The biblical deluge serves for a paralleling metaphor for the flood of blood spilled in WW1 in this transitional silent-talkie epic from 1928. The titular story takes great liberties with Genesis, adding a dramatic romantic adventure as Noah's son Japheth (George O'Brien) tries to rescue his betrothed Miriam (Delores Costello) who has been condemned to be sacrificed to a false god, only to be blinded and sentenced to slavery in the attempt. Meanwhile, Noah is given the Moses treatment as the bearded patriarch ascends a foreboding mountain, is spoken to by a Burning Bush, and then sees the command to build a floating zoo appear in fiery letters on great stone tablets. The acting is typical of the silent era: exaggerated, melodramatic, and theatrical but the special effects are very impressive, with some nice miniature work (discounting the tiny puppet Noah who speaks with God) and some excellent biblical images (such as the Tower of Babel and the massive ark) effectively integrated into the live action. The climatic flood scenes are incredible (and lethally realistic at times, see trivia) and are well worth sitting though the film's numerous weaknesses to see. The parallel story of a Yank and a German fräulein (O'Brien and Costello again) in the early days of WW1 is by far the weaker of the diptych: a contrived, dull, cliché-ridden, and maudlin morality tale full of simplistic characters and ridiculous plot-driving coincidences. Like the antediluvian tale, the best parts are the special effects - in this case the battle scenes. Directed by soon-to-be prolific A-list director Michael Curtiz, the film is mostly silent, with some dialogue in the 'modern story' and some odd sound effects thrown in (during a silent exchange between two characters, one 'blows a raspberry' and the flatulent 'pbbbbbt' sound is dubbed in). A must see for film-history buffs, everyone else might as well watch the intro and then skip to the deluge.
Review of Noah's Ark
