Judge, 1927-10-15 · page 30 of 68
Judge — October 15, 1927 — page 30: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a film review of what appears to be a silent drama (likely F.W. Murnau's "Sunrise," mentioned in the text). The critic praises the film's atmospheric storytelling and emotional depth—its depiction of a man tempted toward murder by an urban seductress, portraying rural tragedy with "hard, granite strength." However, the review pivots to criticism: the film inexplicably undermines its own serious tone by introducing jarring, comedic elements. The critic compares this tonal whiplash to John D. Rockefeller suddenly appearing in a grass skirt at a Standard Oil meeting—absurdly incongruous. Director William Fox apparently either wouldn't let Murnau produce the film as intended, or deliberately inserted slapstick comedy fearing American audiences wouldn't accept pure drama. The satire criticizes both the film's inconsistent tone and Hollywood's commercial timidity regarding serious subject matter.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Judging the Movies Is It Pure? (Continued from page 18) In a Few Minutes meet his lecherous paramour, With a DETECTOL while his quiet wife is dumb and | ANY ONE miserable at the uncomprehend- ible curse that has poisoned their | CAN TELL love. The woman from the city DETECTOL is a Pocket | has sunk her teeth into the jugu- Chemical Set Anyone can | lar vein of this man; she is taking operate. Detects Wood Al- his life blood and destroying a | cohol and other Impurities DRAWI NG household. In the dark rushes she in Beverages, Extracts, Spirits, inflames him with prophecies of | etc. by the “Schiff” isa way to life in the city and dances a mad = test—the best macabre dance of passion in the known to FORT UNE shadow of the black cliffs, and stones, | then plants the idea of murder = Ei ia the man's ething brain. SS. ALL HAFED, a Persian, sold his farm That is the story —the at- and went away to seek his fortune. tempted murder and the peace The man who bought the farm found it after the storm. It is all done contained a diamond mine which made | with the careful hand of a man him fabulously rich. Ali Hafed over- who has a fine feeling, a great looked the great opportunity at his door | understanding of humanity. You to go far afield in search of wealth. This get the smell of the salt air, the old story illustrates a great truth. stink of the marsh; you see the Do you like to draw? If you do, you | pitiful figure of a man moved to may have talent, a talent which few pos- inevitable tragedy by stark pas- sess. Then don’t follow Ali Hafed’s ex- sion, driven mad by the pounding ample and look farther for fortune. De- o¢ blood. It has the hard. velop your talent—your fortune lies in your own hand! 50 Tests granite strength of O'Neill’s “Be- Address Dept. J. 3 yond the Horizon.” The DETECTOL MFG. CO., Inc. But understand that this feel- Laboratories: Carlstadt, N. J. Many Earn $200 to $500 a Month ing, this atmosphere, is not iNew ee Chee i Present opportunities in the field of created by second-hand drama- illustrating were never excelled. Pub- turgy. It is portrayed by a series lishers buy millions of dollars’ worth of of direct’ pictures that seem beau- illustrations every year. Illustrating is tiful enough to have been struck | fascinating as well as profitable. off by some one of the old Flemish | The Federal Course includes illustrat- masters, accompanied by music ing, cartooning, lettering, poster design- that ebbs and flows with the ing, window card illustrating, etc. rhythm of the story. The Federal Staff of authors includes Then something happens. It | such nationally known artists as Sid is as shocking as though “Beyond BOW LECS? Smith, Neysa McMein, Fontaine Fox, the Horizon,” in the second act, THis: Gamrem (Pati) Charles Livingston Bull, Clare Briggs, | should produce a musical comedy Makes Trousers Hang Straight Norman Rockwell and over fifty others. Exclusive lesions and drawings especial. | Pallets as. incongruous ss John | oT GARTER co." Ar ly prepared by them are included in the | D- Rockefeller suddenly appear- | Federal Home Study Course. They guide | 8 in a grass skirt before a you from simple sketches to complex il- | Standard Oil directors’ meeting lustrations having a high market value. | #nd doing the ,hootchie-kootchie Mail in the coupon below today and | dance. “Sunrise” deliberately be- we cuilltaend> vou ‘our comes slapstick and at loose ends, FREE illustrated book- and my theory is that William let, “A Road to Bigger “ Fox either would not let Murnau produce the film as he wanted or else scared him so he felt an American audience would not stand for a movie without a pro- hibition joke in it. It is as terrible as Hamlet suddenly leaving off his soliloquy to do the Black Bottom. Even so, you will find ‘“Sun- Fenerat Scroot or In.vstrat1No, | rise” one of the most stimulating 10887 Federal School Bldg., | pictures in the city. You will Minneapolis, Minn. understand the power this man Name | Mureas has with his crate. vou | = P will see a motion picture that, | Occupation —— until the second, a slapstick | HIS CLASS PIN 30c — 6 ee — movement, uses no cast off turns | sal Slier du Seri rr termaresteen, Hoe a SE Se i tl METALARTS CO. tar. 772 Persad Ave, Rechester, NT. 238 comicbooks.com