Director: Frank Borzage
Year: 1929
Run-time: 1 hour (reconstructed - much of the footage is missing)
Source: DVD from Edition Filmmuseum
Dan Sallitt's Excellent Analysis
Notable for: There were three Frank Borzage movies released in just a couple months, with Lucky Star being the first, and The River being the last. The River has the same male lead as Lucky Star, Charles Farrell, this time partnered with Mary Duncan (not an especially well-known actress, but as I learned somewhat surreptitiously, was the 1928 Round-up Queen in my hometown of Pendleton.) It was a critical and commercial flop on account of its salaciousness. It contained scenes that were more explicitly erotic than anything in the American cinema at the time, and was heavily censored in many theaters.
Verdict: Although we only have an hour of reconstructed footage to work with, it is clear that this is very different from the prevous Borzage films on the list. It has elements of the mythical or fable; as Sallitt proposes, this is Borzage channeling Murnau, although it's much more sexual than anything Murnau made. As a romance, it's much more ambiguous and intriguing. This is the first Borzage film to suggest that love might have a darker side. In its current state, I don't necessarily recommend that people go seeking this one out, but I am glad that I watched it.
Year: 1929
Run-time: 1 hour (reconstructed - much of the footage is missing)
Source: DVD from Edition Filmmuseum
Dan Sallitt's Excellent Analysis
Notable for: There were three Frank Borzage movies released in just a couple months, with Lucky Star being the first, and The River being the last. The River has the same male lead as Lucky Star, Charles Farrell, this time partnered with Mary Duncan (not an especially well-known actress, but as I learned somewhat surreptitiously, was the 1928 Round-up Queen in my hometown of Pendleton.) It was a critical and commercial flop on account of its salaciousness. It contained scenes that were more explicitly erotic than anything in the American cinema at the time, and was heavily censored in many theaters.
Verdict: Although we only have an hour of reconstructed footage to work with, it is clear that this is very different from the prevous Borzage films on the list. It has elements of the mythical or fable; as Sallitt proposes, this is Borzage channeling Murnau, although it's much more sexual than anything Murnau made. As a romance, it's much more ambiguous and intriguing. This is the first Borzage film to suggest that love might have a darker side. In its current state, I don't necessarily recommend that people go seeking this one out, but I am glad that I watched it.
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