Review of The Crowd (1928) by Sherry L — 02 Aug 2011

I just love the way the director King Vidor takes the american dream and shovels it down, right in one's throat, with The Crowd.

It's sometimes called the first "depression" movie made. The funny thing is that it was even made before the actual "depression" started.

It pictures a man named John. Being born on the fourth of July, 1900, his father just knows that his son will be the next preseident of America. According to him it's written in the stars that his son will become someone, being born that day an' all.

Johnny gets a nice education and with his peers, he mocks the newpaper man who dressed as a clown to sell more newpapers.

One day Johnny will stand there himself, for anyone to laugh at.

Dressed as a clown, to symbolize the humiliation which the poor, desperate worker has to endure to make their pityful living.

The Johnny-character respresent the average american man, with high ambitions.

Vidor manages to capture every sentiment that is in there, only with the camera as help.

I can say one thing for sure, this movie would never have passed cencurships after 1933, because it would most probably have been considered too critical to the american government.

One of the reasons why it's so praised (besides the fact it's a masterpiece:) is because it's so ahead of it's time. You'll never find anything like it, from this era.

So cynical and un-american. And yet, so brilliant! Hits right on the spot.

And furthermore, it's theme is just as fresh today as it was back then.