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King Vidor: Films
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King Vidor's harrowing WWI drama was the first realistic war film ever made, and for many years it would be the paradigm for the genre. It stars John Gilbert as Jim Apperson, a charming idler from a wealthy background.
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One of the great things about the film is that Vidor basically stays out of it. He doesn't use his camera to editorialize; he simply records, much like in a newsreel. Naturalist artists were supposed to abstain from judgment, and Vidor does it admirably. Even when tragedy strikes, in the death of the couple's daughter (Alice Mildred Puter), he retains his almost documentary point of view. The tragedy destroys Johnny entirely; he's unable to work, and he rashly quits his job. Vidor doesn't tell you what to think of this—he lets you make up your own mind, even when things go downhill from there.
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Kaplan, E. Ann "The Case of the Missing Mother: Maternal Issues in Vidor's Stella Dallas." In: Issues in feminist film criticism / edited by Patricia Erens. pp. 126-136. Bloomington : Indiana University Press, c1990. --Main Stack PN1995.9.W6.I87 1990 --Moffitt PN1995.9.W6.I87 1990
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Like The Big Parade, Vidor splits the film into two halves. Again, the first is light hearted, romantic, and comedic, while the second is a grim statement of human futility. Thalberg though people wouldn't pay to see this one though, and shelved The Crowd for a year. The film did fair poorly at the box office despite strong reviews, but has since been recognized as one of the seminal silent films.
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A curious diversion from standard Hollywood fare of the times with Vidor incorporating some obtuse camera angles in his rich character study. Only a smattering of Pre-code expression (see the bra-less 'party girl' below). The diverse ethnic backgrounds help establish a microcosm of the prevalent U.S. melting pot. Sylvia Sidney is adept as her usual good-hearted soul and the film definitely warrants a viewing.
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