The Manxman (1929)
Starring: Carl Brisson, Anny Ondra, Malcolm Keen
Plot: Two friends since childhood, one rich, one poor, one a
lawyer, the other a fisherman, both love the same girl. Soon the life aspects
of love and marriage and even a baby carriage comes about as secrets and lies
start to destroy two best friends who are like brothers since childhood.
My Review and Thoughts:
Another classic silent film before the talkies and also was
the last silent film Hitchcock directed.
Sadly it’s a dead art form and looking back today people
take it for granted or look at it as an old graveyard of cinema. People don’t
realize how hard it was to film a movie without sound. It all had to be acted
in emotion. You had to tell the story through facial expressions, body
movements and pure soul, mind and heart inducing acting.
Your face, body and actions through emotions had to be the
words to explain and make the audience understand the plot or what was
happening. It’s an art form beyond today because now it’s easy to display the
actions and to hold the audience. But when you’re making an hour or a two hour
long movie without words you have to able to hold that viewer and keep them
interested and glued to the screen.
The silent actors where masters at their work because they
gave it their all. There very body had to become the movie, they had to sale
there part without words, without defining who they are in long dialogue, they
had to do it in body and facial motion making the silent players, directors,
actors all the more grand then today’s actors who get to talk.
It starts out with some wonderful shots of the sea and those
many fishermen boats coming into port. You are introduced to two young handsome
men Philip a lawyer and Pete a local fisherman. Both best friends since
childhood and now they consider themselves brothers. Pete is played by Carl
Brisson I have to add he is stunningly gorgeous and amazingly handsome and is a
talented brilliant actor.
Now steam boats want to come into port. Philip and Pete
start a petition to stop the steamers. Both Pete and Philip have the hot’s for
Kate a local bar man’s daughter. Pete wants to ask Kate to marry him, but Pete
is scared of her father so he ask Philip to speak for him. The dad is upset
telling Pete he is a penniless lout and he has no right even to mention Kate’s
name. Pete is upset and refuses to take no. He decided he was shipping off to
Africa to make his fortune abroad and then he will come back and wed Kate.
Now Philip sees a little opportunity until Kate promises to
wait for Pete and so Pete makes Philip promise to watch over and take care of
Kate while he is gone. Soon as time passes Philip and Kate spend more and more
time together and the heartstrings start to pull on each other. This is a
beautiful, touching dramatic romance that all the viewers can relate to. Soon
the plot twist and thickens as a telegram is sent saying Pete has been killed.
But guess what the news is wrong but both Kate and Philip’s love has grown and
both of their hearts have connected and also their bodies.
Pete is heading home with his riches and a ring for Kate.
There is a really powerful filmed moment when Philip gives Kate the news that
Pete is alive. Both are on the beach stunned watching the ship that is bringing
Pete in. The camera spans to their faces and emotions, then back to the ship
that’s getting closer. Then back to show more emotions, then back to the ship
that’s gets closer all the while a deep music is playing and the action for
emotions show the heart break and turmoil in Philips and Kate’s heart and eyes.
This is a brilliant and beautiful and romantic story that
touches the real fabric of love and drama in life. A classic silent film with a
touching side of drama and a thought provoking ordeal of one’s many misery
trapped inside a lie and a secret hidden from all accept the one you truly. The
original story was came from the author of Sir Hall Caine. The movie was
adapted from this story. Also you can see how many movies this day and age and
in the past has taken this subject matter and created movies around it.
A pure passionate piece of cinema silent art.