"CONDEMNED" (1929)

[rmichaelpyle]

I think it was my fourth time, but last night I re-watched Ronald Colman and Ann Harding in "Condemned" (1929). Dark, bleak, slow, print only fair - still I enjoyed it up to a point. Yet, in 1929 Colman made "Bulldog Drummond" and the following year "Raffles" and "The Devil to Pay!" and they were much better. This one is too much bogged down by 1929 film technique, the antique sound system which hurt several early productions. Several moments go silent - obviously silent - and it makes the whole film have lapses of continuity that are atrocious by today's standards. Also, the story of Ann Harding, the wife of the Devil's Island prison warden falling in love with Ronald Colman, a convicted thief - obviously a notorious one if he's on Devil's Island! - and then running off to Paris with him as they escape - oh, well, it was an hour and a half I enjoyed watching anyway just because of Colman and Harding who could make anything seem like a delicious romp whether or not it was. And Louis Wolheim and Dudley Digges are such fun to watch. Who am I to complain?

[Midge]

If it's an Ann Harding film, you have absolutely nothing to complain about! I loved her in The Life of Vergie Winters. Thanks for the review, R. Michael.

[Larry's 66 Diner]

The storyline almost sounds familiar; trying to remember if I'd seen this before. Regardless, it sounds like it's worth watching again(?)!!

Thanks, Michael. :thumbsup:

[kelly]

MAN I want see that movie it already on DVD

[rmichaelpyle]

Mar 18, 2009 4:14:42 GMT -6 Larry's 66 Diner said:

The storyline almost sounds familiar; trying to remember if I'd seen this before. Regardless, it sounds like it's worth watching again(?)!!

Thanks, Michael.

There was silent from 1926 called "Devil's Island" with Pauline Frederick and George Lewis (along with young Marian Nixon) which has a similar story. Beautifully photographed, by the way, and very watchable, Frederick shows why she was so popular for about five years or so (too bad for today's breed who've totally forgotten she ever existed!).