Sunrise (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Sunrise' is a silent movie masterpiece directed by German Expressionist F.W. Murnau (Nosferatu, Tabu). Released 2 weeks before The Jazz Singer, the critically-acclaimed 'Sunrise' struggled to find an audience that had just gotten their 1st taste of "talkies". Still, this silent film is considered one of the best of its kind and, well, I agree. The film opens to a quote: "This story of a man & his wife is of nowhere & everywhere, you might hear it anywhere & at any time." The Man (George O'Brien) is a lowly farmer who is wooed by a temptress known as The Woman from the City (Margaret Livingston); who seduces him into getting rid of his Wife (1927's ubiquitous Janet Gaynor). He reluctantly agrees to take his sweet-but-plain wife to the city by rowboat ... and drown her along the way.
However, he regains self-control during said boat ride & realizes he can't go through with murder. But the innocent wife catches on to his wayward intentions and turns understandably despondent. She escapes from him once they touch land and she finds her way to the big city {which plays as a metaphor for evil & temptation}. There, he chases after her to vehemently apologize and, in a mayhemic reunion, these simple rural folk enter the city only yearn to return to their farm life once again. But on the trek back, danger strikes when a torrential storm capsizes their row boat. In a sad twist of fate/irony, The Man loses track of his wife ... who may have drowned after all. I will not divulge the ending.
Director Murnau was an absolute master of the German Expressionist style which was famous for using art design/innovative cinematography/camera trickery to create symbolic effects on the big screen. This visual masterpiece is known for first incorporating long tracking shots {which would later be replicated by other classics such as Citizen Kane). There's an intoxicating, eerie sequence involving The Man descending and moving through some marshes. One of the great shots in the film includes Man & Wife seeming to cross a crowded city boulevard with speeding automobiles and are suddenly transported to a country field, then back to that boulevard where they kiss in heavy traffic -- VERY cool.
And the scenes in the big city were filmed on an elaborate set that cost a then unheard of $200,000 to make. Dramatically, the film casts a surrealistic, dreamlike spell over the viewer; thanks to a lot of those visuals. The story includes themes of passion, betrayal, redemption & love. Murnau strikes a balanced chord btwn. moods of doom, gloom, cheer & calm. I wish I could say more about the beautiful & 'full of meaning' closing shot; but to write it would spoil the titular ending.
George O'Brien & Janet Gaynor both give excellent performances and, it's fascinating to note the stark differences in their acting styles. George O'Brien plays it larger-than-life & overdramatic with a plentitude of silent movie mannerisms. But he is very effective at conveying the Man's varying moods. Gullible, sinister, sullen, murderous, guilt-ridden, happy, dispirited ... he checks off every box. Janet Gaynor plays her role 'smaller', but like O'Brien, still conveys a wide range of emotions. For her work here - as well as '27's Seventh Heaven & Street Angel - she won the 1st Best Actress Academy Award.
'Sunrise' is just a beautiful, innovative film to experience. Visually, it looks like the type of film that would've been made in the 1930s or even 40s; it's THAT technologically-advanced {stylistically, camera techniques, sound design, visual effects}. It is no surprise to me that this film won Best Unique & Artistic Achievement {a veritable 2nd Best Picture category - which Wings won}. Combine the tech prowess with those fine performances and a universally poignant love story and you've got the type of film that would top my personal list any year. Ultimately, 'Sunrise' speaks to the cinematic power of the silent screen. Who needs dialogue when the look & feel of a film such as this is as strong as it is?
However, he regains self-control during said boat ride & realizes he can't go through with murder. But the innocent wife catches on to his wayward intentions and turns understandably despondent. She escapes from him once they touch land and she finds her way to the big city {which plays as a metaphor for evil & temptation}. There, he chases after her to vehemently apologize and, in a mayhemic reunion, these simple rural folk enter the city only yearn to return to their farm life once again. But on the trek back, danger strikes when a torrential storm capsizes their row boat. In a sad twist of fate/irony, The Man loses track of his wife ... who may have drowned after all. I will not divulge the ending.
Director Murnau was an absolute master of the German Expressionist style which was famous for using art design/innovative cinematography/camera trickery to create symbolic effects on the big screen. This visual masterpiece is known for first incorporating long tracking shots {which would later be replicated by other classics such as Citizen Kane). There's an intoxicating, eerie sequence involving The Man descending and moving through some marshes. One of the great shots in the film includes Man & Wife seeming to cross a crowded city boulevard with speeding automobiles and are suddenly transported to a country field, then back to that boulevard where they kiss in heavy traffic -- VERY cool.
And the scenes in the big city were filmed on an elaborate set that cost a then unheard of $200,000 to make. Dramatically, the film casts a surrealistic, dreamlike spell over the viewer; thanks to a lot of those visuals. The story includes themes of passion, betrayal, redemption & love. Murnau strikes a balanced chord btwn. moods of doom, gloom, cheer & calm. I wish I could say more about the beautiful & 'full of meaning' closing shot; but to write it would spoil the titular ending.
George O'Brien & Janet Gaynor both give excellent performances and, it's fascinating to note the stark differences in their acting styles. George O'Brien plays it larger-than-life & overdramatic with a plentitude of silent movie mannerisms. But he is very effective at conveying the Man's varying moods. Gullible, sinister, sullen, murderous, guilt-ridden, happy, dispirited ... he checks off every box. Janet Gaynor plays her role 'smaller', but like O'Brien, still conveys a wide range of emotions. For her work here - as well as '27's Seventh Heaven & Street Angel - she won the 1st Best Actress Academy Award.
'Sunrise' is just a beautiful, innovative film to experience. Visually, it looks like the type of film that would've been made in the 1930s or even 40s; it's THAT technologically-advanced {stylistically, camera techniques, sound design, visual effects}. It is no surprise to me that this film won Best Unique & Artistic Achievement {a veritable 2nd Best Picture category - which Wings won}. Combine the tech prowess with those fine performances and a universally poignant love story and you've got the type of film that would top my personal list any year. Ultimately, 'Sunrise' speaks to the cinematic power of the silent screen. Who needs dialogue when the look & feel of a film such as this is as strong as it is?