tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post8773159404458114960..comments2024-03-21T17:54:04.910-04:00Comments on Silent Volume: The Little American (1917)Chris Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02511805377064572471noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post-24117119262979217552014-06-08T13:36:05.323-04:002014-06-08T13:36:05.323-04:00I really enjoyed this film. I have to disagree abo...I really enjoyed this film. I have to disagree about the music though. It was very moving at times and really added to the emotional impact of the darker scenes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post-631648123109771662012-06-04T09:27:45.587-04:002012-06-04T09:27:45.587-04:00Pickford was a particularly interesting case. She ...Pickford was a particularly interesting case. She had an enormously popular stock character (the strong-willed, innocent beauty); an equally popular celebrity profile (intertwined with Douglas Fairbanks'); and behind the scenes, a reputation for being a tough negotiator who always knew the numbers.<br /><br />I imagine Pickford chose film projects based their compatibility with all three. But I can't think of a film in which any of them were deliberately subverted, a la THE SEARCHERS or ABOUT SCHMIDT. Maybe STELLA MARIS, but only because she played a physically unattractive (and arguably less marketable) character.<br /><br />I am interested in films that make sense ONLY if you're previously familiar with the actor's public persona. KISS ME, STUPID is a great example, as is NORTH BY NORTHWEST.Chris Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02511805377064572471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post-75670430805413359172012-06-04T09:02:46.089-04:002012-06-04T09:02:46.089-04:00Pickford was the one great thing in a lot of medio...Pickford was the one great thing in a lot of mediocre films... though SPARROWS and MY BEST GIRL stand out as great films in their own right. I wish they were more celebrated.Chris Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02511805377064572471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post-77316916994219112162012-06-04T08:54:29.010-04:002012-06-04T08:54:29.010-04:00Thanks for giving us the space to write about Mary...Thanks for giving us the space to write about Mary, KC. She's underrated by modern film fans, I think. Even silent film fans. Plus, she's a Toronto native, just like me!Chris Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02511805377064572471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post-72108715928882643132012-06-03T21:10:27.687-04:002012-06-03T21:10:27.687-04:00This film had so much going on! I credit that to D...This film had so much going on! I credit that to DeMille though. It's hard to keep your focus on what could have been a very entertaining little picture. However, I'm one of these silent film fans that thinks Mary can do no wrong and then there's the very talented Jack Holt. <br /><br />I really appreciate your honest review of Little American. I think it's watchable even if you're a DeMille fan (want to see his early work)<br /><br />A fun contribution to the Blogathon.<br />Page of My Love of Old HollywoodPagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15063277863578004836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post-71464288815625018952012-06-03T00:58:16.668-04:002012-06-03T00:58:16.668-04:00You can see it here too: http://archive.org/detail...You can see it here too: http://archive.org/details/MaryPickford3<br />And no music--which sounds like a good thing in this case. Can you imagine the uproar if those soldiers did attack Mary? There would have been riots! I wish I could have seen DeMille's space film. That would have been crazy I'm sure. Thanks for the post Chris. I haven't had a chance to watch this yet, but now I'm very curious.KChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17587905976811500791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5228314939015275941.post-56908690643061104802012-06-02T23:57:22.154-04:002012-06-02T23:57:22.154-04:00Your reading of how 1917 audiences would have rece...Your reading of how 1917 audiences would have received Mary Pickford in this movie says a lot about her star persona. She is one example of a star whose persona was inseparable from the filmtext - the film cannot be read without taking her star text into account. I hope you enjoy my post about persona (http://thegreatkh.blogspot.com/2012/04/introdution-word-about-persona.html) and let me know how you think it might be applied in Mary Pickford's case - I'd love to hear your take on this theory!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16581509646636552299noreply@blogger.com