Review of The Crowd (1928) by Joe L — 05 May 2009

'we do not know how big the crowd is, or what opposition it is until we get out of step with it.' when I tell people that i'm watching all of the great silent films, they ask me 'do they hold up?' yes.

they absolutely hold up. they are works of narrative art that in many ways are purer and deeper than modern films, and 'the crowd,' which had me in tears by its finale, is a perfect example. 1928 may have been the single greatest year in film history.

this film is the original 'it's a wonderful life,' telling the story of an everyman with high ideals that crush up against harsh realities. the location shots in new york are fascinating and beautiful, the score is one of the best silents i've heard - soaring strings and bouncy jazz brass.

the silent masters really honed their art in the use of title cards. vidor trusts the audience's intelligence in reading the scene. the title cards don't give us all the dialogue, only the most necessary details in order for us to read the scene properly, which is a testament to the skill of the actors.

the visual technical achievement of 'sunrise' is far superior to 'the crowd,' but on an emotional level, this may have overtaken it for me. it's a deep deep shame that most people have only a caricatured idea of what silent film accomplished artistically.