Lady of the Night (1925)

I just happened to turn the channel to TCM last Sunday evening and I'm so glad I did because I was able to catch Lady of the Night, which aired as part of their regular Silent Sunday Nights feature.

Released by MGM in 1925, the film stars Norma Shearer in a dual good girl/bad girl role. The first few minutes of the film introduce us to "bad girl" Molly Helmer who is born into a poor family with a convict for a father. Coincidentally, the judge who sends Molly's father to prison (Judge Banning played by Fred Esmelton) becomes a father at the exact same time when his wife gives birth to "good girl" Florence.

Fast forward eighteen years and the two little girls have grown into two young ladies: Molly is just leaving reform school at the same time Florence graduates from a ritzy private school. Florence has a lovely house and well-to-do father waiting for her, but Molly must take care of herself, so she takes a job as a taxi dancer at a local dance hall.

One night at the dance hall, Molly is harassed by an aggressive dance partner and her boyfriend, Chunky (George K. Arthur) attempts to defend her honor, but he is knocked down to the floor. Chunky's friend David Page (Malcolm McGregor) quickly steps in and saves the day, earning Molly's admiration in the process.

It doesn't take long for Molly to fall for David, and although he remains oblivious to her feelings, Chunky is very much aware of the situation and all he can do is sit back and watch his ladylove pine for another. The three spend quite a lot of time together and we learn that David is an inventor who has just put the finishing touches on a device that can unlock any safe. Chunky suggests David sell his invention to a criminal gang he knows, but Molly urges him to sell the device to a bank instead.

David does as Molly suggests and meets with a group of bank directors, one of whom is Judge Banning, Florence's father. In fact, the meeting takes place at the judge's home and at the conclusion of the meeting, David bumps into Florence on his way out. The two are instantly smitten with each other. From there we must wait and see how this mess of a love triangle (quadrangle, really) will play out...

Norma Shearer is a delight as Molly Helmer, the bad girl with a heart of gold. The role really suited her well. Florence's character was a bit colorless by comparison - a good girl with a heart of gold isn't nearly as interesting as a bad girl with a heart of gold! Seeing Shearer as a vamp with dark hair, dark makeup, painted-on beauty marks and a giant plumed headpiece was a lot of fun to watch.

Malcolm McGregor makes a handsome David (even though he is somewhat dense in his ignorance of Molly's very obvious feelings) and I enjoyed George K. Arthur in the role of Chunky Dunn. Chunky is loyal and sweet and you just feel so bad for him! 

Lady of the Night was Joan Crawford's first movie appearance and if it weren't for Ben Mankiewicz's intro at the beginning of the film I would never have known she was in it. She acted as Norma Shearer's body double - the "other Norma" whenever Molly and Florence are in a scene together - so we never see her face, just the back of her head a handful of times!

Overall I really liked Lady of the Night and found it to be surprisingly moving, especially considering the film is only about an hour long. I look forward to revisiting this one soon. 

The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927)

I'm a relative latecomer to silent movies. I really only began watching silents a few years ago and, of course, I started with the biggies: Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, etc.

Recently I've begun to explore a wider variety of silent movies, and since I usually enjoy Ernst Lubitsch's films, I figured I'd give The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg a whirl.

Released by MGM in 1927, this romantic drama primarily takes place in the early 1900s and tells the story of young Crown Prince Karl Heinrich (Ramon Novarro), heir to the Kingdom of Karlsburg, currently under the rule of his uncle, King Karl VII (Gustav von Seyffertitz).

He is sent to live with his uncle as a young boy and he is forbidden to play with children his own age (presumably due to the class-difference). He's isolated and lonely until the arrival of Dr. Friedrich Jüttner, a kind, mild-mannered gentleman hired on as the boy's tutor.

Dr. Jüttner is Karl Heinrich's only companion throughout the years and he helps him with his studies, from boyhood all the way through to his final high school exam. Shortly after graduation, Karl Heinrich's uncle arranges for him to continue his education at Heidelberg University located in Heidelberg, a town near Frankfurt which is also home to Heidelberger Schloss (Heidelberg Castle, a gorgeous Gothic structure built sometime before the 12th century). 

Karl Heinrich arrives at a roadside inn run by the family of Ruder: Old Ruder (Otis Harlan) and his niece, Kathi (Norma Shearer).  Karl Heinrich's personal servant inspects the rooms and objects, stating the establishment isn't good enough for the prince. This insult will not stand with Kathi and she launches into a passionate defense of the inn and of the rooms, which she herself situated.

Karl Heinrich is instantly infatuated with her and he promptly agrees to stay. Not long after he meets some of Heidelberg University's students when they gather for a pint of beer (or, more accurately, several) at the inn. He receives an enthusiastic welcome and becomes fast friends with the other young men.

It doesn't take him long to settle into his new life with his new friends...and with Kathi, whom he grows to love very seriously. 

Of course, it isn't long before his "real world" duty rears its ugly head...

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Evidently Ernst Lubitsch was not the first choice to make The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, and by the time he was brought on as producer/director, the studio had settled on Ramon Novarro and Norma Shearer as the romantic leads. Lubitsch was apparently unhappy with these casting choices, but I liked their performances, particularly Novarro's. Clearly he is a very good looking man, but he also brings a boyish charm and enthusiasm to the role of Karl Heinrich that I found appealing (although some viewers will likely find his enthusiasm a bit too enthusiastic). 

Norma Shearer is lovely as Kathi. I enjoyed the character's moxie. She's good-humored and hardworking, but she isn't a pushover or a simpering idiot, even after she learns that Karl Heinrich is a prince.

I really enjoyed the shots of the castle (which look to me to be genuine footage of Heidelberg Castle, but I could be wrong) and this led to extensive reading on the history of the castle and of the college-town. Heidelberg University is Germany's oldest university, founded in 1386, and I really wish the film had included actual footage of the school. (Lubitsch apparently sent a team to Heidelberg to shoot location footage for the movie, but none of it made it into the final cut for reasons unknown to me!)

The film has many lovely scenes, both in look and in material, but the story is more sentimental and traditional than I expected, without much of the "Lubitsch Touch" but I still enjoyed it and would recommend the movie to anyone interested in silents (or Ramon Novarro 😍). I would love to see the film restored; the copy I watched was quite grainy and it would be great to re-watch it with a sharper, clearer look.