Change Your Image
addison-abbott
Reviews
True Heart Susie (1919)
Visual Arts of True Heart Susie
G. W. Griffith has been known to produce films on the issues that were hardly easily discussed during the early 1900's. In "True Heart Susie" there are many different things that Susie does in order to make sure that William's life is taken care of shows her true love for him. This movie uses the silent aspect to show the truth in the love she has. You can see it in her eyes whenever she is talking to him or about him. At some points of the film the acting done by both were sub-par. The use of dying the film strips different colors to indicate time of day was instrumental in portraying the attitude of the characters during the scenes. During the thunderstorm when Bettina was coming back from her illicit party, the black night sets the air that there was something wrong and foreshadows the events that lead to her death. Another area that the movie excelled was the portrayal of love and the confusion of it. As William goes through life trying to find his love he is constantly turned around from the one who will be completely faithful to him and one who he already loves as well. Whenever the movie's audio track changed from a slow monotone melody to a fast pace intense beat you know that the action will be picking up and moving toward an important part of the plot. When the truth comes out about the party to William he realizes that he had been misdirected by the powder and paint group of girls that had crossed his path and in the end he only wanted to marry the plain girl who would be faithful and fulfill her duties. The life that William found through a "True Hearted Susie" was the life that he had been looking for since the day the man came to town.
Hypocrites (1915)
Truth Revealed
The ability for Lois Weber portrays the image of truth in this movie allows the viewers to see that being a translucent image that she is seen by all yet fragile in her existence. When people denounce her naked, easily seen through the veils, image they are hiding the hypocrisy of their lives and what they are hiding from the people around them. As the people in the times of the monks all come to see truth's true image they are expecting to see a creative interpretation instead of the naked woman. The reason that people are scared or uncomfortable with the naked image is that it was very taboo during the era in which this film was made. As the priest was heading up the steep hill and encouraging others to follow him he sees that most people are too burdened with their earthly distractions to take the time or put forth the effort to travel to find the truth within them. As some of his parishioners follow him they easily become fatigued and need help from the minister to carry on although if they would let down their outer guards and admit that they are hypocrites. Most of the people who are shown in the film run from and are horrified at the sight or idea that they would have to show the world who they are truly and allow themselves to be transparent to those who watch them and talk about them and who they should be. For those that admire the priest and the monk they are often found to end in disappointment and sadness. Overall the portrayal of truth as a naked, transparent woman show that we must not run from our differences but face them, admit to them, and show that we will do what we need to do to face the truth.