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. 

Alan and Eric : Between Hello and Goodbye (1991)

An enjoyable, nostalgic yet also pretty self indulgent movie.

Alan Tam and Eric Tsang are lifelong friends who were separated as children, as Eric went to the US. They are reunited some years later after Eric went back in HK as an adult. Eric tries to make a business selling eggs while Alan plays guitar in a bar. All is cosy and cool...

Then Maggie Cheung enters the scene and Eric falls in love with her (of course). But when she hears Alan sing she falls in love with him instead. Oh how complicated the life of HK singing stars. Eric steps aside and the love blossoms but then Alan hits the big time and leaves his friends behind.

But then then years later they are all reunited in SF, Eric is by now dying. But for his dying wish, he wants Alan and Maggie to stay together.

A romantic and quirky movie, maybe a little indulgant and often surreal - especially when they add Alan's real concert footage in the mix but it makes the movie a brilliant cantopop nostalgia trip.

White Light (1991)

Part crime drama part supernatural romance. Somehow it works.

Sean Craig (Martin Kove) is an undercover cop who has spent years embedded in the mob, finally he reveals his hand and helps bring down a mobster. Not long after Sean is gunned down. He is declared dead but somehow comes back from the brink, while "dead" he saw a young woman called Rachel (Allison Hossack) who he had never met before. 

Back in the land of the living Sean begins to search for Rachel. Could it be the case of Rachel (a missing person) has something to do with his own situation?

This is an interesting film with a good story. It is more a romance than a crime film but the balance is just about right and works quite well. 

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.

False Pretenses (1935)

A fairly familiar subject maybe but nicely done.

Mary (Irene Ware), after being embarrassed by her drunken oaf boyfriend, loses her job as a waitress. She meets a rich former millionaire who is now skint (and stops him killing himself). Kenneth (Sidney Blackmer) and Mary concocts a plan where he will teach Mary how to be a refined lady and snag a rich husband (and she can pay him a finder's fee). Naturally, things don't go to plan...

So, a familiar story, poor girl learns how to be a rich girl. Its a pleasant little comedy with some decent performances and good chemistry between the lead pair. Witty dialogue especially early on makes the film, it does fall a little flat later on though the film is short enough for this not really to be a problem.

Indiscreet (1931)

Gloria Swanson warbles to good effect in this fairly light romantic comedy.

Geri (Gloria) breaks up with Jim (Monroe Owsley) on New Year's Eve, his infidelities and probably his golf too being too much for her. Geri soon meets novelist Tony (Ben Lyon) and falls in love, Tony doesn't want to know about the man in Geri's past and wants to remain ignorant. All is fine until Geri's sister Joan (Barbara Kent) turns up with her new man... Jim!

An enjoyable film, pre-code and quite racy for the times too such as when Gloria shows a bit of leg in the shower! The dialogue is a little awkward at times as in many early talkies though it does give a bit of a natural feel. Gloria sings a few songs too. A fun and enjoyable film.

You'll also fall in love with some of the interior sets, and the furniture!

The Ace of Hearts (1921)

A deadly romantic affair involving that regular theme of the Interwar Period, the secret society.

A secret society plan to assassinate a man. The assassin is to be chosen by a game of cards, with he who is dealt the ace of hearts is to carry out the killing. Two men desperately want that card, Farralone (Lon Chaney) and Forrest (John Bowers), they also want the group's female member Lilith (Leatrice Joy). However, Lilith is only interested in the society's cause (whatever that is supposed to be). When Forrest draws the card of fate, Lilith suddenly decides to marry him to give him courage. Then things start to go wrong...

The film has plenty of suspense and leaves things to the audience's imagination at times. The set up is interesting though the story does begin to unravel a bit in the final act. The film is worth it though for some good performances and a bit of oddness.

Thrill of Youth (1932)

This promises a lot though largely fails to deliver. It remains an average though not uninteresting view of early 1930s society.

Big game hunter Chet (Matty Kemp) returns, from butchering innocent animals, to his neglected girlfriend Marcia (Caryl Lincoln). However, Chet isn't very faithful, and soon he is chasing the local vamp Jill (June Clyde). Unfortunately Chet's brother Jack (Allen Vincent) is also very keen on her. Things get very complicated when Jack and Jill spends the night together (innocently) at a log cabin leading to conflict between the brothers...

Pre-code but fairly tame nowadays, and probably not that racy back in 1932 for most. The plot doesn't make a great deal of sense, with various threads left up in the air. 

The Sentimental Bloke (1919)

An interesting if not that enthralling early Australian film.

Based on a poem, this film recounts the story of an ex-convict called Bill (Arthur Tauchert) and a good old normal Aussie bloke. His life is turned around when he meets Doreen (Lottie Lyell), a good woman. So, this film is basically about the romance and has plenty of Aussie stereotypes.

The film is rather hard to follow at time though the wordy inter-titles packed full of Aussie slang are a treat. It is certainly an unusual film, unfortunately not that interesting overall but the historic value can't be denied.

Suds (1920)

Rags to riches to rags romantic tale, but set in a laundry so at least the rags are clean.

Amanda (Mary Pickford) works in a rather rough laundry but has a romantic imagination. She spins a yarn to her fellow workers that her fiancé is Sir Horace (Albert Austin) who she met when he bought his shirt to the laundry (which is true he did) but his father objected to her and threw her out of their castle (which isn't true). She insists that one day Sir Horace will return for her. Meanwhile, Amanda saves a horse from the glue factory, this results in her becoming homeless but her kindness results in the horse being saved and being taken to live at a rich man's estate.

Horace finally returns to the laundry for his shirt, Amanda asks him to pretend they are a couple, spurning the love of laundry cart driver Ben (Harold Goodwin). Horace isn't too keen on her after all, leaving Amanda (and Ben) distraught. But is this the end of the romance?

A fun film with some interesting effects and film techniques. A decent story with some welcome whimsy.

Lady of the Night (1925)

An enjoyable melodrama with a great performance by Norma Shearer.

Two baby girls are born very close together but also so far apart. One is Molly, the daughter of a man (Lew Harvey) sent to prison for a twenty stretch, and the other is Florence, the daughter of the judge (Fred Esmelton) who put him away! Eighteen years later the two young women (both played by Norma Shearer) have left their respective schools. Molly has become an escort, after a fight at a club she is rescued by an inventor called David (Malcolm McGregor) and falls in love, though David doesn't see it the same way...

With Molly's help, David decides to use his invention that can open any safes for good and not crime. Florence then meets David and starts dating him. However, she realises that Molly really loves him...

It is all wrapped neatly in a way the class conscious 1920s would accept of course. A sentimental film but very well done. The acting is natural and subtle and the story well told. Shearer does very well playing two roles, and two very different characters.

The Plastic Age (1925)

A college-age love story that won't uproot any trees but is a decent enough watch.

Hugh (Donald Keith) is a freshman at college, keen on his studies and sports. Then he meets Cynthia (Clara Bow) and falls in love. Studies, sports and dating Clara Bow pushes Hugh a step too far as she introduces him to booze, dancing and back seat fumbles. Something is going to have to give especially as the big game is coming up (of course)...

So, this is all rather formulaic all down to the parental disapproval and eventual redemption. What rises this film above the pack are the performances especially from Bow and the supporting cast. This was Clara Bow's first hit film.

How Men Propose (1913)

An interesting short feature. Three men propose to the same woman (Margarita Fischer) - without realising. When they finally realise it they go to see the woman and discover that she was just researching for an article she was writing on how men propose for a magazine!

There isn't much to the film though it has some historic and curiosity value. 

An Old Man's Love Story (1913)

An unusual love story. Ethel (Norma Talmadge) is in love with Cyril (Frank O'Neil), who has prospects though as yet not much else. Unfortunately for Ethel, her parents are poor despite all appearances and want to marry her off to a rich man. When their friend and retired businessman James (Van Dyke Brooke) turns up they want Ethel to marry him and send Cyril off...

When James discovers who Ethel's feelings are truly for he comes up with an ingenious (though somewhat implausible) plan for Ethel to marry money and Cyril...

A short film that packs a lot of story in though. The film has fairly natural acting though technically is still rather static. The film looks like it will go off in one direction though will surprise you with it's enjoyable twist. 

Morocco (1930)

This early talkie is notable for being Marlene Dietrich's Hollywood debut, though the film itself is a bit slow and light on plot though certainly worth watching. We are in Colonial Morocco during the Rif War, in Mogador the French Foreign Legion has returned from the fight, in their ranks is Private Brown (Gary Cooper). Also just arriving in Mogador is the nightclub singer Amy (Dietrich) who takes a singing job in a club.

Brown and Amy spark a friendship though he rejects the chance to have a relationship with her. However, Brown's past womanising and the fact rich La Bessiere (Adolph Menjou) is pursuing Amy makes their love rather difficult... especially when Brown has to return to the war.

Visually the film looks great, especially Dietrich's iconic nightclub performances in her top hat and tails, though is light on dialogue and a bit cliched. A film to savour for what it is but a film that is quite flawed.

The Midnight Girl (1925)

A rather average love triangle melodrama, though interesting to see Bela Lugosi in one of his pre-Dracula roles. Rich arts patron Nicolas (Lugosi) is growing weary of his star act Nina (Dolores Cassinelli), who is also sleeping with. His son Don (Gareth Hughes) has a big row with his Dad and moves out. Don discovers Anna (Lila Lee), a young immigrant singer, and falls in love with her. Unfortunately for Don his Dad also hears and falls in love with Anna. Father and son compete against each other for Anna...

A film of it's time, these days a film about a father and son both chasing the same young girl would not be greeted in quite the same light! This is standard melodrama fare, with a neat ending where everything is sorted out in the end and everyone goes home happily for tea. The film is quite acceptable though not much more. It is mostly worth seeing for Bela Lugosi not in a horror. 

Manhandled (1924)

A top draw actor can lift an otherwise average plodder of a film into something decent, as happens with this film starring Gloria Swanson as a shopgirl (Tessie) with a talent for mimicry. She manages to escape her dreary job thanks to her talent for pretending to be other people. She ends up pretending to be a snooty Russian aristocrat in order to attract customers to a posh establishment.

Tessia soon forgets about her boyfriend Jimmy (Tom Moore) but when he becomes a success himself he comes back for her and accuses her of letting herself be taken advantage of (manhandled as per the title)...

Truthfully this is a fairly forgettable comedic morality play but Swanson's comedy performance is well worth watching, especially the crowded subway train scene.

Hoop-La (1933)

Clara Bow's final film, although not a huge hit at least she went out still at the top of the bill. Chris (Richard Cromwell) runs away to join the circus, but its OK as his Dad Nifty (Preston Foster) works there as the manager. Hawaiian dancer Carrie (Minna Gombell) has her hooks into Nifty but she is resentful that Chris is ahead of her in Nifty's affections. She decides to get her fellow dancer Lou (Bow) to seduce Chris to sour the relationship between father and son and hopefully get the son sent packing...

But Lou falls in love with Chris for real. They end up getting married and an enraged Nifty kicks them both out of the circus. The couple head to Chicago where they fall on hard times. Can their fortunes be turned around and will Nifty forgive them?

An enjoyable film though fairly average overall, the cast make the most of a fairly thin script though the circus and carnival life is always an interesting watch. Clara Bow successfully made the switch to talkies, it is just such a shame she could not have continued her career due to personal problems. 

The Ambassador's Daughter (1913)

A neat little tale of love and espionage. Farnsworth (George Lessey), an attache at the US embassy in London, is in love with Helen (Miriam Nesbitt), the ambassador's daughter. However, while he pursues her (and gets knocked back), a spy - Dumont (Marc McDermott) - who works at the embassy, steals an important document though is forced to hide it. Helen begins to investigate the loss of the document, which puts her into peril...

Rather melodramatic and at times over the top, but a well made film. The romance part of the story is a bit overdone and detracts from the espionage plot. An interesting look at life just before the First World War.