Really interesting near-miss that is reminiscent of sharper, earlier Hollywood movies about class conflict like My Man Godfrey and especially The Devil and Miss Jones. Those films, however, didn't get as close to the two-hour mark and there are reasons for that.
First, even as someone who loves musicals, this movie did not need the songs. They actively slow down the plot and don't really make anything happen. Even as instrumental accompaniment, the score makes the movie seem more treacly…
One of the most obvious screen adaptations of a stage play--even for 1930! There are so many long shots that are just about seeing what's going on in different parts of the set,
I do like what Stroheim's doing here as an actor, though. He is very low-key intense. Ultimately, I think I may prefer his performance to Karloff's in the remake.
And isn't it funny how many post-WWI plays get updated into now-WWII plays ten or fifteen years later.
Let's be honest: you're watching this because you're a completist (like me). You wanted to see the first all-talking US feature film. Now you have. Are you proud of yourself? Sheesh.
Early but subtly important short film, demonstrating the genius of placing action on a diagonal axis in order to simulate action in three dimensions.
