WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[JackFavell]

I love Hide-Out - it's a real winner. Montgomery and O'Sullivan are great together. Miss Goddess clued me on it, and its been a favorite ever since.

[feaito]

Yes Wendy I agree, April also clued me on "Fugitive Lovers" (1934) with Bob Montgomery and Madge Evans and "The Mystery of Mr. X" (1934) with Bob and Elizabeth Allan, both good films.

[ChiO]

Last night at our neighborhood theater, I saw LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW? (Borzage, 1934). I was expecting a romance between two young lovers in difficult times, but whose love transforms and redeems the world...you know, a Borzage movie. But instead I got a beautifully shot film about two characters too stupid and irresponsible to deserve anyone but each other...living on the edge of poverty, wasting what little they had, then worrying about where the next Deutsch mark would come from, all while she's pregnant and he can't hold a job. Margaret Sullavan's acting was fine, I just didn't care that much for her character. Douglass Montgomery's acting and character approached the intolerable. Thank goodness for Alan Hale, who made watching a joy. If any character finds redemption, his is the one. And, most of the other actors did a fine job. But those two young lovers were beyond redemption.

[charliechaplinfan]

Margaret Sullavan is great even when she's playing an unsympathetic character, one of the few who can accomplish this, I could watch her play any role.

[Ann Harding]

Last night at our neighborhood theater, I saw LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW? (Borzage, 1934). I was expecting a romance between two young lovers in difficult times, but whose love transforms and redeems the world...you know, a Borzage movie. But instead I got a beautifully shot film about two characters too stupid and irresponsible to deserve anyone but each other...living on the edge of poverty, wasting what little they had, then worrying about where the next Deutsch mark would come from, all while she's pregnant and he can't hold a job. Margaret Sullavan's acting was fine, I just didn't care that much for her character. Douglass Montgomery's acting and character approached the intolerable. Thank goodness for Alan Hale, who made watching a joy. If any character finds redemption, his is the one. And, most of the other actors did a fine job. But those two young lovers were beyond redemption.

It's funny. I have always loved Little Man, What Now? immensely. For me it's among Borzage's best. I guess if you got irritated by the two lead characters (I didn't), it might have completely overshadowed the beauty and charm of the film. I think Borzage's depiction of the life in Germany at the time is accurate. Douglass Montgomery is a victim of a system that crushes him. I wouldn't make him responsible for what happened to him. Then, the film has this kind of fairy tale quality to it like Man's Castle, another favourite of mine with a couple in similar circumstances.

[JackFavell]

Did anyone watch Doorway to Hell with Lew Ayres and Jimmy Cagney the other night? I enjoyed this film and thought Lew was surprisingly effective in the lead role of the juvenile college kid who organizes a crime syndicate. Cagney makes a big impression with little screen time.

[CineMaven]

I've never seen "LITTLE MAN, WHAT NOW." But I have a movie mentor named Bob...we went to college together. He's lately been studying Borzage films so I asked him if he's seen "LITTLE MAN..." I shared the comments expressed here with him. Below are his thoughts on the movie:

"I saw Little Man again quite recently, so it is pretty fresh in my mind. It's hard to believe that this guy saw the same movie I did. True, Douglass Montgomery, underrated though he may be, was not adept at expressing strength of character, but that was certainly not required for this part. Borzage's women are usually stronger, at least internally, than his men and Hans may be one of the weakest which does not, I think, make him so contemptible. The animosity towards Sullavan and her character is less understandable. She does her best within the confines of her role in society and, furthermore, the scene where they are romping around in the woods is to my knowledge the only time that Sullavan has ever been actually sexy on the screen! I think it's one of Frank's best movies of the thirties, but as my mother always said: "To each his own."

[feaito]

"Little Man What Know?" is one of my very favorite Borzage films and I found it to be a masterpiece.

[Papermoon]

Did anyone watch Doorway to Hell with Lew Ayres and Jimmy Cagney the other night? I enjoyed this film and thought Lew was surprisingly effective in the lead role of the juvenile college kid who organizes a crime syndicate. Cagney makes a big impression with little screen time.

I missed it, but I saw it before, and I'm glad you're not complaining like alot about Lew Ayres in the film. You have no idea how often I come across the "Lew Ayres doesn't make a good gangster, he's too cute, blah blah blah...."

[JackFavell]

I thought he was great! He's supposed to be more brains than brawn anyway.

Your avatar...have I mentioned that it's lovely to see Jack LaRue? I hope you keep it for a long long long time.

[Papermoon]

I've seen following films:
The Song of Songs(1933)I love a film where Marlene Dietrich starts out as a wide eye innocent, plus Lionel Atwill makes a good creep.
Terror Aboard(1933)Three cheers for a film with quite a body count, and unusual deaths, plus Charlie Ruggles & Jack La Rue...
Seventh Heaven(1927) Been wanting to see this one for quite some time, LOVED IT, what a sweet & beautiful film
Transatlantic(1931) Enjoyed Edmund Lowe as a Gentleman crook.

[charliechaplinfan]

I really liked Song of Songs when I watched it, it was so much more than I expected and Marlene was a revelation directed by Malmoulian.

Seventh Heaven is one of my favorite silents, we have a thread dedicated to Frank Borzage here. Seventh Heaven has a magical quality.

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... nk+borzage

[feaito]

Papermoon, what a great line-up!!

[JackFavell]

I am glad you mentioned these, Papermoon, I am off to find Terror Aboard.

[feaito]

“The Guardsman” (1931). On Saturday morning (and thanks to dear Knitty) I watched the only talking film of the renowned and legendary theatrical team of Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt under Sidney Franklin’s direction. The film is based upon a farcical stage play by Ferenc Molnar and it benefits from having been filmed under the Pre-Code Era, which enhanced Lynn Fontanne’s deceitful portrayal of a bored Stage Diva whose Actor-husband suspects she is having an affair with another man, due to a series of changes in her behaviour; so, she tests her impersonating a Russian officer who woos her. It’s quite delightful to watch this famous team at their peak and we have to be thankful that this film survived the ravages of time. Sophisticated entertaiment, witty situations and dialogue, delivered with a naughty abandon by Ms. Fontanne, who charmed me all the way. Mr. Lunt is also excellent, but as man Ms. Fontanne’s allure affected me more of course. Excellent supporting cast: Roland Young, Maude Eburne, ZaSu Pitts and Herman Bing.