Her sister from Paris (1925)
This film also stars Constance Talmadge and Ronald Coleman and directed by Sidney Franklin and written is by Hanns Kraly. Talmadge plays Helen Weyringer married to Joseph (Ronald Colman), but when the couples have a spat they split. She then plots with her sister (also played by Talmadge) to win him back. This is another flick of comedy of errors in which Talmadge does splendidly. Talmadge’s career was short lived and ended with the silent era, but Coleman made a very successful transition into the talkies.
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Movie Reviewed: Her Night of Romance, starring Constance Talmadge and Ronald Coleman.
Her night of romance (1924)
This film received rave reviews from critics for the comedy and fine performance by Constance Talmadge and Ronald Coleman. The New York Times film critic Mordaunt Hall wrote in 1924 that the film was a pictorial farce with effervescent Constance Talmadge as the principal performer. When a millionaire father takes his only daughter Dorothy Adams (Constance Talmadge) to England to see a specialist about her heart trouble, a British gentleman named Paul Menford, played by Ronald Coleman, falls in love with her instantly. He impersonates as a doctor get her attention. But things get complicated in his scheme especially when his business associate (Jean Hersholt) sells the Menford family estate.
The movie is well directed by Sidney Franklin and written is by Hanns Kraly. This was produced by Constance Talmadge Company and distributed by First National Pictures. Joseph Schenk and Constance Talmadge who were married to each other also produced this comedy. In 1933 Schenk helped Darryl F. Zanuck to establish 20th Century Pictures, which merged with the ailing Fox Film Corp. to become the 20th Century-Fox Company.
This film received rave reviews from critics for the comedy and fine performance by Constance Talmadge and Ronald Coleman. The New York Times film critic Mordaunt Hall wrote in 1924 that the film was a pictorial farce with effervescent Constance Talmadge as the principal performer. When a millionaire father takes his only daughter Dorothy Adams (Constance Talmadge) to England to see a specialist about her heart trouble, a British gentleman named Paul Menford, played by Ronald Coleman, falls in love with her instantly. He impersonates as a doctor get her attention. But things get complicated in his scheme especially when his business associate (Jean Hersholt) sells the Menford family estate.
The movie is well directed by Sidney Franklin and written is by Hanns Kraly. This was produced by Constance Talmadge Company and distributed by First National Pictures. Joseph Schenk and Constance Talmadge who were married to each other also produced this comedy. In 1933 Schenk helped Darryl F. Zanuck to establish 20th Century Pictures, which merged with the ailing Fox Film Corp. to become the 20th Century-Fox Company.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Book Reviewed: Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe, by Lisa Randall
Did dark matter cause the demise of dinosaurs?
In this book entitled, “Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe,” Harvard University Professor Lisa Randall proposes a very speculative idea that the mass extinctions of dinosaurs that occurred 65 million years ago was due to an impact of a comet dislodged from its orbit around the solar system. It’s a tall claim with no experimental support, but the book offers alternative explanation for a seemingly slam-dunk debate. Her original research paper appeared in on online journal at: arxiv.org/abs/1403.0576.
The theoretical assertion is that dark matter can clump up into a thin, flat disc in the Milky Way Galaxy’s plane, and as the solar system orbits the center of the galaxy, it oscillates up and down on a regular cycle, and it would pass through the dark matter disc every 35 million years. Such an event is likely to dislodge comets orbiting the solar system and shoots directly towards earth. Though dark matter is estimated to account for 85% of total mass of the universe, these particles are not yet detected since they do not interact with the visible matter. However their presence is explained through their gravitational influence in clusters of galaxies. They also reside in spherical “halos” around galaxies. Professor Randall suggests that a fraction of dark matter also experiences a force analogous to electromagnetism, which she calls “dark light.” Through its interactions with “dark light” this weird subset of dark matter could form an invisible disk that overlaps with the visible disk of spiral arms in our Milky Way galaxy. This dark disk might have interrupted the orbit of a comet on the outer fringes of the solar system, sending it on a collision course with earth approximately about 70 million years ago. She observes that the crater record on Earth indicates nonrandom impacts at regular intervals of approximately 35 million year periodicity.
The sequence of events connecting dark matter to demise of dinosaurs is very slim: We still need to define the identity of dark matter and whether there is a pattern to comet strikes on Earth. The earth is regularly impacted by asteroids more than comets, and secondly, in the recent history of earth, giant planets like Jupiter has watched over earth like a big brother and kept earth out of harm’s way by gravitationally pulling many comets. The Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 hit Jupiter in July 1994, and in Nov 2013, comet ISON hit sun head-on bringing its own death. Thus we have Sun and Jupiter to watch over earth. In addition, one needs to distinguish earth craters formed by comet and asteroid impacts.
Recent studies have suggested that the asteroid that hit Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago also intensified volcanic eruptions in the Deccan Plateau in South Asia. Volcanic eruptions became twice as intense, throwing out a deadly cocktail of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. The shockwaves produced at this time shook up earth and its volcanic “plumbing systems” around the world, creating larger magma chambers that spewed out more material. This cataclysmic event also deprived oxygen in oceans thus killing thousands of aquatic species. This “combined effect” is now believed to be responsible for wiping out dinosaurs. But Professor Randall’s proposal suggest that dinosaur demise occurred 70 million years ago, thus introducing a large discrepancy between theory and factual observation. Other possible experiments to prove this hypothesis is that we need to look for the presence of such a disk in Milky Way by studying the gravitational effects on other stars in the galaxy. The recently launched Gaia telescope will map the motion of a billion stars in our galaxy, and this study may reveal the presence of dark matter disc. Professor Randall’s proposal has more questions than answers, but it is certainly a fascinating theoretical idea.
In this book entitled, “Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe,” Harvard University Professor Lisa Randall proposes a very speculative idea that the mass extinctions of dinosaurs that occurred 65 million years ago was due to an impact of a comet dislodged from its orbit around the solar system. It’s a tall claim with no experimental support, but the book offers alternative explanation for a seemingly slam-dunk debate. Her original research paper appeared in on online journal at: arxiv.org/abs/1403.0576.
The theoretical assertion is that dark matter can clump up into a thin, flat disc in the Milky Way Galaxy’s plane, and as the solar system orbits the center of the galaxy, it oscillates up and down on a regular cycle, and it would pass through the dark matter disc every 35 million years. Such an event is likely to dislodge comets orbiting the solar system and shoots directly towards earth. Though dark matter is estimated to account for 85% of total mass of the universe, these particles are not yet detected since they do not interact with the visible matter. However their presence is explained through their gravitational influence in clusters of galaxies. They also reside in spherical “halos” around galaxies. Professor Randall suggests that a fraction of dark matter also experiences a force analogous to electromagnetism, which she calls “dark light.” Through its interactions with “dark light” this weird subset of dark matter could form an invisible disk that overlaps with the visible disk of spiral arms in our Milky Way galaxy. This dark disk might have interrupted the orbit of a comet on the outer fringes of the solar system, sending it on a collision course with earth approximately about 70 million years ago. She observes that the crater record on Earth indicates nonrandom impacts at regular intervals of approximately 35 million year periodicity.
The sequence of events connecting dark matter to demise of dinosaurs is very slim: We still need to define the identity of dark matter and whether there is a pattern to comet strikes on Earth. The earth is regularly impacted by asteroids more than comets, and secondly, in the recent history of earth, giant planets like Jupiter has watched over earth like a big brother and kept earth out of harm’s way by gravitationally pulling many comets. The Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9 hit Jupiter in July 1994, and in Nov 2013, comet ISON hit sun head-on bringing its own death. Thus we have Sun and Jupiter to watch over earth. In addition, one needs to distinguish earth craters formed by comet and asteroid impacts.
Recent studies have suggested that the asteroid that hit Yucatan Peninsula 65 million years ago also intensified volcanic eruptions in the Deccan Plateau in South Asia. Volcanic eruptions became twice as intense, throwing out a deadly cocktail of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide. The shockwaves produced at this time shook up earth and its volcanic “plumbing systems” around the world, creating larger magma chambers that spewed out more material. This cataclysmic event also deprived oxygen in oceans thus killing thousands of aquatic species. This “combined effect” is now believed to be responsible for wiping out dinosaurs. But Professor Randall’s proposal suggest that dinosaur demise occurred 70 million years ago, thus introducing a large discrepancy between theory and factual observation. Other possible experiments to prove this hypothesis is that we need to look for the presence of such a disk in Milky Way by studying the gravitational effects on other stars in the galaxy. The recently launched Gaia telescope will map the motion of a billion stars in our galaxy, and this study may reveal the presence of dark matter disc. Professor Randall’s proposal has more questions than answers, but it is certainly a fascinating theoretical idea.
Book Reviewed: My Journey by Donna Karan
Donna Karan: A woman’s journey into the world of fashion
This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in the life and legacy of fashion designer Donna Karan. Her life is an extraordinary story of faith in her abilities and passion for her work. She is a woman who built $3 billion Empire, and designed for Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Hillary Clinton and many others. Karan is a wonderful raconteur as she glides through the ups and downs of her life. This story reminds me of another leading lady of the fashion industry, Diane von Furstenberg who built global business, creating an enduring brand that defined the world of haute couture. Diana Vreeland, the fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue provided a significant sense of style in fashion industry in her autobiography and so did the Cosmopolitan editor Amy Odell who went behind the curtain of fashion business in her memoir. But Donna Karan spares no punches as she reveals her inner most feelings about the fashion industry, her own life and the world we live in.
Author Ingrid Sischy wrote a book about Donna Karan in 2004 and this was followed by as second edition in 2006 as a part of the "Universe of Fashion" series. This work published numerous photographs illustrating the work of Donna Karan. It was just a glimpse of Karan’s life and work in the fashion establishment that complemented art and design collections. But the present biography goes deeper into her personal and spiritual side of her life that spans almost five decades. Karan's family influence is apparent in her life. At 14 she dropped out of school to sell clothing at a local boutique, and in 1968 she was accepted into the highly respected Parsons School of Design in New York City. While in school, Karan landed in a summer job to work for designer Anne Klein. She became a great gofer, and within two years she was the associate designer, and then the head designer at 25, after the death of her mentor Anne Klein. Years later she left Anne Klein and started her own brand in 1985, and in 1988, she began an affordable fashion line, called Donna Karan New York (DKNY), a women's line that was influenced by her original signature collection. In 2006, when she met His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and she learnt that there was a need for the preservation of historical and cultural heritage of Tibet. She founded Urban Zen Foundation to raise awareness and inspire others in this cause. This foundation supports artists, healthcare and education in countries like Haiti. In 2015 she left her role as Lead Designer of DKNY to focus on Urban Zen Foundation. In a recent interview, Karan told journalist Barbara Walters that she never wanted to be working mom. This illustrates the challenges a woman faces to succeed in the business world. Struggling to balance family life with her husband and children, and managing a business empire is a true accomplishment. Many friends and journalists have said that Karan was selfish and crude with her employees and business associates. It is just the nature of things in the business world; you got to be shrewd! After all she was trying to survive in a male-dominated world.
There are some parallels in the life of Donna Karan and Diane von Furstenberg. The latter’s memoir also dealt with life, family, love, beauty and business. These two women devoted their lives to empowering women in all aspects of life, especially the business world. This gospel of female empowerment is reflected in their work and legacy. Donna Karan, like Diane von Furstenberg, is a princess of fashion in her own right.
This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in the life and legacy of fashion designer Donna Karan. Her life is an extraordinary story of faith in her abilities and passion for her work. She is a woman who built $3 billion Empire, and designed for Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Hillary Clinton and many others. Karan is a wonderful raconteur as she glides through the ups and downs of her life. This story reminds me of another leading lady of the fashion industry, Diane von Furstenberg who built global business, creating an enduring brand that defined the world of haute couture. Diana Vreeland, the fashion editor of Harper’s Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue provided a significant sense of style in fashion industry in her autobiography and so did the Cosmopolitan editor Amy Odell who went behind the curtain of fashion business in her memoir. But Donna Karan spares no punches as she reveals her inner most feelings about the fashion industry, her own life and the world we live in.
Author Ingrid Sischy wrote a book about Donna Karan in 2004 and this was followed by as second edition in 2006 as a part of the "Universe of Fashion" series. This work published numerous photographs illustrating the work of Donna Karan. It was just a glimpse of Karan’s life and work in the fashion establishment that complemented art and design collections. But the present biography goes deeper into her personal and spiritual side of her life that spans almost five decades. Karan's family influence is apparent in her life. At 14 she dropped out of school to sell clothing at a local boutique, and in 1968 she was accepted into the highly respected Parsons School of Design in New York City. While in school, Karan landed in a summer job to work for designer Anne Klein. She became a great gofer, and within two years she was the associate designer, and then the head designer at 25, after the death of her mentor Anne Klein. Years later she left Anne Klein and started her own brand in 1985, and in 1988, she began an affordable fashion line, called Donna Karan New York (DKNY), a women's line that was influenced by her original signature collection. In 2006, when she met His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and she learnt that there was a need for the preservation of historical and cultural heritage of Tibet. She founded Urban Zen Foundation to raise awareness and inspire others in this cause. This foundation supports artists, healthcare and education in countries like Haiti. In 2015 she left her role as Lead Designer of DKNY to focus on Urban Zen Foundation. In a recent interview, Karan told journalist Barbara Walters that she never wanted to be working mom. This illustrates the challenges a woman faces to succeed in the business world. Struggling to balance family life with her husband and children, and managing a business empire is a true accomplishment. Many friends and journalists have said that Karan was selfish and crude with her employees and business associates. It is just the nature of things in the business world; you got to be shrewd! After all she was trying to survive in a male-dominated world.
There are some parallels in the life of Donna Karan and Diane von Furstenberg. The latter’s memoir also dealt with life, family, love, beauty and business. These two women devoted their lives to empowering women in all aspects of life, especially the business world. This gospel of female empowerment is reflected in their work and legacy. Donna Karan, like Diane von Furstenberg, is a princess of fashion in her own right.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Book Reviewed: The lost city of Dvaraka, by S.R. Rao
Rediscovering the holy city of Dvaraka (four stars)
This book documents the underwater archaeology of the holy city of Dvaraka lost to the rising waters of the Arabian Sea. The city is known to have gone through three cycles of burials under sea since 17th century BCE. Artifacts have been discovered in underwater archaeological expeditions with the supervision of the author of this book. This work is partly academic: An overview of the artifacts from seven expeditions is given at the end of the book for the benefit of the reader. The buildings uncovered in the seabed on either side of submerged palaeo-channel of Gomati River near the gulf of Kuchchh off the coast of Gujarat are discussed and their attributes evaluated.
From 1985 to 1989, a search for the submerged structures and other relics of ancient Dvaraka resulted in the discovery of some structural remains forming a part of fortified port town with warehouse and other structures. The copper and bronze artifacts shed light on the metallurgy of that period. The onshore excavation yielded evidences for prehistoric settlements of 16th century BCE destroyed by the sea. The internal evidence from Mahabharata, Harivamsa, Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana has been used evaluate the underwater artifacts.
The number of antiquities recovered from the sea in these expeditions is not large but the few that have been found provide information to reconstruct the history of Dvaraka. The inscriptions and the ceramic evidence suggest the signs (inscriptions) belong to about 15 to 14 century BCE. The author concludes that inscriptions indicate the worship of sea god Varuna. Two interesting sculptures found under water perhaps belonged to a temple, and one of the statue found is assigned to Rig-Vedic god Vishnu in Trivikrama form. But the date of the sculpture is not determined.
In conclusion the evidence suggests that the site was inhabited from 18th century BCE and it is a contemporary site with neighboring Late Harappan towns such as Nageshwar, Prabhas and Rangpur.
According to Mahabharata, Krishna knew that Dvaraka would be submerged in the sea and left with his family members. Dvaraka was lost to sea after Krishna left his mortal existence. According to Skanda Purana, Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna rebuilt the temple at Dvaraka.
The period of Mahabharata is certainly after the period of Rig-Veda and the Harappan Civilization since Rig-Veda does not mention Mahabharata or Krishna. It is suggested that the Mahabharata may belong to 17th century BCE, a post-Harappan Era.
One of the short-coming of this work is the limited number carbon-dating and the archeological and inscriptional artifacts discovered in this study are insufficient to make tall claims. The available technology must be used to learn more about the holy city of Dvaraka.
This book documents the underwater archaeology of the holy city of Dvaraka lost to the rising waters of the Arabian Sea. The city is known to have gone through three cycles of burials under sea since 17th century BCE. Artifacts have been discovered in underwater archaeological expeditions with the supervision of the author of this book. This work is partly academic: An overview of the artifacts from seven expeditions is given at the end of the book for the benefit of the reader. The buildings uncovered in the seabed on either side of submerged palaeo-channel of Gomati River near the gulf of Kuchchh off the coast of Gujarat are discussed and their attributes evaluated.
From 1985 to 1989, a search for the submerged structures and other relics of ancient Dvaraka resulted in the discovery of some structural remains forming a part of fortified port town with warehouse and other structures. The copper and bronze artifacts shed light on the metallurgy of that period. The onshore excavation yielded evidences for prehistoric settlements of 16th century BCE destroyed by the sea. The internal evidence from Mahabharata, Harivamsa, Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana has been used evaluate the underwater artifacts.
The number of antiquities recovered from the sea in these expeditions is not large but the few that have been found provide information to reconstruct the history of Dvaraka. The inscriptions and the ceramic evidence suggest the signs (inscriptions) belong to about 15 to 14 century BCE. The author concludes that inscriptions indicate the worship of sea god Varuna. Two interesting sculptures found under water perhaps belonged to a temple, and one of the statue found is assigned to Rig-Vedic god Vishnu in Trivikrama form. But the date of the sculpture is not determined.
In conclusion the evidence suggests that the site was inhabited from 18th century BCE and it is a contemporary site with neighboring Late Harappan towns such as Nageshwar, Prabhas and Rangpur.
According to Mahabharata, Krishna knew that Dvaraka would be submerged in the sea and left with his family members. Dvaraka was lost to sea after Krishna left his mortal existence. According to Skanda Purana, Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna rebuilt the temple at Dvaraka.
The period of Mahabharata is certainly after the period of Rig-Veda and the Harappan Civilization since Rig-Veda does not mention Mahabharata or Krishna. It is suggested that the Mahabharata may belong to 17th century BCE, a post-Harappan Era.
One of the short-coming of this work is the limited number carbon-dating and the archeological and inscriptional artifacts discovered in this study are insufficient to make tall claims. The available technology must be used to learn more about the holy city of Dvaraka.
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Book Reviewed: Around Morgantown (WV) (Images of America) by Wallace Venable and Norma Venable
A pictorial history of Morgantown, West Virginia
The “Images of America” series has published a series of pictorial history of many towns and cities of United States, and they are fascinating to read. This is another book from the series about Morgantown, West Virginia that is very enjoyable and you can find some valuable historical pictures of the city, some of the photographs belong to late 1800s and early 1900s.
A brief summary of the book is as follows: Morgantown was established in 1772 by Zackquill Morgan, and in 1773 it had a stockade fort, and by 1785 the Virginia Assembly gave a formal charter to the town. Morgantown continued to grow with exports of lumber, food, iron, and pottery which could be transported by Monongahela River. In fact the history dates back a little further. The West Virginia National Guard Armory on the Mile ground is home to Battery B of the 201st Infantry Field Artillery and the 249th Army Band. The unit traces its origins to Captain Morgan Morgan who formed the company in 1735 and served in General Washington’s Militia in the 1755 campaign. In 1767, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon noted in their journal that coal is found in plenty in Monongahela and Cheat lake valleys. In 1900, coal production was 80,000 tons. Before 1776, travelers reached Morgantown by walking buffalo paths and Native American war trails. Before 1910, the cars were delivered to the town by steamboat. The major road construction to the north and south was finished in 1923.
Morgantown is known for the West Virginia University. In its rich history, the faculty voted to admit women in 1889 and African Americans in 1954. The intercollegiate football, the equivalent of modern NCAA program was started at WVU in 1891. In 1946, under the GI Bill, the student enrollment swelled to 6,000 and now it has gone up to 25,000 and still growing.
Morgantown has few major monuments but it has many good distinguished buildings. Some of the fascinating images I found in this book includes; an 1865 picture of the bridge connecting Morgantown and Westover when the population of the town was only 684. The 1892 photograph of North Walnut Street taken on the Wool Market Day; a 1915 photograph showing a trolley coming down on High Street from Fayette Street toward Walnut Street. Even at that time, the downtown was a bustling place with lots of businesses. The 1921 picture of Seneca Factory on Beechurst Avenue, showing the chimney and water tank, the prominent landmarks of Morgantown. The 1897, 1900 and 1910 pictures of Woodburn Circle of WVU campus; the 1931 picture of field house on Beechurst Avenue; the 1924 picture of Old Mountaineer Field during a football game; the 1902 and 1925 pictures of the corner of Pleasant and Main (now High Street); the 1902 picture of Professor’s Row on Wiley Street; the 1916 view of Morgantown from South Park Hills and many more.
I very much enjoyed reading this book and recommend to anyone interested in the history of West Virginia and Morgantown.
The “Images of America” series has published a series of pictorial history of many towns and cities of United States, and they are fascinating to read. This is another book from the series about Morgantown, West Virginia that is very enjoyable and you can find some valuable historical pictures of the city, some of the photographs belong to late 1800s and early 1900s.
A brief summary of the book is as follows: Morgantown was established in 1772 by Zackquill Morgan, and in 1773 it had a stockade fort, and by 1785 the Virginia Assembly gave a formal charter to the town. Morgantown continued to grow with exports of lumber, food, iron, and pottery which could be transported by Monongahela River. In fact the history dates back a little further. The West Virginia National Guard Armory on the Mile ground is home to Battery B of the 201st Infantry Field Artillery and the 249th Army Band. The unit traces its origins to Captain Morgan Morgan who formed the company in 1735 and served in General Washington’s Militia in the 1755 campaign. In 1767, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon noted in their journal that coal is found in plenty in Monongahela and Cheat lake valleys. In 1900, coal production was 80,000 tons. Before 1776, travelers reached Morgantown by walking buffalo paths and Native American war trails. Before 1910, the cars were delivered to the town by steamboat. The major road construction to the north and south was finished in 1923.
Morgantown is known for the West Virginia University. In its rich history, the faculty voted to admit women in 1889 and African Americans in 1954. The intercollegiate football, the equivalent of modern NCAA program was started at WVU in 1891. In 1946, under the GI Bill, the student enrollment swelled to 6,000 and now it has gone up to 25,000 and still growing.
Morgantown has few major monuments but it has many good distinguished buildings. Some of the fascinating images I found in this book includes; an 1865 picture of the bridge connecting Morgantown and Westover when the population of the town was only 684. The 1892 photograph of North Walnut Street taken on the Wool Market Day; a 1915 photograph showing a trolley coming down on High Street from Fayette Street toward Walnut Street. Even at that time, the downtown was a bustling place with lots of businesses. The 1921 picture of Seneca Factory on Beechurst Avenue, showing the chimney and water tank, the prominent landmarks of Morgantown. The 1897, 1900 and 1910 pictures of Woodburn Circle of WVU campus; the 1931 picture of field house on Beechurst Avenue; the 1924 picture of Old Mountaineer Field during a football game; the 1902 and 1925 pictures of the corner of Pleasant and Main (now High Street); the 1902 picture of Professor’s Row on Wiley Street; the 1916 view of Morgantown from South Park Hills and many more.
I very much enjoyed reading this book and recommend to anyone interested in the history of West Virginia and Morgantown.
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
The Scarlett Letter (1926), starring Lillian Gish and Lars Hanson
Lillian Gish shines in this in this film
It is a real “A” picture joked MGM salesmen getting booking for this movie. With intensely dramatic performances by Lillian Gish and Lars Hanson, under Victor Sjöström’s sensitive direction, the movie was a box-office hit! It made a profit of $296,000 in 1926!
Nathaniel Hawthorne story’s “A” for adultery could also be “Art” in the film. Lillian Gish began working on this project immediately after she finished her first MGM movie “La Boehme. Having overcome opposition from MGM boss Louis B. Mayer, it was great investment of time and effort. Gish asked Louis B. Mayer to produce the film, but MGM Studios initially feared that it would be banned by the church for its “morally” unacceptable contents. Henry Walthall (Gish’s co-star from D.W. Griffith days), Karl and Marcelle Corday led the support. The script was by Frances Marion.
When a young Puritan woman in Boston during colonial days becomes pregnant out of wedlock, she is pressured to reveal the name of her lover who happens to be a pastor at the local church. The trick of the story is that she is already married to a physician who has been missing seven years and presumed dead. She refuses to reveal the name of the father of her child for which the society shuns her and forces her to wear a dress marked “A” for adultery for the rest of her life. Lillian Gish offers a stunning performance in this silent classic which was acclaimed by the film critics.
It is a real “A” picture joked MGM salesmen getting booking for this movie. With intensely dramatic performances by Lillian Gish and Lars Hanson, under Victor Sjöström’s sensitive direction, the movie was a box-office hit! It made a profit of $296,000 in 1926!
Nathaniel Hawthorne story’s “A” for adultery could also be “Art” in the film. Lillian Gish began working on this project immediately after she finished her first MGM movie “La Boehme. Having overcome opposition from MGM boss Louis B. Mayer, it was great investment of time and effort. Gish asked Louis B. Mayer to produce the film, but MGM Studios initially feared that it would be banned by the church for its “morally” unacceptable contents. Henry Walthall (Gish’s co-star from D.W. Griffith days), Karl and Marcelle Corday led the support. The script was by Frances Marion.
When a young Puritan woman in Boston during colonial days becomes pregnant out of wedlock, she is pressured to reveal the name of her lover who happens to be a pastor at the local church. The trick of the story is that she is already married to a physician who has been missing seven years and presumed dead. She refuses to reveal the name of the father of her child for which the society shuns her and forces her to wear a dress marked “A” for adultery for the rest of her life. Lillian Gish offers a stunning performance in this silent classic which was acclaimed by the film critics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)