Review of Hindle Wakes (1927) by Justin L — 26 Nov 2015

When you watch Hindle Wakes, you remember how without sound, silent cinema relies much more on a much more carefully crafted visual composition. Here the importance of light comes out, stressing either happiness or sadness, love or anger. The actors also are stunning, displaying at times more character complexity than most actors today. Without words, only with how they gaze at each other. In love, anger or resentment. One could almost regret those days where nearly every shot can be analyzed like a painting.

Furthermore the protagonist is an active young woman of her time, fighting her elders's views and for her right to make her own decision as an adult. She wins, so to speak. The story doesn't put her at fault for what she did, but as a victim of her contemporary morals, instead a hero that doesn't abide by. Surprisingly, I related to Fanny Hawthorne's adventure. When seeing the young adults rushing to Blackpool, fooling around, laughing, kissing, living, I could see myself and my friends. That is truly amazing.