This is one of THE classic romances! It's extraordinarily well made - not just for 1931, I doubt it could be made better even today. It will guarantee to keep you glued to the screen for an hour and a half.
The story is about a couple who meet just for a couple of days, decide they are meant for each other but are then separated so spend the rest of the film looking for each other. You can't get a more classic romantic fairytale than this but it's believable enough for you to believe that it could actually happen to you. If you don't believe that's possible then maybe you won't like this but if you have a trace of romance inside you, it's pure magic. As romantic as this is, it's not slushy - after all it's still a Mr Macho Gable picture so even the roughest toughest alpha males can enjoy this without impunity.
I've never really 'got' Greta Garbo but watching this I can start to appreciate what her appeal was. Her acting style isn't modern but somehow, in this anyway, she's completely authentic and natural - mesmeric even. Clark Gable is, as always Clark Gable, his character isn't the most developed and the multiple writing team make him a little inconsistent at times but he's still great and even his dog (Gable's own dog) acts brilliantly too - he mimics his owner's expressions perfectly!
Why doesn't Robert Leonard have a statue? His imaginative and creative direction is magnificent - he creates the perfect blend of tension, anticipation, happiness and sadness. Apart from the inexplicably overrated THE DIVORCE, I can't think of one of his films which aren't excellent. His clever montage of Helga literally and allegorically growing up in the shadows is inspired. The camerawork, lighting and set design is amazing throughout.
Comparing a film from the very early 30s with a modern production is usually a stupid thing to do but when something is as professionally and well made as this, you can. This film has class. It's not one of those cheap (but nevertheless often great) Warner Brothers flicks which were thrown together in a few days.
This would have been "an event picture", something everyone would have made the effort to go and see. The best stars, a top director (yes he was!), over a dozen top writers (different stages of their lives need different moods but it all blends together - nearly) and a huge budget were lovingly crafted together to create this near-perfect masterpiece.
The story is about a couple who meet just for a couple of days, decide they are meant for each other but are then separated so spend the rest of the film looking for each other. You can't get a more classic romantic fairytale than this but it's believable enough for you to believe that it could actually happen to you. If you don't believe that's possible then maybe you won't like this but if you have a trace of romance inside you, it's pure magic. As romantic as this is, it's not slushy - after all it's still a Mr Macho Gable picture so even the roughest toughest alpha males can enjoy this without impunity.
I've never really 'got' Greta Garbo but watching this I can start to appreciate what her appeal was. Her acting style isn't modern but somehow, in this anyway, she's completely authentic and natural - mesmeric even. Clark Gable is, as always Clark Gable, his character isn't the most developed and the multiple writing team make him a little inconsistent at times but he's still great and even his dog (Gable's own dog) acts brilliantly too - he mimics his owner's expressions perfectly!
Why doesn't Robert Leonard have a statue? His imaginative and creative direction is magnificent - he creates the perfect blend of tension, anticipation, happiness and sadness. Apart from the inexplicably overrated THE DIVORCE, I can't think of one of his films which aren't excellent. His clever montage of Helga literally and allegorically growing up in the shadows is inspired. The camerawork, lighting and set design is amazing throughout.
Comparing a film from the very early 30s with a modern production is usually a stupid thing to do but when something is as professionally and well made as this, you can. This film has class. It's not one of those cheap (but nevertheless often great) Warner Brothers flicks which were thrown together in a few days.
This would have been "an event picture", something everyone would have made the effort to go and see. The best stars, a top director (yes he was!), over a dozen top writers (different stages of their lives need different moods but it all blends together - nearly) and a huge budget were lovingly crafted together to create this near-perfect masterpiece.
Tell Your Friends