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Monday, February 27, 2012

The Artist - Oscar winner!

I can't tell you how pleased I am that, for the first time since the 1920s, a silent film has won the Oscar for Best Picture.

And Actor, and Director. Yes.

Sometimes, Hollywood really does get it right.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Hail the Woman

This is a very impressive, pro-feminist film. The "woman" of the title is Judith (Florence Vidor), the only member of her family who has the courage to stand up to her domineering, narrow-minded zealot of a father (Theodore Roberts). Judith is accustomed to being held accountable for every evil that has ever existed in the world, since she was born - gasp! - female. Her brother David (Lloyd Hughes) doesn't have it much better; he isn't viewed as the embodiment of sin, but their father has taken it for granted that David will do whatever he is told.

When it is revealed that David secretly married Nan (Madge Bellamy), a local woman, and that Nan is now pregnant, their father Oliver buys off Nan's father (Tully Marshall) with a check for a thousand dollars. Rather than face the entire town while she is pregnant - and the marriage certificate now destroyed - Nan leaves for the big city.

Judith is also accused of wrongdoing, having been seen associating with a poet, of all things, and smoking a cigarette. She, too, leaves for the city; not out of shame, but because she simply can't stand living with her father any longer, and who can blame her?

There is a marvelously touching scene between Judith and Nan, whom she finds in the city one Christmas. I'm not a fan of Madge Bellamy, who was extremely bland, but she really gives a fine performance here. The scene is also photographed beautifully, and is very emotional.

Eventually, of course, Judith returns home, and Oliver is given a taste of his own medicine. 1921, folks.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A double tragedy

I was thinking the other day about the movie Bettina's Substitute, which I have posted about here. I was curious about the actors in it, and discovered some fascinating information.

Bettina's fiance was played by Richard Rosson, who acted in several silents. He was a director as well, with his most famous film being the 1932 Scarface. His brother Arthur was a director; his other brother, Harold, was a cinematographer; his sister, Helene, was an actress. All in all, they were quite an illustrious family, with everyone but Helene continuing to work well into the sound era.

Rosson was married to silent actress Vera Sisson, who made her last film in 1926.

So far, so good - except that Rosson committed suicide in 1953, at the age of 60. His health was failing, and the cause of death is given as "carbon monoxide poisoning". (Most likely, he shut the garage door and turned on the car engine.)

Vera died the following year, of an overdose of barbiturates. They are buried side-by-side in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.