I actually had a previous review for this film that I just deleted and am replacing it with this new and updated one. That's because I first tried watching COQUETTE on videotape from MGM but the sound was so horrendously bad that it was practically unwatchable. It was just re-shown on Turner Classic Movies and while the sound improved slightly, it was still an awful chore watching and understanding the film--particularly since they never bothered to Close Caption the movie. The big problem was that the movie came out in 1929 and sound systems for films were brand new and often were inadequate. In this film, the sound varies according to who is speaking--some of the actors come across loud and clear and others (such as Miss Pickford and the man who played her brother) were a major chore to understand. You can't blame the actors for this, but it seriously hampered my enjoyment of the film.
Now as for the film itself, I am shocked to see that this film has a huge number of scores of 10 on IMDb. Maybe this is because it was such an important film historically speaking. It was Mary Pickford's first sound film and she did win the Best Actress Oscar for it. Sadly, by today's standards, she was not particularly good to put it mildly. I also wonder if maybe giving her the Oscar was a way to pay tribute to her vast collection of earlier works. While I do love Mary in SUDS, SPARROWS, DADDY LONG LEGS, MY BEST GIRL (probably her best film) and so many other silent films, she just didn't seem to deserve an award for her overly melodramatic performance here. Overall, her emotional range was HUGE--too huge to be believable. Also, at 37 years old, she simply was too old to be believably playing a young and flirtatious woman.
In fact, overall this was a not particularly good film and seems horribly old fashioned and silly. So often, lines were delivered as if this were an old-time morality play being performed in front of a lot of hicks who loved and expected over-acting. Much of the film seemed stagy and the film went on way too long. Also, there were many story elements that seemed so contrived and stupid. The worst of these was at the end of the film when Pickford's father grabbed the gun which had been submitted into evidence for this courtroom scene. Inexplicably, it was STILL loaded and they left it right where this accused murderer sat!! How ridiculous can you get?!?! Please, do yourself a favor and try some other old-time films first. I am a huge fan of both sound and silent films from Hollywood's Golden Age and there are too many deserving films you should see well before viewing COQUETTE. In fact, any of Pickford's silents would be preferable to this wretched film.
Now as for the film itself, I am shocked to see that this film has a huge number of scores of 10 on IMDb. Maybe this is because it was such an important film historically speaking. It was Mary Pickford's first sound film and she did win the Best Actress Oscar for it. Sadly, by today's standards, she was not particularly good to put it mildly. I also wonder if maybe giving her the Oscar was a way to pay tribute to her vast collection of earlier works. While I do love Mary in SUDS, SPARROWS, DADDY LONG LEGS, MY BEST GIRL (probably her best film) and so many other silent films, she just didn't seem to deserve an award for her overly melodramatic performance here. Overall, her emotional range was HUGE--too huge to be believable. Also, at 37 years old, she simply was too old to be believably playing a young and flirtatious woman.
In fact, overall this was a not particularly good film and seems horribly old fashioned and silly. So often, lines were delivered as if this were an old-time morality play being performed in front of a lot of hicks who loved and expected over-acting. Much of the film seemed stagy and the film went on way too long. Also, there were many story elements that seemed so contrived and stupid. The worst of these was at the end of the film when Pickford's father grabbed the gun which had been submitted into evidence for this courtroom scene. Inexplicably, it was STILL loaded and they left it right where this accused murderer sat!! How ridiculous can you get?!?! Please, do yourself a favor and try some other old-time films first. I am a huge fan of both sound and silent films from Hollywood's Golden Age and there are too many deserving films you should see well before viewing COQUETTE. In fact, any of Pickford's silents would be preferable to this wretched film.