The Cameraman (1928)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Cameraman (1928) – E. Sedgwick

Buster Keaton’s late great feature (after all of his greatest hits: The General, Sherlock Jr., etc.) is a slow-boiler that favours small gags over the giant set-pieces of the past. Still, by the end it has picked up speed (and a small monkey) and the usual chaos that surrounds Buster is in full swing. The plot involves Buster’s attempt to become a newsreel cameraman in order to impress a girl.  However, he is hapless as usual. Funny scenes include their date at the swimming pool, including a very awkward dressing room bit and a ride on the side of a bus (surely an influence for Jackie Chan).  The Chinese Tong war is impressive.  All told, this ranks up there with his best but marked the begin of his decline when directorial responsibilities were taken away from him by MGM.

  

Lonesome (1928)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Lonesome (1928) – P. Fejos

Paul Fejos shot this film in the silent mode but then it was refashioned: first, with sound effects and music, and then, with three short scenes with actual sound dialogue (thus it is a “part-talkie”).  Two lonely people meet at Coney Island on the 4^th of July weekend and enjoy a whirlwind day out.  Fejos uses superimposition very liberally, both to depict what people are thinking but also just to show concurrent events (and he even overlays a clock to show us that time is passing).  Although the early scenes (with the clock) are all drudgery and lonesomeness, once we reach the beach, we are treated to hand-tinting and some beautiful compositions.  “Always” by Irving Berlin plays an important role on the soundtrack and in the “twist” ending to the film.  Of course, the twist in question is fully telegraphed – when the two young people become separated (and they don’t even know each other’s last names), we know they will be reunited – but we just don’t know how or when.  A delight!

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – C. T. Dreyer

Dreyer's Joan of Arc really is something remarkable -- a fever dream of giant close-ups and emotional displays that maintains a nearly unrelenting intensity throughout its 98 minutes. As critic Noel Burch points out, there are no establishing shots here, we never see the context in full (as in your usual silent or Hollywood production) and instead we must imagine the various settings (courtroom, prison, torture chamber, the stake). This minimalism only serves to heighten the film's power -- and it never flinches even as Joan (played amazingly by Falconetti) is burnt at the stake.