1. Man with a Movie Camera (Dziga Vertov)
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love the inventiveness and energy of this city symphony.
The city awakens
2. The Cocoanuts (Robert Florey and Joseph Santley)
The Marx Brothers made me laugh right out of the box! But where did they get those chorus girls for “The Monkey Doodle-Do”?
3. Pandora’s Box (G. W. Pabst)
Two words: Louise Brooks.
Clip
4. Piccadilly (E.A. DuPont)
Three words: Anna May Wong. Actually, this is a masterfully directed film as well with some standout choreography of large groups of people.
Gorgeous photography in pub/dance hall
5. Hallelujah! (King Vidor)
There is a sincerity in the portrayal of simple country folk that transcends any stereotyping in this all-black musical. And the singing, from spirituals to blues to Tin Pan Alley, can’t be beat.
Clip – Chick’s song and dance in the gambling joint
6. The Great Gabbo (James Cruze)
Erich von Stroheim is fantastic as an egocentric ventriloquist whose personality is slowly splitting between a persona who cannot relate to others and the kind and funny puppet who does his engaging with the world. The story is good enough to forgive the film’s ludicrous musical numbers.
Highlights
7. Asphalt (Joe May)
This late German silent was a complete delight to me, from its amusing beginning to its melodramatic end. I drank in the gorgeous expressionist lighting and super-stylish design.
Excerpt – seduction
8. Diary of a Lost Girl (G. W. Pabst)
Worth seeing just for the natural performance of the fabulous Louise Brooks as the lost girl.
Clips set to “Dear Diary” by Pink (I love this video!)
9. The Love Parade (Ernst Lubitsch)
These Pre-Code Lubitsch musicals are hard to beat when one is looking for a good time.
Clip – “My Love Parade”
10. Applause (Rouben Mamoulian)
The movie’s claim to fame is the fluidity with which Mamoulian uses the camera in this very early sound film. Helen Morgan is also simply fantastic as a worn-out burlesque star.
Opening – keep your eyes on that moving camera
The Coconuts, is a little rough around the edges but makes me laugh anyway. I hate to say that the “Monkey Doodle Doo” is one of my favorite parts because, frankly it is so bad. I find myself humming the damn thing.
The Marx Brothers were unique…..so different from the comedians in film at that time. You had to listen closely or you would miss some funny stuff. And the good thing about it, is that they have held up as masters of frantic comedy to this day.
Wow, my very first comment! Love you, Jill. It was from you I even learned the name of the song “Monkey Doodle Doo.”
It’s funny. I enjoy some of the Marx brothers early efforts more than their later films. This one really made me laugh.
Plus you put three films in this section that you knew would catch my eye…..two with Louise Brooks and one with Anna May Wong. I would have trouble picking between “Pandora’s Box” and “Piccadilly”, both are such masterpieces and go a long way to prove that b/w film can be used so much more effectively than color. The final scene with Jack the Ripper in “Pandora” is so beautifully lit…….but lighting Ms. Brooks would not be a hard job.
We seldom disagree on film but I have to say that I hated “The Love Parade” because I can’t stand Maurice Chevalier…..and don’t try to talk me out of it!!!! I just never saw the attraction plus there are some political issues with him that turned me against him. But of course, Jeanette MacDonald was wonderful….she could really vamp around in lingerie long before she met up with Nelson Eddy.
Flickers in Time is off to a great start. The “year in review” is a great concept. The posts are clean and the embedded YouTube links are great. I also like knowing how many times you’ve viewed a film. Have fun!
Thanks so much for the comment, Joanne! I am having fun. Now I can work on the content more. Stay tuned for the Top Ten of 1933, coming soon.
I will wait, expectantly!