Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor, Fox Films’ top romantic team over the silent-to-Talkie transition (12 films from 1927 to 1934) are mutually uncomfortable in this OTT meller. A B’way hit in the ‘teens, it probably worked better as a silent in 1924 (now lost - w/ George O’Brien & Dorothy Mackaill) than in this flatfooted Early Talkie from Raoul Walsh. (Walsh nearly as stiff as his leads.) Farrell, scion of a Wall Street Baron, drunk & dissipated, prone to headline-making scandals, is finally cut off by Dad, forced to make a fresh start of it in San Francisco (with a mere five thou). But old habits die hard and he quickly sinks ever lower before he’s shanghaied to Shanghai. Yikes! With even Gaynor, the only decent person to believe in him, having drawn the line after he suggests she could be mistress rather than wife. Disillusioned, she naturally follows him halfway ‘round the world where they have a second meet-cute . . . in an opium den! (See poster.) He’s back on the sauce; Gaynor quite the sight as an opium addict. But together, maybe they can pull themselves thru. Really? Ridiculous as this all sounds, we’re actually not so far from one of their great silent hits, STREET ANGEL/’28, their second film together. Ah, but that film was with Frank Borzage, a director who had a knack for fatalistic romance stitched together on a thread of religion & redemption. Plus, no bad dialogue to consider.
WATCH THIS, NOT THAT: As mentioned, STREET ANGEL/’28, the follow up to their even more famous initial pairing in 7th HEAVEN/’27. I’m partial to ANGEL, but HEAVEN, also directed by Borzage, gets more attention. Try ‘em both!
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