'West of Broadway' is somewhere in the middle as far as John Gilbert's talkie films go in quality. Personally consider 'Phantom of Paris' (well until it became implausible in the last act) and especially 'Downstairs', my vote for his best sound film and shows that not all his talkies were deserving of the overall negative reputation they've garnered, better films. But it is better than 'Way of a Sailor' and particularly 'Redemption' (haven't seen 'His Glorious Night' and haven't been able to find it).
As a film, 'West of Broadway' is a very mixed bag and a somewhat odd one. It is watchable, but only as a one time watch really, with some things compensating it. And that is including Gilbert himself, whose to me transition to talkies wasn't that bad in the acting department. 'West of Broadway' is a long way from a great film though, and isn't really even a good one being heavy in quite a lot of flaws. Almost all of them story related.
For somebody who got at the time, and even still now, a bad reputation for his sound films, Gilbert is one of the best things about 'West of Broadway'. Have actually considered him among the best things of all his sound pictures. His character is thin and could have been given much more development, but Gilbert brings a lot of charm and charisma to the part. Actually thought that all the cast did well with what they had, especially a fun El Brendel and sincere Lois Moran.
It looks pretty decent too, well especially compared to the visual and technical disaster that was 'Way of a Sailor'. Some of the photography is quite lovely and there is nothing glaringly obvious or incompetent looking. The part where El Brendel and Willie Fung are trying to understand each other is an amusing sequence. The story engages a little bit more than that of particularly 'Redemption', with the film starting off quite well. The direction isn't as indifferent or uncomfortable.
Having said that though, it is not exceptional direction by all means, it could have done a much better job at opening up the action and there could have been more urgency. The script does come over as too wordy and overly-literate, with some trimming and tightening up it would have been better, and it can be stilted. Other than that one aforementioned sequence, the comedy mostly falls flat and is neither funny or necessary and none of the characters are well fleshed out.
The story is pretty much a mess. Very stagy and old-fashioned, with a lot of predictability and some serious credibility straining in some increasingly nonsensical events and character behaviours that make no sense. It was very difficult to take the film seriously the sillier and more overwrought it became, and the film is far too short at just over an hour and rather incomplete judging by the amount of jumping around there was. After a promising start, 'West of Broadway' quickly starts to drag, once there are less signs of a plot going on, and too much of the second half is bland as heck. Then there is the very tacked on ending that leaves too many loose ends begging for explanation.
Overall, not a good film but not without its merits. 5/10
As a film, 'West of Broadway' is a very mixed bag and a somewhat odd one. It is watchable, but only as a one time watch really, with some things compensating it. And that is including Gilbert himself, whose to me transition to talkies wasn't that bad in the acting department. 'West of Broadway' is a long way from a great film though, and isn't really even a good one being heavy in quite a lot of flaws. Almost all of them story related.
For somebody who got at the time, and even still now, a bad reputation for his sound films, Gilbert is one of the best things about 'West of Broadway'. Have actually considered him among the best things of all his sound pictures. His character is thin and could have been given much more development, but Gilbert brings a lot of charm and charisma to the part. Actually thought that all the cast did well with what they had, especially a fun El Brendel and sincere Lois Moran.
It looks pretty decent too, well especially compared to the visual and technical disaster that was 'Way of a Sailor'. Some of the photography is quite lovely and there is nothing glaringly obvious or incompetent looking. The part where El Brendel and Willie Fung are trying to understand each other is an amusing sequence. The story engages a little bit more than that of particularly 'Redemption', with the film starting off quite well. The direction isn't as indifferent or uncomfortable.
Having said that though, it is not exceptional direction by all means, it could have done a much better job at opening up the action and there could have been more urgency. The script does come over as too wordy and overly-literate, with some trimming and tightening up it would have been better, and it can be stilted. Other than that one aforementioned sequence, the comedy mostly falls flat and is neither funny or necessary and none of the characters are well fleshed out.
The story is pretty much a mess. Very stagy and old-fashioned, with a lot of predictability and some serious credibility straining in some increasingly nonsensical events and character behaviours that make no sense. It was very difficult to take the film seriously the sillier and more overwrought it became, and the film is far too short at just over an hour and rather incomplete judging by the amount of jumping around there was. After a promising start, 'West of Broadway' quickly starts to drag, once there are less signs of a plot going on, and too much of the second half is bland as heck. Then there is the very tacked on ending that leaves too many loose ends begging for explanation.
Overall, not a good film but not without its merits. 5/10