This is a poll that was conducted by FILM DAILY in 1928. (after looking it up, it was a daily publication and main source of movie and television news that ran from 1915 to 1970 in the U.S). Being a list freak, I was thrilled when i found this around the web, it was like a gift. Here critics voted for films released in the end of 1927 through to 1928 and its easy to recognize costume dramas were king that year. The critics top two choices aren't really well known, The Patriot is lost and Sorrell and Son is partially lost. I'm only really stunned to see Street Angel surpass the romance with a thrilling edge Sunrise (1927), blimey. With my silly opionion aside Street Angel's director Frank Borzage and his romantic style of film making was put on a pedestal back in the day.
Sure after all this time we perceive movies differently, in some cases films that were once considered very good, are now starting to crack with age and vice versa. But here there is good news, over half of the critics top ten choices including Sunrise, The Crowd, The Circus, Last Command and Sadie Thompson have endured the test of time to become monumental classics. Steamboat Bill jr and The Patsy are two classic comedies that were snubbed by not being honored on the role. Buster's Steamboat received mixed reviews upon its release, a majority of people didn't find the disaster comedy a riot to watch, but some thought it was one of Keaton's best, so it must of been a very small number of critics that enjoyed it.
And this is a blurb from a 1928 variety review given for Vidor's The Patsy: "a dandy laugh picture." Marion Davies "does some really great comedy work. The imitations are great and reveal Miss Davies as a skillful mimic. Audience broke into applause on the Gish interpretation. Corking fun stuff." So my conclusion is that maybe critics didn't take the picture seriously enough to be honored, but who knows because the Patsy is still "corking fun stuff", but maybe too much for the sensible critics of the day.
(The Wind and The Cameraman with only 33 votes between them strikes me as a little crazy, important to mention that hundreds of critics participated here). Huge disappointment that The Patriot, the #1 pick isn't around anymore. Ernst Lubitisch produced and directed, and it starred Emil Jannings with Florence Vidor and Lewis Stone. We can't watch the film but we have the trailer to make us wonder what might have been, it certainly looks like a spectacle. Not the greatest trailer though, it just points out that this is the greatest film bla bla and bits and pieces of footage that don't say much, but still it might of been something wonderful. This was a semi-biographical period film about Czar Paul I. It garnered critical success everywhere and was nominated for five academy awards including best picture (the last silent picture to do so)and it won for best writing.
IMDB votes, where everyones a critic:
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| Its synonymous the Passion of Joan of Arc seems to be at the top of everyones lists these days. |
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| 1928's highest grossing picture "The Singing Fool" Al Jolson's follow up to The Jazz Singer |
2. The Circus
3. Steamboat Bill Jr.
4. The Cameraman
5. The Crowd
6. The Wind
7. October
8. Show People
9. The Man Who Laughs
10. The Patsy
oh yes, I am looking forward to making my top 10 favourite 1928 movies, you better believe it. :) Just as soon as I've watched the attainable movies of the year, and since uni has begun again i'll be working at an even slower pace round here. But I would much rather be doing this!
(1928 films I have blogged about so far).
2 comments:
All things considered, the critics did pretty well. I've never seen (or heard of) Four Sons -- which is an oversight on my part since it was directed by John Ford. Hmm. That's embarrassing.
And of course I've never seen The Patriot or Sorrell and Son. But the others are all solid movies, and Sunrise and The Circus are great.
As for Buster Keaton, he was apparently something of an acquired taste back in his day. The nickname "The Great Stone Face" was not an affectionate one -- it was a real indictment from a substantial group of critics who hankered for the over-acting of an earlier day. Seriously. I don't know how many times I've read a review written in the 1920s where the critics lament the appalling under-acting of the recent crop of newfangled performers -- people like Keaton and Louise Brooks who we now regard as the best of their era.
hello, I haven't seen Four Son's either, but i plan to, it looks like a decent drama.
I find the fact everyone didn't Love Buster Keaton just astonishing! (btw had loads of fun reading your write up on the Pie face gag!) I really had no idea "The Great Stone Face" was a sting at Buster's acting, Funnily enough knowing this now makes the nickname even better haha. thanks.
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