'Eternal Love' stars John Barrymore in semi-swashbuckling mode with the beautiful Camilla Horn. This is one of those late silent films that were released with soundtracks consisting of music and sound effects. In 'Eternal Love', several gunshots are heard at climactic moments ... but they're all pathetic little popgun sounds. Still, in 1929 *any* sound that emerged from the movie screen must have thrilled audiences. This film is directed by the great Ernst Lubitsch, though several of his other movies from this period are much better.
The story begins in 1806, when France and Austria are "at each other's throats" (as a title card ludicrously claims), and the Swiss village of Pontresina is caught in the middle. The French military officers demand that all men in the village surrender their weapons ... and all the men immediately do so (I found this wildly implausible) except for Marcus Paltram (Barrymore), who is clearly supposed to be the only 'real man' in the village. Marcus is in love with the beautiful blonde Ciglia (Horn), who lives with her uncle the minister (good performance from Hobart Bosworth). Marcus's bitter rival is Lorenz Gruber, played by Victor Varconi (a handsome and talented silent-film actor who usually played unsympathetic roles). Marcus is pursued by Pia, a dark peasant girl whose desire for him is frankly carnal.
After setting up an intriguing premise, with the peaceful Swiss villagers living under French military occupation, this is dropped by the second reel and never mentioned again. The villagers throw a masked ball, with surprisingly elaborate costumes and masks. With bludgeon-heavy symbolism, Pia's mask gives her the face of a crone, while Ciglia's mask depicts a woman's face with exaggerated beauty. After the ball, Marcus makes a drunken pass at Ciglia; in a moment of anger, she spurns him. Marcus does the gentlemanly thing, and leaves ... only to run into Pia, and they end up in his bed together. (So that Barrymore's character remains sympathetic, the film clearly establishes that she seduces him, not the other way round.)
SPOILERS COMING. The film degenerates into soap opera. Pia's mother demands that Marcus marry Pia. This enables Lorenz to marry Ciglia. When he realises that she still loves Marcus, Lorenz tries to murder his rival. Eventually, Marcus and Ciglia flee into the Alps, where Ciglia prays to God to let the two of them die together. God obliges with a friendly avalanche. (I really dislike films in which God takes an active hand in the proceedings: if that's the way the universe works, then why doesn't God do this more often?)
'Eternal Love' features some splendid photography. Especially noteworthy in this movie (filmed in California but set in Switzerland) are some superb glass-shots to create the Swiss Alps in the background. An early sequence which allegedly takes place up in the mountains looks more like it was filmed in Bronson Canyon ... in the same spot where they filmed 'Robot Monster'. Barrymore is good in his role, but this is one of those movies in which every supporting male character is depicted as a spineless wimp so that the male lead is both the most macho character and the most principled character. (I cringed during the scene in the tavern, when Barrymore helps himself to several other men's drinks ... and not a man in the place has the guts to challenge him, not even in a group.) Still, the good points in this film outweigh the bad. I'll rate 'Eternal Love' 6 points out of 10. Yodel-lay-he-hoo!
The story begins in 1806, when France and Austria are "at each other's throats" (as a title card ludicrously claims), and the Swiss village of Pontresina is caught in the middle. The French military officers demand that all men in the village surrender their weapons ... and all the men immediately do so (I found this wildly implausible) except for Marcus Paltram (Barrymore), who is clearly supposed to be the only 'real man' in the village. Marcus is in love with the beautiful blonde Ciglia (Horn), who lives with her uncle the minister (good performance from Hobart Bosworth). Marcus's bitter rival is Lorenz Gruber, played by Victor Varconi (a handsome and talented silent-film actor who usually played unsympathetic roles). Marcus is pursued by Pia, a dark peasant girl whose desire for him is frankly carnal.
After setting up an intriguing premise, with the peaceful Swiss villagers living under French military occupation, this is dropped by the second reel and never mentioned again. The villagers throw a masked ball, with surprisingly elaborate costumes and masks. With bludgeon-heavy symbolism, Pia's mask gives her the face of a crone, while Ciglia's mask depicts a woman's face with exaggerated beauty. After the ball, Marcus makes a drunken pass at Ciglia; in a moment of anger, she spurns him. Marcus does the gentlemanly thing, and leaves ... only to run into Pia, and they end up in his bed together. (So that Barrymore's character remains sympathetic, the film clearly establishes that she seduces him, not the other way round.)
SPOILERS COMING. The film degenerates into soap opera. Pia's mother demands that Marcus marry Pia. This enables Lorenz to marry Ciglia. When he realises that she still loves Marcus, Lorenz tries to murder his rival. Eventually, Marcus and Ciglia flee into the Alps, where Ciglia prays to God to let the two of them die together. God obliges with a friendly avalanche. (I really dislike films in which God takes an active hand in the proceedings: if that's the way the universe works, then why doesn't God do this more often?)
'Eternal Love' features some splendid photography. Especially noteworthy in this movie (filmed in California but set in Switzerland) are some superb glass-shots to create the Swiss Alps in the background. An early sequence which allegedly takes place up in the mountains looks more like it was filmed in Bronson Canyon ... in the same spot where they filmed 'Robot Monster'. Barrymore is good in his role, but this is one of those movies in which every supporting male character is depicted as a spineless wimp so that the male lead is both the most macho character and the most principled character. (I cringed during the scene in the tavern, when Barrymore helps himself to several other men's drinks ... and not a man in the place has the guts to challenge him, not even in a group.) Still, the good points in this film outweigh the bad. I'll rate 'Eternal Love' 6 points out of 10. Yodel-lay-he-hoo!