Reviews

Contrary to what another viewer wrote, this movie is not hard to sit through at all--in fact, I wish it could have been longer and had dealt a little more with the upper level corruption of Barrows and the too-kindly treated Oakes Ames, the politician behind the Credit Mobilier scandal. As it is, it gives a good approximation of what the great adventure of building the Transcontinental Railroad must have been like at the time, and all the actors are excellent in the context of the romanticized depiction of events.

SPOILER WARNING!!! Great train wreck scene, and the scenes between Overmann and Tamiroff are reminders of why today's movies, though faster paced, are not likely to be considered as rich and entertaining 50 years from now--today's movies have no depth when you get away from the main character. Look at the scene when Barrows is able to drive home the Golden Spike, watch the byplay between Barrows, Leach and Fiesta, and see how beautiful the results can be when you let secondary characters have a chance to play a real part in the story, rather than just filling the frame.

Yes, the actors are all too old (except Dame Edna,) and yes, it's way too stage-bound. But there are pearls here for those who don't trample them underfoot and turn and rend those who cast them. If you are tolerant of a Noh drama Macbeth and a street hood Romeo and Juliet, why trash an equally "unauthentic" treatment just because you have a problem with geriatrics?

The costumes are quite nice--not "authentic" as Zeffirelli's, but a good example of the design geniuses under contract to MGM. Ditto the sets (although their staginess can be distracting.)

William Daniels, who shot Greed for Stroheim and Naked City for Dassin, shows that when it came to absolutely gorgeous, though unrealistic lighting, there was no one better, and why Garbo insisted he shoot all her films. Katherine DeMille's choreography is fun to watch, and with what little I know about dance history, may even be authentic--though I doubt it.

Leslie Howard was a great actor--had he only been 20 years younger he would have been perfect. Rathbone never really got the attention from the director's camera setups he deserved, and almost steals every scene he is in anyway.

Barrymore was almost 30 years too old, but he will always be Mercutio for me. His Mab speech is brilliant--honoring the poetry but not slowing things down, and being consistent with Mercutio's manic character. The blend of comedy and pathos he achieves in his death scene is remarkable. One of the problems with McEnery's performance in the Zeffirelli version is that he is so obviously suffering from mortal wounds after the duel, that Whiting's Romeo appears like a callow dolt. With Barrymore's performance, you too can't believe the wound can be that much. What amazing diction! Too bad his Shakespearean performances form the first quarter of the 20th century were not recorded.