Based on a short story by Thomas Burke, Broken Blossoms is the story of an abused young woman who meets a kind-hearted Chinese man as they fall in love as he helps her get away from her abusive father. Written for the screen and directed by D.W. Griffith, the film is a silent drama that explores a woman who finds solace in this foreigner much to the dismay of her father. Starring Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess, and Donald Crisp. Broken Blossoms is a fascinating though flawed film from D.W. Griffith.
Set in London’s port areas, the film revolves around a Chinese man who moves from China to London in the hopes of spreading the message of Buddha to the Anglo-Saxon world as he befriends a beautiful but abused and unwanted young woman who is treated cruelly by her boxer father. It’s a film with a simple premise as it play into the misfortunes of a young woman and a Chinese man trying to live in a world that is cruel and unforgiving as he tries to display his ideals to the world. D.W. Griffith’s script doesn’t have a strong plot as it never goes more into the misfortunes of this young woman as well as the Chinese man trying to help her. Even as the character of her father plays up to the many clichés of a man full of pride and cruelty with some of the dialogue not being strong enough to get past the clichés.
Griffith’s direction does have elements of style in the compositions he creates though it is hampered by many of the shortcomings of the film’s script. While the setting he creates for the foggy port area of London is entrancing to watch with some color schemes to help set the mood. Griffith’s approach to getting his actors to perform at times comes off as overly theatrical or overly-emotive while having white actors play Asians definitely puts the film on a bad light. Despite the choices made in those times, Griffith does create some unique visuals and compositions in capturing the dreariness of the locations through wide and medium shots along with the interaction between characters in the latter as well as close-ups. Griffith also plays into the melodrama as it relates to the plight of the young woman and the kindness she would receive from the Chinese man despite the terror her father would bring that would include this terrifying scene in a closet that showcases her father’s rage. Overall, Griffith creates a compelling though substandard film about a young woman seeking solace in a kind Chinese man.
Cinematographer G.W. Bitzer does excellent work with the film’s grainy de-colored cinematography with its usage of filters to help set the mood and lighting schemes for scenes set at night. Editor James Smith does nice work with the editing as it is straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to heighten up the drama. The visual effects work of Hendrik Sartov does terrific work with the visual effects to help create foggy look for a few scenes as well as the look of China. The film’s music by Joseph Turrin, for its 2001 restoration, is amazing for its score with its emphasis on lush orchestral strings with some traditional Chinese-inspired pieces including its usage of string instruments and some piano pieces as it is a highlight of the film.
The film’s cast feature some notable small roles from Norman Selby aka Kid McCoy as a prizefighter, Arthur Howard as Burrows’ manager, George Beranger as a friend of Burrows who spies on the Chinese man, and Edward Piel Sr. as a Chinese man known as the Evil Eye who causes trouble as it’s one of the worst performances as it is a white man playing an evil Chinese man as it just feels wrong. Donald Crisp’s performance as the boxer Battling Burrows has their moments in terms of the ferocity and terror he brings though it is hampered by some of his performance choices including the boxing scene as he isn’t convincing as a boxer. Richard Barthelmess’ role as the Chinese man Cheng Huan as it has moments where he displays that air of kindness but the fact that he’s a white man playing Chinese where he has to squint his eyes just adds that air of discomfort into his performance. Finally, there’s Lillian Gish in a fantastic performance as Burrows’ daughter Lucy where she brings that air of despair into her performance despite the fact that her character is 15 and she’s a lot older than that though Gish also provides that sense of radiance into the performance to make up for that flaw.
Broken Blossoms is a stellar though flawed film from D.W. Griffith. While it does feature some nice visuals, gorgeous compositions, and a few notable performances from its cast. It suffers from some of the dated racism in the film as well as in some of the casting decisions that had to be done during the late 1910s as it does hurt the film. In the end, Broken Blossoms is a fine but discomforting film from D.W. Griffith.
© thevoid99 2020
Based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn, How Green Was My Valley is the story of a Welsh family dealing with hardship in the 19th Century where a mining town in Wales is going through hard times. Directed by John Ford and screenplay by Philip Dunne, the film is a look into the life of a family from the perspective of a young boy as he sees a family deal with changes and a way of life becoming obsolete. Starring Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O’Hara, Anna Lee, Donald Crisp, Roddy McDowall, Sara Allgood, Barry Fitzgerald, Patric Knowles, John Loder, and narration by Irving Pichel. How Green Was My Valley is an evocatively rich and touching film from John Ford.
Told from the perspective of an old man recalling his time as a child in mid-19th Century Wales, the film revolves around a family in a small mining town where they deal with hardships and changing times that would affect their community. It’s a film that plays into a world that had a system and ideal that has worked with them for many years but little things would make some changes for this family and those they know as it would mark the end of innocence for a young boy. Philip Dunne’s screenplay follows the life of the young boy in Huw Morgan (Roddy McDowall) who sees the work that his father Gwilym (Donald Crisp) and his older brothers do as miners with his mother Beth (Sara Allgood) and older sister Angharad (Maureen O’Hara) do every day in making sure there’s soap and hot water available. It’s a system that’s worked as one of them in Ivor (Patric Knowles) would marry a young woman in Bronwyn (Anna Lee), whom Huw is fond of, who would do the same for Ivor. Yet when changes made over wages occur, the Morgan siblings hold a strike with Gwilym stepping back as he doesn’t want to cause trouble where he, Beth, Angharad, and Huw watch to see its outcome.
It would be in the town’s new pastor Mr. Gruffydd (Walter Pidgeon) who would make sense of everything as it would create an uneasy compromise that would start the beginning of a sense of decline in the town. Even as certain things occur where Mr. Gruffydd’s time with the ailing Huw, following an accident that left him temporarily paralyzed, has him being around Angharad who is falling for him. Yet, Mr. Gruffydd is aware that being seen with Angharad is forbidden as he would also see some of the trouble among some of the town elders over some of the immorality where Angharad would end up marrying the mine owner’s son Iestyn Evans (Marten Lamont). It would add to this sense of change where there’s tragedy but also this reality that Gwilym is forced to accept while he realizes that Huw should look for a future away from the mines though Huw does want to follow in the footsteps of his father and brothers.
John Ford’s direction is quite vast in terms of the setting that he creates as well as showing a world that was very simple only to be changed by modernism and this growing sense of morality. Shot on location at the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, California, Ford would use the landscape to recreate the world of 19th Century Wales at a time when the actual location was unavailable due the events of World War II. Nevertheless, Ford’s usage of the Santa Monica Mountains would allow him to capture life in a mining town where miners would sing traditional Welsh songs after work or for a ceremony as Ford would capture the vastness of this town and valleys with some gorgeous wide shots. Even in the moments of tragedy of how a town would react toward an emergency whistle to emphasize something has gone wrong while Ford would also capture a few wide shots to play into the moments such as the tense meetings at the church and Huw’s first day attending a national public school miles away from home.
Ford would also use close-ups and medium shots to get a look inside the Morgan family home as well as the way some of the characters interact. Notably the moments between Mr. Gruffydd and Angharad as they know their feelings for each other is forbidden with the former making a choice that he knows would protect him from some of the troubles he would endure from the elders. The film’s third act isn’t about Gwilyn facing reality as he becomes concerned for Huw’s future but also Huw making a decision to help the family where he learns about hypocrisy from some of the community as it relates to Angharad and Mr. Gruffydd. It would culminate with another moment of tragedy that would force the older Huw, via narration, to see what had been lost with Ford gazing into a moment in time where it was peaceful only to become corrupted by greed, deceit, and ideals that never did anything good. Overall, Ford crafts a somber yet rapturous film a boy coming of age in a small Welsh mining town in the 19th Century.
Cinematographer Arthur C. Miller does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography to capture the gorgeous beauty of the exteriors in the day along with some naturalistic lighting for some of the interior scenes set at night. Editor James B. Clark does excellent work as it is straightforward with a few dissolves and rhythmic cuts to play into the drama. Art directors Richard Day and Nathan Juran, along with set decorator Thomas Little, do amazing work with the look of the town including the mining tower and the chapel where many in the community meet on Sundays. Costume designer Gwen Wakeling does fantastic work with the costumes that is true to the period including the dresses that the women wear. The sound work of Eugene Grossman and Roger Heman Sr. do superb work in capturing the atmosphere of the mines as well as how they’re heard from the outside. The film’s music by Alfred Newman is wonderful for its sweeping orchestral score that is a mixture of soaring string arrangements as well as vocal choirs with some traditional Welsh music.
The film’s incredible cast feature some notable small roles from Clifford Severn as a school bully who goads Huw into fighting him, Lionel Pape as the mine owner Mr. Evans, Marten Lamont as Mr. Evans’ son Iestyn who would marry Angharad, Ethel Griffies as Angharad’s housekeeper at the Evans estate, Frederick Worlock as the town doctor, Arthur Shields as the local deacon Mr. Parry who is an ultra-conservative figure in the town, the trio of, Richard Fraser, Evan S. Evans, and James Monk in their respective roles as three of Huw’s older brothers in Davy, Gwilym Jr., and Owen, and Morton Lowry as Huw’s cruel schoolteacher Mr. Jonas who looks down at Huw for being Welsh and working class. Rhys Williams is terrific as the boxer Dai Bando who teaches Huw the art of boxing while confronting Mr. Jonas over his cruelty. Barry Fitzgerald is superb as Bando’s friend Cyfartha as a man who is often drunk but is always friendly to everyone.
John Loder and Patric Knowles are fantastic in their respective roles as the eldest Morgan brothers in Ianto and Ivor as two men who become aware of the changes in the mine as they try to fight for what is right. Anne Lee is wonderful as Ianto’s wife Bronwyn whom Huw has a crush on as she deals with life as a miner’s wife as well as dealing with some of the chaos as she is able to get help from Ianto’s family. Sara Allgood is excellent as Beth Morgan as the family matriarch who is a very old-school woman with old-school values as she is baffled by the idea of mathematics and geography though she eventually realizes about the bleak future that is to come. Donald Crisp is brilliant as Gwilym Morgan as the family patriarch who is a miner that is dealing with changing times as well as sensing the decline in the world of mining as he urges Huw to focus on a life outside of mining.
Roddy McDowall is marvelous as Huw as the youngest child of the Morgan family who looks up to his brother as well as he cope with the changes around him as well as new environments in his life. Maureen O’Hara is amazing as Angharad as the sole Morgan daughter who helps her mother run the house as she is in love with Mr. Gruffydd as she is torn in being with him but also not cause any sense of immorality. Finally, there’s Walter Pidgeon in a remarkable performance as Mr. Gruffydd as the town’s new pastor who arrives to the town with a sense of morality yet is torn in his devotion to God and his feelings for Angharad where he helps out the Morgan family and sees the growing hypocrisy in the town toward things they don’t understand.
How Green Was My Valley is a spectacular film from John Ford. Featuring a great cast, a compelling premise, gorgeous visuals, and a sumptuous music score. It’s a film that explores a boy seeing a way of life go into decline as well as coping with changes that would destroy everything that made a community he grew up on become obsolete. In the end, How Green Was My Valley is a sensational film from John Ford.
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Buster Keaton and Donald Crisp and written by Keaton, Clyde Bruckman, Jean C. Havez, and Joseph A. Mitchell, The Navigator is the story of a young rich man who boards on a cruise ship unaware that he and his girlfriend are the only passengers are there due to some devilish scheme. It’s a film that plays into the misadventures of a young man and his girlfriend as the former tries to impress the latter. Starring Buster Keaton and Kathryn McGuire. The Navigator is an extremely funny and entertaining film from Buster Keaton and Donald Crisp.
It’s a film with a very simple premise about two spoiled rich kids who both go aboard on a cruise ship unaware that they’re the only people onboard due to a scheme made by a rival faction during a war. Along the way, these two kids are forced to fend for themselves as they deal with being alone in a cruise ship as a lot of hilarity ensue as it’s a film that showcases what happens when two people who often have people do things for them are forced to make their own coffee and cook their own food. It’s simple premise adds to a lot of ideas of what could be done and the screw ups that these two character have to endure.
The film’s direction by Buster Keaton and Donald Crisp is definitely ambitious in terms of its set pieces and stunt work that is created where much of the film takes place on this cruise ship. Especially as Keaton and his co-star Kathryn McGuire create some intricate stunt work and gags that add to the sense of two spoiled kids having to fend for themselves. The use of medium shots and wide shots on this ship add to the humor such as a scene where Keaton and McGuire are running around the ship trying to find each other as Keaton’s editing would help play to that humor with some unique rhythmic cuts. Even as Keaton would slow things down to play into the sense of not knowing where he and McGuire would be shot in medium shots while each providing subtle moments into their performances. Overall, Keaton and Crisp creates a very funny and thrilling film about two spoiled young adults stuck on a cruise ship by themselves.
Cinematographers Byron Houck and Elgin Lessley do excellent work with the film‘s black-and-white photography from the interior scenes at night to the daytime scenes set on the ship. Costume designer Clare West does brilliant work with the costumes from the rich clothes the main characters wear to the sailor uniforms they would have to wear. The film’s music by Robert Israel (for its 1995 reissue) is fantastic for its very playful score as it is driven by piano and an orchestra to capture some of the antics in the film.
The film’s superb cast include some notable small roles from H.N. Clugston and Clarence Burton as the two spies that would be responsible for the ship to drift, Noble Johnson as a cannibal chief, Donald Crisp as scary picture, and Frederick Vroom as the girl’s father who sold the ship that plays a key part in the film. Finally, there’s the duo of Kathryn McGuire and Buster Keaton in incredible performances in their respective roles as Betsy O’Brien and Rollo Treadaway. McGuire serves as a great foil for Keaton in terms of the physicality of the comedy as well as being a character that manages to get things down. Keaton displays his mastery in physical comedy and stunt work while proving to do some funny things in little moments as it showcases his gift as a comedy actor.
The Navigator is a phenomenal film from Buster Keaton and Donald Crisp that features a fantastic supporting performance from Kathryn McGuire. The film is definitely one Keaton’s finest films in terms of his approach to physical comedy and how stunts can help provide some of the finest gags captured on film. In the end, The Navigator is a remarkable film from Donald Crisp and Buster Keaton.
Buster Keaton Films: (The Rough House) - (One Week (1920 short)) - (Convict 13) - (The Scarecrow (1920 short)) - (Neighbors (1920 short)) - (The Haunted House (1921 short)) - (Hard Luck (1921 short)) - (The High Sign) - (The Goat (1921 short)) - (The Playhouse) - (The Boat) - (The Paleface) - (Cops) - (My Wife’s Relations) - (The Blacksmith) - (The Frozen North) - (The Electric House) - (Day Dreams (1922 short)) - (The Balloonatic) - (The Love Nest) - (Three Ages) - (Our Hospitality) - Sherlock Jr. - Seven Chances - (Go West (1925 film)) - (Battling Butler) - The General - (College (1927 film)) - Steamboat Bill Jr. - The Cameraman - (Spite Marriage) - (The Gold Ghost) - (Allez Oop) - (Tars and Stripes) - (Grand Slam Opera) - (One Run Elmer) - (Blue Blazes) - (Mixed Magic) - (Love Nest on Wheels)
© thevoid99 2015
