When Technology and the Artistic Meet I happened to watch Erich von Stroheim’s great classic of the silent era, “Greed” (1924), the other day. It followed that I welcomed this picture as it gave me another invaluable insight into the 20s - a period that I am relatively unfamiliar with. It’s amazing that as far back as 1920s, film makers were able to generate films of such high calibre as “Alibi”. This early “talkie” rightfully ticks all the boxes for quality entertainment, and it is not surprising that it was massively popular in its day. I had not been aware of Chester Morris until I first encountered him on this channel a few weeks ago. I have been most impressed at all three of his performances. The provocative scenes of the big city at night bear testimony to the craft of the early cinematographers and their attention to detail. There is a perfect balance between the artistic and the technical that gives the plot its impetus. If there was one downside, in my opinion, it was the somewhat laboured death scene involving Regis Toomey. Perhaps audiences of the day warmed to such scenes to heighten the dramatic intensity. The fast-paced action is sustained as the film raises several questions pertaining to crime, law enforcement and the dynamics that play out in the execution of duty. There is also a focus on divided loyalty, betrayal, and ultimate retribution. “Alibi” is a forerunner in the noir genre and has rightfully earned its place in the history of early film as a blueprint for what followed in the 30s and 40s. Thank you, Isabella for, once again, broadening my film experience. This was an important learning curve for me. It afforded me a greater vantage point from which to contextualize the development of motion pictures through a new set of lenses.
Thank you, Charlie, I am impressed you gave this film a chance, I was worried it would be too old for viewers to enjoy. I have been watching some silent movies and early talkies of late, but am unsure if viewers would appreciate them, let's see... As you note, the implementation of filming techniques is remarkably good for such an early film, I have come to understand this is because before the talkies, the cinematography was all they had to tell the story, in addition to the score, so by the time talkies came along they already had all sorts of in-camera effects perfected. Even when you have little, you can do a lot. I'm happy you found it so accomplished for such an early film, I thought it would be far more stagey, like a theatre play, but they tell the story well, and it is engaging. The one-shot entrance to the building near the beginning is wonderful, leading the viewer into the story. As you mention, the downfalls of human behaviour demonstrated here are well documented, and notably still prevalent today. I'm happy you enjoyed it, I'll try to dig into some more early gems here, there's always more to discover...
This was certainly an enjoyable early talkie. If accurately portrayed, police in those early days were quite a law unto their own. The singing and dancing night clubs would have been so entertaining; clearly I was not born early enough. Nice to see Chester Morris in another role (as a tough guy); aged only 28. This film was my first recognition of Mae Busch; an Australian from the state of Victoria, as with myself. Interestingly Mae appeared in many Laurel and Hardy films. One could detect her natural comedic nature even though this film wasn’t a comedy.
Thanks Marty, I'm happy you gave it a go despite it being such an early talkie. I thought it was interesting that they already knew how to use the camera well, but couldn't incorporate the sound so well, it was either talking or music, maybe a technical limitation. Even so, they told the story well. I agree, the nightclub segments are wonderful, if only we could leap through the screen! I always find it interesting when actors managed to cross over from silent to talking films, it must have been quite a journey. I do not know Mae Busch but will look into her, the way actors move is very important, although often overlooked, it's a thoughtful observation on your part, thank you.
@@isabellamars I thoroughly agree, there were several good examples of innovative filming techniques used in this film. However, the use of sound wasn’t so well executed, but never a distraction. If you choose to present a silent film for the viewers of your channel, I certainly would be interested (it doesn’t need to be a Clara Bow film).
@@marty4933 I have thought of it, especially since they are so immersive and take you to another place, which makes a nice break from the modern world. I'm not sure if it's asking a lot of viewers though, and I don't want people to feel cheated! It's a dilemma...
