably works just fine. Overall, I think The Wind is a solid silent film, and one that has a well-told story that I enjoyed.
I tend to think that they exaggerated the mental anguish in The Wind. I can understand a person being a bit crazed from dealing with the isolation and extreme weather conditions in this Old West town. However, the seemingly short amount of time it takes the protagonist to go from fun-loving to freaked-out felt a little crazy. Also, while I recognize this is probably more of a symptom of the silent film era where you needed to rely more on big performances and extreme expressions to convey what is happening without needing so much dialogue, Lillian Gish looks almost like a caricature of a crazy person. Finally, the ending felt a bit too convenient, and I'd argue it might be sending the wrong messages. However, for the time it probably works just fine. Overall, I think The Wind is a solid silent film, and one that has a well-told story that I enjoyed.