Post by rmichaelpyle on Mar 5, 2012 14:49:34 GMT -6
I watched "The Right of Way" (1931, but made quite a bit earlier) with Conrad Nagel, Loretta Young, Fred Kohler, William Janney, Olive Tell, and others. I'm going to quote a review that appears from someone on the IMDb:
"I fell asleep whilst watching this utter load of bilge and so went and watched most of it again. Where does one start. The court scenes are laughable. After all how could a barrister walk out of court whilst a Judge sums up. If he misdirects then how is the barrister to know. However the most ridiculous moment comes when Nagel is told his true name having lost his memory,and because of this suddenly regains his memory. It all comes back to him in an instant! Other than Loretta Young it is clear that the actors do not have a clue how to act for the talkies. We have gestures and looks and abysmal attempts at accents. This is a film to avoid unless you want a cure for insomnia."
The only difference between this review by malcolmgsw from london and what I'd write is that I didn't fall asleep! Olive Tell is so bad as to be quite literally laughable. Her voice quavers when she delivers lines! I'm serious, she's beyond belief! Very embarrassingly bad - and yet - and yet - and YET - there was something about the show that made me sit through all of it... The opening scenes of Nagel in the courtroom could not have been written and staged by a fifth grader because that individual would have been more savvy... This was surreal, and, no, should NOT be avoided, but should be watched by all and everyone just to make all and everyone have a reality check. The film IS real. I pinched myself when it was over and gave myself a bruise. I thought I WAS asleep...
That's enough. This is on a DVD with two films on it from the Pre-Code era, this one and "The Truth about Youth", released by Warner Archive Collection.
"I fell asleep whilst watching this utter load of bilge and so went and watched most of it again. Where does one start. The court scenes are laughable. After all how could a barrister walk out of court whilst a Judge sums up. If he misdirects then how is the barrister to know. However the most ridiculous moment comes when Nagel is told his true name having lost his memory,and because of this suddenly regains his memory. It all comes back to him in an instant! Other than Loretta Young it is clear that the actors do not have a clue how to act for the talkies. We have gestures and looks and abysmal attempts at accents. This is a film to avoid unless you want a cure for insomnia."
The only difference between this review by malcolmgsw from london and what I'd write is that I didn't fall asleep! Olive Tell is so bad as to be quite literally laughable. Her voice quavers when she delivers lines! I'm serious, she's beyond belief! Very embarrassingly bad - and yet - and yet - and YET - there was something about the show that made me sit through all of it... The opening scenes of Nagel in the courtroom could not have been written and staged by a fifth grader because that individual would have been more savvy... This was surreal, and, no, should NOT be avoided, but should be watched by all and everyone just to make all and everyone have a reality check. The film IS real. I pinched myself when it was over and gave myself a bruise. I thought I WAS asleep...
That's enough. This is on a DVD with two films on it from the Pre-Code era, this one and "The Truth about Youth", released by Warner Archive Collection.
Sounds like the only thing missing form this one is