| The Crowd | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Poster |
|
| Directed by | King Vidor |
| Produced by | Irving Thalberg |
| Written by | King Vidor John V. King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career Irving Grant Thalberg ( May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was an Academy Award -winning American Film producer A. Weaver |
| Starring | Eleanor Boardman James Murray |
| Cinematography | Henry Sharp |
| Editing by | Hugh Wynn |
| Distributed by | MGM |
| Release date(s) | February 18, 1928 |
| Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Crowd is an American silent film released in 1928 and directed by King Vidor. Eleanor Boardman ( August 19, 1898 &ndash December 12, 1991) was an American Film actress, popular during James Murray ( February 9, 1901 – July 11, 1936) was an American movie Actor. Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events Although some movies released in 1928 had sound, most were still silent. King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career [1]
The picture is an influential and acclaimed feature and was nominated for the Academy Award for Unique and Artistic Production. The Academy Award for Unique and Artistic Production has also been known as “Best Artistic Quality of Production
In 1989, this film was one of the first 25 films to be selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The National Film Registry is the registry of Films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of The Library of Congress is the De facto National library of the United States and the research arm of the United States Congress
Contents |
Plot
The film centers on ambitious but undisciplined New York City office worker John Sims (played by James Murray) who meets and marries Mary (Eleanor Boardman). James Murray ( February 9, 1901 – July 11, 1936) was an American movie Actor. Eleanor Boardman ( August 19, 1898 &ndash December 12, 1991) was an American Film actress, popular during
They start a family, struggle to cope with marital stress, financial setbacks, and tragedy, all while lost amid the anonymous, pitiless throngs of the big city.
Production
The Crowd was conceived and filmed under the artistic vision of famed director King Vidor, who sought the film to be innovative in its story, acting, and cinematography. King Wallis Vidor ( February 8, 1894 &ndash November 1, 1982) was an acclaimed American Film director whose career
The film mixes striking visual styles and moving camera cinematography (heavily influenced by German films) with intense, intimate scenes of the family's poignant struggle. See also Filmmaking Cinematography (from Greek: kinesis κινησις (movement and grapho γραφω (to record is the discipline
Vidor avoided casting big-name stars in the film to attain greater authenticity; Murray was a studio extra, and Boardman was a minor actress and Vidor's second wife.
Vidor's great financial success at MGM in the 1920s allowed him to sell the unusual scenario to production head Irving Thalberg as an experimental film. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada Irving Grant Thalberg ( May 30, 1899 – September 14, 1936) was an Academy Award -winning American Film producer MGM chief Louis B. Mayer reportedly disliked the film for its bleak subject matter and lack of a happy ending. Louis Burt Mayer (born Lazar Meir July 4, 1884 &ndash October 29, 1957) was an early Film producer, most In fact, several alternate upbeat endings were filmed and previewed at the studio's insistence, but Vidor persevered and the film was released with the original, logical conclusion.
Critical reception and influence
The Crowd was not a great success upon its initial release, but it has been consistently hailed as one of the greatest and most enduring American silent films. The Crowd was a remarkably groundbreaking film, but it was released just as the Great Depression and the arrival of sound films combined to radically change filmmaking. Due to the limitations imposed by early sound filming techniques, the film's moving camera innovations would not be equaled for another decade. Likewise, Depression-era audiences sought escapist entertainment over the stark realism of The Crowd, which filmmakers would not embrace again until after the end of World War II. Director Jean Luc Godard was asked in the 1960s why more films were not made about ordinary people, and his response was "Why remake The Crowd, it has already been done". Jean-Luc Godard (French ʒɑ̃lyk gɔˈdaʀ (born on December 3 1930 is a French and Swiss Filmmaker and one of the founding members of the Nouvelle Vague
Vidor used the John and Mary Sims characters again (with different actors) in his 1934 film Our Daily Bread. Our Daily Bread is a 1934 film directed by King Vidor and starring Karen Morley, Tom Keene, and John Qualen. He also provided an insightful interview on the making of the film in a segment of the 1980 documentary Hollywood by Kevin Brownlow and David Gill. Hollywood, also known as Hollywood A Celebration of the American Silent Film ( 1980) is a documentary series produced by Thames Kevin Brownlow (born on June 2, 1938 in Crowborough, Sussex) is a filmmaker film historian, Television documentary -maker Vidor wrote an unrealized screenplay based on the tragic life of The Crowd lead actor James Murray, who fell on hard times eerily similar to those of the character for which he is remembered. James Murray ( February 9, 1901 – July 11, 1936) was an American movie Actor.
The film also draws from the mise-en-scene elements of German Expressionist films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Mise-en-scène (mizɑ̃sɛn is an expression used in the theatre and film worlds to describe the design aspects of a production Caligari redirects here For the company see Caligari Corporation.
The film also inspired some of the story and scenes from acclaimed Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu in his film, Tokyo Chorus. was an influential Japanese Filmmaker. Marriage and family were among the most persistent themes in his body of work was a 1931 silent movie produced by Shochiku Company directed by acclaimed and influential Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu and starring Tokihiko
The shot in Billy Wilder's The Apartment, when the camera swoops in to show Jack Lemmon trapped in a horde of desk jockeys, is taken from a similar shot in The Crowd. Billy Wilder ( June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian born Jewish - American Journalist The Apartment is a 1960 American comedy - Drama film produced and directed by Billy Wilder, and starring Jack Lemmon John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8 1925 &ndash June 27 2001 was an American Actor known principally for his comedic roles [2]
Cast
- Eleanor Boardman as Mary
- James Murray as John 'Johnny' Sims
- Bert Roach as Bert
- Estelle Clark as Jane
- Daniel G. Eleanor Boardman ( August 19, 1898 &ndash December 12, 1991) was an American Film actress, popular during James Murray ( February 9, 1901 – July 11, 1936) was an American movie Actor. Tomlinson as Jim
- Dell Henderson as Dick
- Lucy Beaumont as Mary's Mother
- Freddie Burke Frederick as 'Junior'
- Alice Mildred Puter as Daughter
Awards
Nominations
-Best Director, Dramatic Picture, (King Vidor)
-Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production
Other distinguishments
- 1989- National Film Registry
Soundtrack
Composer Carl Davis created an orchestral score for the film in the early 1980s, and it was released on video in conjunction with MGM and British television Thames Silents series in the late 1980s. George Delbert Henderson,( 5 July, 1883 - 2 December, 1956) was a Canadian Actor, director and Writer Lucy Beaumont ( May 18, 1873 - April 24, 1937) was an English actress of the stage and screen from Bristol England. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. The National Film Registry is the registry of Films selected by the United States National Film Preservation Board for preservation in the Library of Carl Davis CBE (born October 28, 1936, New York City, United States is an American conductor and Composer who has The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989.
Footnotes
- ^ The Crowd at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. The Chicago Sun Times, film review. The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily Newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois.
External links
- Extensive review of the film.
- Historical analysis of the film.
- Review and article on making the film.
- Contemporary review, TIME Magazine, March 5, 1928
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic