Seventh Heaven

 This thickly sentimental silent film features Frank Morgan: The Wizard of Oz, although you won't know him to see him. I think the most amazing part of this movie is the careful, artistic nature of many of the images. Although the screen is small - widescreen is apparently not yet available in 1927 - many images capture the imagination, like small stills. Although some shots are made with moving camera, the majority are carefully framed art shots.

I can't say much for the soundtrack; it gets a bit repetitive. The film isn't strictly silent; it sits on the advent of movie sound. Before movie sound, the silent films played in the theater to live music, which lacked consistency from theater to theater. We know what sound is now. In between, hangs a brief era where a music score came with the film reels, either on the film itself, or played on phonograph. It doesn't include any dialogue, which is still read on the screen (only when necessary for plot. Quite often, we're left to imagine what's being said by the expressions, which are quite easy to read). The score of this film includes several very well-known classical themes, but as I say, it got a bit repetitive.

The acting is, of course, brilliant. The only major drawback is the syrupy sentimentality, which fits well with the final War drama. The movie actually slips through several phases. It begins as a bleak, realistic piece but moves quickly into romance, ending finally as war movie. All the way through, weaves a theme of religious/morality tale. Back then, I assume they didn't feel the need to slip into a specific and single genre.

The leading actor is quite handsome, and the leading ladies are quite the lookers, too. I didn't expect that.

This is the first of the Best Picture series. I recommend watching with an art major, and finding out what she thinks.