“The Show- Off”(1926)

“The Show- Off”(1926) is a silent comedy drama starring Ford Sterling, Lois Wilson, and Louise Brooks. Directed by Malcolm St. Clair, this is the first of the four film adaptations of the George Kelly play. The story begins with Aubrey Piper, played by Ford Sterling, posing as a railroad executive even though he is really just a $30 a week clerk. He manages to convince a girl from a nice family, Amy Fisher, played by Lois Wilson, that he is rich and successful. Amy’s mother and father dislike Aubrey, but Amy loves him dearly despite his boastfulness. After the wedding, Amy realizes that Aubrey is not rich nor famous. They move into a small apartment, but life is tough because they have trouble paying the bills. When Amy’s father dies, the couple decides to move back into her mother’s home. Surprisingly, Aubrey wins a car in a raffle. Unfortunately, he picks up the car not knowing how to drive and causes some accidents by driving in the wrong lane. At Aubrey’s court hearing the judge hands him a $1,000 fine. Amy’s brother, Joe Fisher, played by Gregory Kelly, pays it with the $1,000 check his father gave him before he died to pay the mortgage. Joe actually prefers losing the house than to have a family member locked up in jail. What happens next is interesting and surprising.


Even though “The Show-Off” is fairly predictable, it is worth watching just to take a look at the legendary and beautiful Louise Brooks in a supporting role as the girlfriend of Joe Fisher, played by Gregory Kelly. I liked the scene where Clara, played by Louise Brooks, catches Aubrey counting portions during the prayer before dinner. I also liked the scene in which Joe and Clara reacted to the death of Pop Fisher. No subtitles were needed because their expressions said it all. Ford Sterling, best known as the chief of the Keystone Cops, gives a wonderful performance as the boastful and pompous Aubrey Piper. His body language and facial expressions bring his character to life. He was certainly a natural comedian. Lois Wilson, who was one of the most dedicated actresses of the silent screen, gives a sympathetic performance as Aubrey’s loving wife.


Born Mary Louise Brooks in Cherryvale, Kansas, on November 14, 1906, she began her entertainment career as a dancer appearing with the Ziegfeld Follies as well as the Ruth Saint Denis’ dance company. Signing with Paramount, Louise’s film debut was in “The Street of Forgotten Men” (1925) in an uncredited role. In 1926, Louise made six pictures at Paramount: “The American Venus,” “Love ‘Em and Leave ‘Em,” “A Social Celebrity,” “It’s the Old Army Game,” “The Show-Off,” and “Just Another Blonde.” Embittered over studio politics and longing for a new adventure, Louise shocked the industry by abandoning Paramount to work with director G. W. Pabst in Berlin, Germany. When Pabst saw Louise in Howard Hawks’ “A Girl in Every Port” (1928), he was convinced that she was ideal for the role of Lulu in “Pandora’s Box” (1929). At the time Louise was involved with a Paramount contract and was not available. Pabst settled on Marlene Dietrich, but before shooting began, a cable came from Paramount saying that Louise was willing to play the role. The film was not well liked in Germany, where there was resentment in having an unknown American play an important German dramatic role. In the United States, the film had no chance at all. It was reedited by its importers to make it seem that Lulu was reformed by joining the Salvation Army. Ironically, it was Louise’s waif like role as the doomed flapper Lulu that made her an international sensation and an icon of the Jazz Age. Her sleek, bobbed hairstyle was talked about in every film and fashion magazine and countless women copied it. In 1929, Louise reunited with Pabst and starred in “Diary of a Lost Girl” (1929), a silent study of a troubled young woman that would in time gain cult status. In 1930, Louise Brooks starred in “Miss Europe,” a French film released in both silent and sound versions and titled “Prix de beaute” in its native land. After being cast in B pictures by studio executives as punishment for her defiance, Louise retired from film in 1938. She returned to Kansas and tried teaching dance, but she was not suited for the job. Louise moved to New York City where she worked as a sales clerk at Saks. She lived in obscurity and destitution until former lover, Bill Paley, the founder of CBS, set up a monthly stipend that supported her for the rest of her life. In the 1950’s, French film historians discovered Louise in Rochester, New York. With the help of such film writers as James Card and Kenneth Tynan, she became a sought after film historian and accomplished writer. Louise Brooks died on August 8, 1985. She was 78 years old.

King Vidor "Wild Oranges" (1924)

"Wild Oranges" (1924) is a silent romantic drama starring Frank Mayo, Virginia Valli, and Ford Sterling. Directed by King Vidor and adapted from the novel by Joseph Hergesheimer, this film captures the bittersweet theme of love and loss. The story begins with John Woolfolk, played by Frank Mayo, marrying and losing his young bride on the same day in a horse and carriage accident. John takes to the sea in his small sailing boat with his first mate, Paul Harvard, played by Ford Sterling, to forget the untimely death of his wife and also avoid ever falling in love again. After spending three years traveling at sea on the small sailing boat, John and Paul come across a beautiful island off the coast of Georgia. They decide to stay there for a while, but they have no idea that the island is inhabited by the lovely Millie Stope, played by Virginia Valli, and her grandfather, Litchfield Stope. Millie and Litchfield live in a dilapidated mansion and suffer from an extreme case of fear.

The third inhabitant of the island is Iscah Nicholas, a homicidal maniac who is described as "half man and half animal." Iscah stalks Millie and constantly threatens her. He even promises to kill her grandfather if she doesn't give him a kiss. When John meets Millie, it is love at first sight for these two, eventhough he is in denial and tries his hardest to resist falling in love with her. However, John soon entrusts his heart to Millie and wants to take her and her grandfather away from the island, but Iscah has other plans for them. When John shows up in Millie's house to take her and her grandfather out of the island, he discovers that Iscah has killed the old man and is trying to force himself on Millie who is tied up to her bed. Will John be able to rescue Millie before it is too late? "Wild Oranges" is a largely forgotten silent gem superbly directed by a young King Vidor at Goldwyn before they merged with Metro to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Vidor, whose career began in 1913 with "Hurricane Galveston," went on to make such classics as "The Big Parade" (1925), "The Crowd" (1928), "Show People" (1928), "Hallelujah!" (1929), "Duel in the Sun" (1946), and "The Fountainhead" (1949). When he finally retired in 1980, Vidor entered the record books as the longest working director in film history. Although "Wild Oranges" is not a masterpiece of the silent cinema, it is certainly an entertaining film. Vidor always studied reality to make everything believable about a scene and to make the audience feel it. He was really ahead of his time, and his direction is what actually makes the film so realistic. There are many suspenseful scenes such as the one in which Iscah threatens to feed Millie to some crocodiles if she doesn't kiss him. The crocodiles appear to be real and the scene is very well done. The film's viewing experience is greatly enhanced by its breathtaking photography. It is a beautiful print tinted in a variety of tones including sepia, blue, pink, and orange shades. The film's landscape is rather impressive with its omnipresent orange trees and orange blossoms. It almost seems one can smell their aroma. Perhaps what I enjoyed most about the film are the tender and moving love scenes between Millie and John. I found it rather amusing that Millie wasn't afraid of John despite her fear of strangers. One of the most romantic scenes is when Millie first meets John and lovingly touches and rubs his shirt. Dialogue is definitely not necessary to understand tender moments like these. In "Wild Oranges," largely forgotten actor, Frank Mayo, is excellent as the widower who is scared of falling in love again. Virginia Valli, who was an established star at Universal by the mid 1920's, gives the best performance of all the cast members as the sweet and lovely Millie who captures his heart. Definitely worth watching, King Vidor's "Wild Oranges" is a steamy melodrama where fear and desires run deep.

* It is interesting to note that Virginia Valli was married to popular leading man of silents and early talkies, Charles Farrell, from 1931 until her death in 1968.