The Voice of the City (1929)

An uneven early talkie.

Convicted cop killer Bobby Doyle (Robert Ames) escapes prison and goes on the run. He protests that he was framed by the mob. He was helped by Johnny (Clark Marshall) and is hidden by his girlfriend (Sylvia Field) and sister (Duane Thompson) Detective Myers (Willard Mack) is tasked with catching Bobby and putting him back in the nick...

Not a bad film with some enjoyable scenes, though the film is also padded out with some awkward extended dialogues scenes and the staging is pretty static most of the time. Some of the actors also struggle a bit with the change from silent movie style movement and physical emoting to dialogue, but that is the fun of transitional films.

One interesting thing to note is that this was the film Al Capone was watching when he was arrested in Philadelphia in 1929!

Noah's Ark (1928)

An epic tale which links the Biblical story with the harrowing incidents of the First World War.

A mixed group of people are travelling on the Orient Express in 1914 including a couple of American tourists Al (Guinn Williams) and Travis (George O'Brien) and a German girl Marie (Dolores Costello). The story switches to 1917, by now Al and Travis are American soldiers on the Western Front. They save Marie from being shot as a spy... but what has all this got to do with Noah's Ark?

The story switches to the time of Akkad, whose King has defied God who sends a flood to wipe out mankind, though Noah is tasked with building a big boat. An epic part of the film (though the flood scene was maybe a little too epic, three extras died in the filming and dozens more were injured, Costello also caught pneumonia!) The film has a strong anti-war message, unfortunately the message was unheeded just over ten years later...

The film is a transitional silent film with some sound scenes. Unfortunately, the dialogue does not add a great deal to the film. The film is a solid watch, the flood scenes (basically an extended dream sequence) are compelling, though what a price was paid.

The Sea Lion (1921)

Hard bitten old sea dog yarn, that handles the nautical scenes pretty well.

The captain (Hobart Bosworth) is a bitter old sea dog, who hasn't gotten over his wife and child leaving him while he was at sea many years before. On his next voyage he has a new seaman Tom (Emory Johnson), a fresh faced novice who soon becomes the butt of all of the crew's jokes. However, the voyage runs into trouble with a near mutiny. Then the ship arrives at a remote island where the survivors of an old ship wreck live.

One of the survivors is a young girl, Blossom (Bessie Love) who falls in love with Tom, which causes conflict with the captain. Though there is a bit surprise in store here...

A decent enough film though sometimes hard to follow, this isn't helped by the flashbacks which sometimes contradict each other! The scenes at sea are pretty well done.

One Week (1920)

An early example of Buster Keaton's work, a taste of the greatness to come.

Buster and Sybil Seely have just got married. One of their wedding gifts is a prefabricated house which they have to build themselves. What could go wrong?! A love rival is out to sabotage things though, and switches the part numbers around so the resulting house, after many mishaps, is a bit odd...

Its a bit frenetic, maybe a little too much slap stick is squeezed in at times but this is a fun watch with a lot of sight gags.

Tempest (1928)

A classic late 1920s silent movie.

This film follows the story of Ivan Markov (John Barrymore), a soldier in the final days of Tsarist Russia. Despite heavy opposition, low born Markov rises through the ranks to the officer corps. 

He falls in love with the Princess Tamara (Camilla Horn) though she spurns his advances, however when he is found drunk in her quarters Markov's enemies have their chance to dispose of him. He is kicked out of the army and send to prison. 

However, the old regime soon falls and Markov has a new important role with the Communists who release him, will Markov seek revenge on the now non-aristocratic Tamara?

A fine film with plenty of drama and emotion and some great camera work, though some performances are a bit wooden and spoil things a bit. Barrymore is great though, the perfect silent movie hero. 

The Return of Boston Blackie (1927)

Before the highly successful Chester Morris series of Boston Blackie films in the 1940s there were a number of other adaptations of the character in the silent movie era, this was the last "silent" Boston Blackie film before the series returned with sound in the 1940s.

Boston Blackie (Raymond Glenn) has just spent two years in jail, He makes a vow to go straight but ends up involved with Sylvia (Corliss Palmer) who has stolen a necklace from a dancer. 

It turns out the jewels belong to Sylvia's father (who was having a bit on the side with the dancer). Blackie agrees to break into the father's safe to put the jewel's back.

The star of the film though is Blackie's dog Strongheart who gets top billing! The film is fine enough, nothing at all like the later talkies. A pleasant if not exceptional watch.

Alice's Egg Plant (1925)

The Alice series were early Walt Disney live action / animation hybrids. 

Alice (Anne Shirley) and Julius the cat are the owners of an egg factory. Unfortunately, the hens are a bit lazy so Julius has to keep them hard at it. Then a new hen arrives, Little Red Henski from Moscow who is going to try and bring communism to the egg plant!

An unexpectedly political little film, we were only a few years into the Russian Revolution. Whether kids would get it though is a good question.

The Blacksmith (1922)

Buster Keaton is working in a blacksmithing shop with plenty of mayhem of course. Buster ends up in a fight with the actual blacksmith (Joe Roberts) which ends up the blacksmith being in jail. Buster takes it on himself to serve the blacksmith's customers which involves him shoeing various horses and destroying a Rolls Royce!

This is a fine little silent comedy by one of the all-time greats though maybe a little more slapstick than usual. Not his best but still pretty good.

All Lit Up (1920)

Snub Pollard is a dandy who is hanging around a park chasing butterflies in a net. After some flirting (with girls not butterflies) he ends up in a jazz cafe and more mayhem ensues. Snub finally ends up in jail in this short piece of slapstick. A decent enough silent comedy though without making much sense or being that subtle. 

Fine for what it is but not really in the first division of silent movie comedies. Ernest Morrison plays a good role as one of the children Snub ends up having to look after at one stage.

Her First Flame (1920)

A curious comedy short. We are in the year 1950 (though looks remarkably like 1920 still!) and men and women have switched roles. Unfortunately, those roles are rather stereotyped and quite dated. Women are now strong and forthright while men mostly stand around giggling and do domestic chores...

Lizzie Hap (Gale Henry) wins election as the town's fire chief, by cheating Minnie Fish (Phyllis Allen) using a variety of disguises. Lizzie now forms an all-girl fire brigade. Naturally when there actually is a fire things do not go very smoothly but Lizzie manages to save her love Willie (Milburn Morante).

Not the greatest silent comedy ever, the staging is often as dated as the attitudes, but does some decent visual gags.

The Bees' Buzz (1929)

A surreal and highly strange (and amusing) comedy that has to be seen to be believed!

Andy (Andy Clyde) is announcing the engagement of his daughter Peggy (Barbara Leonard) to the rich oil man Homer (Harry Gribbon). However, Peggy is in love with Tyler (Tyler Brooke) instead and she elopes with him. Andy and Homer head off in pursuit which sparks a series of bizarre antics including car chases, people in cow suits and angry bees stinging everyone on the bum!

This is a rather strange little film which wouldn't seem out of place a few decades later in a psychedelic pop video. Highlights include a justice of the peace running around a golf course still in his sauna box and a man trying to get out of a barrel of water which falls apart drenching everyone. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever and can't be considered high art but it is very funny and does the job.

It (1927)

The film that turned Clara Bow into a superstar and created the concept of the "It girl", but is it any good?

What is "It"? A concept beyond beauty, a quality that draws people to them, a charisma that people find irresistible. 

Shop girl Betty (Bow) has a crush on her handsome boss Cyrus (Antonio Moreno). Unfortunately Cyrus is engaged to Adela (Jacqueline Gadson) who is in his social class while Betty is not of course. Betty finally gets Cyrus to take her on a date, to the joys of Coney Island! Cyrus falls in love with Betty (who has It!) but circumstances throw some hefty obstacles in the way of true love...

So, an important film and it is indeed very enjoyable, after all Clara Bow was the It girl and had a magnetic quality on screen. The story is light and fast paced, the comedy is fine if a little too cute at times. Without Clara the film probably wouldn't have worked quite as well but thats why some are stars and most are not.

A Few Moments with Eddie Cantor (1923)

While the Jazz Singer in 1927 became the first full-length feature film to have lip-synched sound and music, there were earlier films released experimenting with sound and this is one of the earliest.

The Phonofilm method of recording sound onto film was developed in the early 1920s and used to make a number of short demonstration films. Ultimately however, Hollywood chose other methods for recording sound (Vitaphone being used for the Jazz Singer) and Phonofilm faded into obscurity. Two hundred films were made and like this one are now of considerable historical value and interest.

This film was recorded in early 1923 and includes vaudeville performer Eddie Cantor who would go on to having a long career on the stage, radio and appear in quite a few films (even some TV at the end). In this film he tells some jokes and sings a couple of songs. There isn't much to it, he just stands there and performs but its a fine and fascinating short film.

Alice Gets Stung (1925)

Another early Walt Disney animation / live action hybrid.

After an innovative if perhaps slightly overlong chase between a cat and a rabbit, Alice (Virginia Davis) appears on the scene to help Julius the cat get the rabbit which has continually outsmarted him. Alice also tries to hunt bears and ends up getting trapped in a barrel with a beehive (hence this short feature's name)...

So, a short animation feature mostly involving animal hijinks and dancing, with Alice appearing and interacting with the characters. It is quite clever and inventive, just not that funny maybe because the storyline is ultimately somewhat cruel. 

Alice the Whaler (1927)

Another of Walt Disney's early Alice animation / live action hybrids.

Alice (Lois Hardwick) is dancing aboard a ship with a crew of animals. The chef is a cat, for example, with a mouse as his sous chef tasked with peeling the potatoes! To be honest there isn't much plot in this film, it mostly consists of animals dancing and the occasional hijinks. The mouse plays the biggest role and isn't a very sympathetic character.

Ultimately there isn't a great deal to this short film and it isn't really that good. The Alice series of films was running out of steam but fear not, Mickey Mouse was about to make his screen debut for Disney and that changed everything.

Battling Butler (1926)

More restrained than usual for a Buster Keaton film, the comedy coming from the story and situations rather than impressive physical feats.

Alfred Butler (Keaton) is a foppish young man sent by his father to do some hunting to toughen him up. Alfred continues his easy life in the mountains though in a luxurious tent and not a great deal of luck hunting! However, he meets a girl (Sally O'Neill) and falls in love. 

Unfortunately for Alfred, her male relatives are against the match as they think he is a bit of a weed. Alfred's valet (Snitz Edwards) tries to pretend Alfred is a boxer with the same name. Naturally soon Alfred has to enter the ring for real!

An enjoyable if subtle film. It is rather sweet and touching with good visual gags rather than manic slapstick. It is maybe not Keaton's best but it showed he had many strings to his bow.

Alice's Day at Sea (1924)

One of the earliest Walt Disney films, this is a comedy short which mixes live action and animation.

Alice (Virginia Davis) and woken up by Peggy the dog and heads off to the seashore. When she is there she hears a story of an old shipwreck and then dreams of visiting a mysterious world under the seas including an underwater zoo!

Although not the first to be made this was the first Alice film to be released and is a fun little thing with it's mix of styles. There isn't much to it but it has a bit of charm. It is probably most notable for historical reasons though. 

The Mystery Airman (Serial) (1928)

A classic serial set in the air, with ten episodes and nine death defying cliffhangers.

The Baker Airplane Company led by Jack Baker (Walter Miller) has developed some new world beating technology for it's aeroplanes. However, a rival company want this technology and are prepared to use nefarious means to get it (of course!) Baker and his aircraft are continually attacked by a fleet of mysterious raider aircraft led by Pilot X...

So, this is familiar serial fare. The aerial scenes are a bit hit and miss and can be a bit difficult to work out what is actually happening but the episodes have sufficient fast moving action and plot twists and turns toi keep you entertained. The identity of Pilot X is of course unknown though is one of the other characters with a mask, so you can try and work it out before the big reveal! Also stars Eugenia Gilbert, Robert Walker, Eugene Burr and Dorothy Tallcot... is one of those Pilot X? Find out next week (maybe).

The Flying Scotsman (1929)

An enjoyable early talkie, so early in fact that it starts off as a silent movie but the dialogue is turned on about half way through!

Bob White, the driver (Moore Marriott) of the Flying Scotsman (the actual LNER 4472) is about to retire after making one more run along the East Coast Main Line (the actual train is called the Flying Scotsman too as well as the locomotive!) His former fireman Crow (Alec Hurley) is resentful as he was sacked after White saw him drinking and reported him. He vows revenge. Meanwhile, the driver's daughter Joan (Pauline Johnson) falls for a cocky young railway worker called Jim (Ray Milland). White doesn't want him around his daughter though hasn't seen him, which is just as well as Jim is his new fireman!

Joan overhears Crow's plan to cause an accident and follows him onto the train. What follows are some death defying stunts (by the actors themselves) hanging onto the side of the moving train. Can disaster be averted?

The film begins as a silent movie but about half way through it changes to a sound one (one of the earlieest British ones). It is quite a strange effect, film technology was moving fast in 1929 but there obviously wasn't the time and/or money to reshoot the first half of the film as sound. This is an enjoyable adventure with some exciting scenes and humour. The true star is Flying Scotsman of course, which to this day draws a huge crowd. Its also Ray Milland's first credited role.

Behind That Curtain (1929)

An early talkie, the first sound film to feature Charlie Chan in fact, though his appearance is rather brief.

Eve (Lois Moran) marries Eric (Philip Strange) against her uncle's wishes and before important information on Eric's dark past can be revealed. The person who had that information is mysteriously killed before he can reveal it, Eric and Eve meanwhile elope to India. Sir George (Claude King) of the Yard is continuing to investigate the case...

In India, Eve discovers that Eric is a drunk who sleeps with the servants. She also discover the horrible secret that Eric was behind the murder. She flees with her old beau Colonel John (Warner Baxter), but Eric and Sir George are not far behind. Finally, the trail ends in San Francisco where Sir George enlists the help of Charlie Chan (EL Park) to finally unveil the truth...

As an early talkie it is unfortunately marred by awkward dialogue, especially at the start as the actors almost fight to get their lines out, and very stiffly too (though noticeably improves later on). However, this is a very decent film with some epic settings and a good involving story. You won't see much of Charlie Chan (though he is for once played by an Asian actor), though you will see Boris Karloff in his first sound role.