I thoroughly enjoyed my first trip to the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. And I particularly enjoyed this film. It was by far my favorite. Ms. Moore was at her working-girl-smitten-by-the-rich-kid best and the supporting cast was by and large superb.
The 1920s inside-jokes were entertaining (especially for us liberal arts graduates). For example, there was a reference to waiting for the "new model" Ford which everyone was doing in 1927 when Model T production halted and the Model A was as yet unreleased and the object of much speculation. Also, you don't hear a lot of William Jennings Bryan or Paul Revere gags nowadays! And as always I enjoyed the "slice of 1920s life" that so many of these films reveal: the clothing, the appliances, product displays, autos, and so forth.
The exterior shots in and around San Diego were hard to imagine as a swanky Rhode Island resort (with palm trees, no less) and when Mary Lou is rousted by the house dick (there's a term you don't hear often anymore) his badge clearly displays the Great Seal of the State of California. These little things don't really distract. In fact, spotting them is half the fun, just as it is with current releases. The print was excellent and the commentary on the restoration was informative, bordering on fascinating. I hope to own a copy of this film on DVD someday. It is worth watching over and over. If you've never attended the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, you're missing out on a premier event. It is well organized, well run, and a truly splendid festival.
The 1920s inside-jokes were entertaining (especially for us liberal arts graduates). For example, there was a reference to waiting for the "new model" Ford which everyone was doing in 1927 when Model T production halted and the Model A was as yet unreleased and the object of much speculation. Also, you don't hear a lot of William Jennings Bryan or Paul Revere gags nowadays! And as always I enjoyed the "slice of 1920s life" that so many of these films reveal: the clothing, the appliances, product displays, autos, and so forth.
The exterior shots in and around San Diego were hard to imagine as a swanky Rhode Island resort (with palm trees, no less) and when Mary Lou is rousted by the house dick (there's a term you don't hear often anymore) his badge clearly displays the Great Seal of the State of California. These little things don't really distract. In fact, spotting them is half the fun, just as it is with current releases. The print was excellent and the commentary on the restoration was informative, bordering on fascinating. I hope to own a copy of this film on DVD someday. It is worth watching over and over. If you've never attended the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, you're missing out on a premier event. It is well organized, well run, and a truly splendid festival.