Rare Films Entertain International Crowd

LOS ANGELES—Once again I started writing this column in the LAX airport and finished most of it on the plane after a five-day marathon of film screenings at the Hollywood Egyptian theatre for the annual Cinecon. This year, the convention’s 45th, drew viewers from all across the U.S. and Canada. I saw all 30 full-length features and ten short subjects screened, originally produced between the years of 1915 and 1966, very few of which are available on video or even cable TV.

One of the standout films on the schedule was “The Miracle Man” (1932), the sound remake of one of the most popular films of the silent era. The original 1919 version made a star out of Lon Chaney, but is now unfortunately a lost film except for a few minutes of excerpts that are a tantalizing hint of its emotional power. The 1932 remake, however, is an excellent film in its own right and even features Fargo native Virginia Bruce in a supporting role, along with stars Sylvia Sidney, Chester Morris, Hobart Bosworth, Lloyd Hughes, Ned Sparks and a brief appearance by Boris Karloff.

“The Miracle Man” is the story of a group of con artists on the run, who plan a scam to exploit the reputation of a small-town faith healer. The more time they spend around the pious old man, however, the more their cynical outlook on life changes. The script’s potential for didactic sentimentality is overcome by the powerful and sincere performances by the strong cast.

Another highlight of the weekend was the virtually unknown British production, “Hatter’s Castle” (1941), not released in the U.S. until 1948. Robert Newton, Deborah Kerr, James Mason and Emlyn Williams star in this satisfying Dickens-like melodrama set in a 19th century Scottish village where a tyrannical family patriarch (Newton) terrorizes his family and business rivals while trying to maintain his social position amidst mounting debts.

Three more little-known films ranked with the weekend’s best, and deserve much wider recognition. “Afraid to Talk” (1932) is a tough, incredibly cynical “pre-code” melodrama about corrupt city politicians and party ties to organized crime. “Nightmare” (1942) is a very Hitchcockian murder mystery spy thriller starring Brian Donlevy and the tragic Diana Barrymore, full of great moody lighting and taut, suspenseful editing. “The Bride Comes Home” (1935) is a delightful romantic comedy with Claudette Colbert as a socialite forced to get a job when her family’s money runs out. She falls for the bodyguard (Fred MacMurray) of a rich childhood friend (Robert Young) who has been proposing to her since they were eight.

“Easy Living” (1937) is one of Hollywood’s classic screwball comedies, written by the great Preston Sturges and starring Jean Arthur as a working class girl whose life suddenly changes when an expensive fur coat falls on her from a swanky high-rise apartment and everyone assumes she’s the mistress of a prominent banker. This film, luckily, is available on DVD from Universal Home Video for the general public to enjoy, but like all movies is much more impressive shown from a 35mm film print in a theatre filled with an appreciative audience.

One of the best silent films screened was “Turn to the Right” (1922), a well-made adaptation of an inspirational hit stage play showing faith and hard work overcoming evil and adversity in a rural American town. Rex Ingram directed his wife Alice Terry with Jack Mulhall in a pictorially beautiful and cinematically effective tale of perseverance and comeuppance.

Another hit of the weekend was “De Luxe Annie” (1918), a nicely done melodrama of crime and amnesia from noted director Roland West, starring Norma Talmadge as the wife of a wealthy amateur detective. She suffers a blow on the head and disappears into a life of crime herself - until things naturally work to a convenient and satisfying resolution for everyone.

Three of the memorable silent films on this year’s schedule were considered long-lost until 35mm prints were discovered to survive in Europe only a few years ago, and have just recently been preserved with new copies made available for screenings.

“Good Time Charley” (1927) was one of the first American features directed by Michael Curtiz (better known for “Casablanca” and “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” among others). It’s a very entertaining story of theatrical life and family relationships starring Warner Oland and Helene Costello as father and daughter in an acting troupe.

“The Dawn of a Tomorrow” (1915) is a rare early Mary Pickford feature, which last weekend had its first American screening in about 90 years or more. While not her best work cinematically, it remains a good example of her plucky character, anticipating later roles in “Pollyanna” and “Sparrows” with its story of faith amidst adversity and poverty.

“Bardelys the Magnificent” (1926) was believed to have been completely destroyed in 1936, except for a few brief promotional fragments, but a nearly-complete print (one reel had decomposed) turned up by chance three years ago and just this summer was released on DVD by Flicker Alley with still photos and titles effectively bridging the brief missing segment.

John Gilbert stars in the title role of this action-packed swashbuckling romantic adventure set in the France of Louis XIII, about a playboy nobleman who is wagered that he cannot win the love of a notoriously virtuous daughter of a revolutionary sympathizer. Gilbert does a fine job alternating between tongue-in-cheek melodrama and romance in a role very reminiscent of a Douglas Fairbanks or John Barrymore.

“He Fell in Love With His Wife” (1916), one of the few surviving films directed by William Desmond Taylor, began as a heavily stereotyped melodrama, then spent awhile setting up characters, but became a delightful rural romantic comedy for its last half.

As always, the convention had several celebrity guests who spoke after screenings of their films. B-movie star Adrian Booth (also known as Lorna Gray) is now in her 90s but still sharp and engaging, with many stories of her career. Her films “The Last Bandit” (1948), “Adventure in Sahara” (1938 - coming soon to DVD from Sony in the Samuel Fuller collection), and “Perils of Nyoka - Chapter 6” (1942) were shown. Denise Darcel related her risqué encounter with John Wayne, among other stars she knew, after the showing of her film “Flame of Calcutta” (1953).

Better-known to younger viewers was Stella Stevens, who delighted the audience after the screening of her Matt Helm comedy “The Silencers” (1966 - on DVD from Sony), a quintessential Sixties spy spoof starring Dean Martin.

Although a few of the films shown at the convention can be found on DVD, most are otherwise unavailable for viewing outside of special archival screenings. The next major classic film festival will be held Sept. 24-27 in Massillon, Ohio.

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