Silent Film Star: Dolores Costello.

Dolores Costello (September 17, 1903 – March 1, 1979), achieved her greatest success during the era of silent movies. She was nicknamed "The Goddess of the Silent Screen". If you would like to view more articles on Dolores Costello please click here.

Video: Glad Rag Doll(1929), is a all talking drama film directed by Michael Curtiz starring Dolores Costello. This is one of many lost films of the 1920s, no prints or Vitaphone discs survive, but the song with the same title and the trailer survives.

Dolores Costello "Old San Francisco" (1927)

"Old San Francisco" (1927) is a silent romantic drama starring Dolores Costello, Warner Oland, Charles Emmett Mack, and Josef Swickard. Directed by Alan Crosland and adapted from the story by Darryl F. Zanuck, this film is about a family of noble Spanish blood living in San Francisco in the early twentieth century. Until 1906, the Vasquez family has prospered in San Francisco where they own a ranch. However, the Vasquez family, who is now composed of only Don Hernandez de Vasquez, played by Josef Swickard, and his granddaughter Dolores Vasquez, played by Dolores Costello, are threatened with the loss of their property by a cruel city boss, Chris Buckwell, played by Warner Oland, a Chinese disguised as an Occidental. Buckwell doesn't let anyone know he's really Chinese and even keeps his dwarf brother in a cage. In addition to his greed and pursuit of power, he has lustful desires for Dolores. Meanwhile, an Irish gentleman, Terrence O' Shaughnessy, played by Charles Emmett Mack, has his eyes and heart set on Dolores, but her grandfather would prefer her to marry a rich Spaniard. Unfortunately, Dolores' grandfather suffers from a fatal heart attack shortly after he witnesses the evil Buckwell attempting to rape his granddaughter. At this point, Dolores aligns herself with Terrence to combat the sinister Buckwell and his underworld white slavers. Just when Dolores and Terrence are fighting to escape the lecherous grasp of Buckwell and his gang, buildings shake and crumble. Rubble buries unfortunate victims and flame rages throughout the city.
"Old San Francisco" is a relatively well-produced Darryl F. Zanuck silent. It is a visually beautiful film set to a Vitaphone soundtrack with synchronized music and sound effects. Dolores Costello, who was known as the "Goddess of the Silent Screen," is simply luminous in many of the scenes. Under the direction of Alan Crosland, who would make history later the same year with "The Jazz Singer," the action moves rapidly from ranch to saloon to secret dungeon. The climaxing special effects depicting the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire are visually satisfying. Unfortunately, some aspects of the film date it greatly. One is the use of yellow face, the long-standing practice of casting white actors as Asians. The storyline follows an Asian character, portrayed by the Swedish actor Warner Oland in yellow face, passing as a white character until his true identity unravels. The casting practice of the film follows long established norms of white stars garnering leading roles and Asian actors remaining as bit and extra players. In the film, for example, Chinese American actress Anna May Wong has a bit role while Warner Oland is one of the leads. Today's viewers may also be appalled at the racial stereotypes of the Chinese in the film. However, modern viewers should not lose perspective that the film was made over eighty years ago. If today's viewers can overlook the dated plot and negative stereotyping, they can take a glimpse at the high level of expertise Warner Brothers had attained just before the advent of talkies.


*It is interesting to note that Warner Oland played the part of Cantor Rabinowitz in "The Jazz Singer" (1927). His greatest success was when he was cast in the role of Charlie Chan, a Chinese American police detective, in 16 films before he died in 1938.

Dolores Costello

Silent, Is this Dolores Costello in a white wig?

DOLORES COSTELLO

Dolores Costello, was the daughter of actors Maurice Costello and Mae Costello. Dolores and her sister Helene made their first performances in supporting roles in several films with their father, who was a famous actor at the time. Dolores Costello's earliest performance was in the role of a fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream(1909).

Dolores Costello performed opposite John Barrymore in The Sea Beast. She and Barrymore became romantically involved and married in 1928. After reaching stardom, she became so successful that she was called the "The Goddess of the Silver Screen." She was re-teamed with John Barrymore in When a Man Loves (1927). She then co-starred with George O'Brien in Noah's Ark (1929). Costello spoke with a lisp (something that her granddaughter, Drew Barrymore, also inherited), and at first found it difficult to make the transition into talking pictures. After a couple of years with of voice coach she was comfortable with the transition. She put her acting career on hold, after the birth of her first child to devote time to her family. Costello came back to making films a year later and performed in Little Lord Fauntlery (1936), and The Magnificent Ambersons(1942). She retired permanently from acting following This is the Army(1943).

John Barrymore "When a Man Loves" (1927)

"When a Man Loves" (1927) is a silent romantic drama starring John Barrymore, Dolores Costello, and Warner Oland. Directed by Alan Crosland and adapted from the 18th-century novel "Manon Lescaut" by Abbe Prevost, this film is about an aspiring priest who abandons his calling for the lovely Manon Lescaut. The story begins in an old French cathedral town during the reign of Louis XV where Fabien des Grieux, played by John Barrymore, is studying to become a priest. One spring morning, virginal Manon Lescaut, played by Dolores Costello, arrives at the convent. When Fabien sees Manon, it is love at first sight. Meanwhile, Manon's scheming brother Andre Lescaut, played by Warner Oland, decides to prostitute her. Fabien overhears Andre's plot and runs off with Manon to Paris. After living together in a boarding house for one week, the lovers are separated through the intervention of Andre who later sells Manon to Comte Guillot de Morfontaine. Manon soon becomes against her will the mistress of Morfontaine. Just when Fabien is about to go into the priesthood he finds out that Manon will be deported to Louisiana as a prisoner not only by spurned lover Morfontaine but also by King Louis XV of France. Will Fabien be able to rescue Manon before it is too late? John Barrymore was teamed up with his lovely wife, Dolores Costello, in "When a Man Loves." Warner's scriptwriters stopped short of the book's final tragedy in New Orleans but not before they have Barrymore as the maddened Fabien fighting with sword and inciting a whole cageful of prisoners to take over the prison ship in a spree of carnage. "When a Man Loves" was Barrymore's third and final film in a three picture deal with Warner Brothers and it followed the better known "Don Juan." Barrymore had become Warner's most prestigious property, and they billed him as "The World's Greatest Actor." Barrymore's acting ability was never questioned in Hollywood, and he was always treated with the respect that his theatrical lineage and triumphs brought to the screen. With his extraordinary good looks, Barrymore would inevitably become a matinee idol, known as "The Great Profile."


In his role as Fabien, Barrymore remains the master of stage acting which he shrewdly adapts to the screen. He has stage presence and stands out from the other actors. Barrymore could also take the tiniest gesture, like the raising of one eyebrow, and make it huge. I was quite moved by the way Barrymore's Fabien comes to the rescue of his beloved Manon every time she is in danger. In the swashbuckling action scenes, Barrymore is tough and full of fire. His performance in these scenes reminds me of Errol Flynn in "Robin Hood" a decade later. Dolores Costello gives a first-rate performance and has great chemistry with Barrymore. Their love scenes together are so touching and romantic. It is incomprehensible to me that this film is almost never seen. It is a major studio obscurity even though it has top-notch production values with sumptuous costumes and sets. "When a Man Loves" had a Vitaphone pre-recorded soundtrack with musical score and sound effects. This silent gem ab
out a love that endures despite overwhelming obstacles is the perfect film to watch on Valentine's Day.

* It is interesting to note that Drew Barrymore is the granddaughter of John Barrymore and Dolores Costello as well as the great-niece of Ethel Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore.