It

 

 

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A first-rate romantic-comedy sensation of its day, this precious little gem of a movie shows actress Clara Bow at the peak of her short-lived career. This is silent cinema at it best, showing the lighter side to the silent era.
Clearly, Clara Bow is the star here, front and center, but the supporting cast is fantastic as well. The story isn't particularly original, brilliant, or surprising, but then it doesn't have to be. In fact, it probably shouldn't be.
This Kino DVD is a fine transfer, with little grain, and looks sharp, clean, and wonedrfully clear considering its age. The soundtrack score is clean and fits well.
Clara Bow looks so adorable in this film that its hard not to fall in love with her as you watch this film. It's just such a charming little romantic piece full of cuteness and playfulness, just like Bow herself.

This is a review of the Kino DVD release of "It". Let's start by saying this is one of the most enjoyable silent films I've seen. This is entirely due to the presence of Clara Bow, whose dynamic performance never lets up for a second. This makes "It" one of the few silents that still works as entertainment rather than just an interesting slice of history. The reasons I think this DVD could have been even better lie with the fact that Kino has used the 1978 restoration version of this movie rather than the improved 1992 restoration. Whilst this 1978 restoration is still very good, the picture is slightly cropped. In other words, a small part of the picture at both the left & right and top & bottom of the screen is missing. This blemish is barely noticeable and does not really affect your viewing pleasure, especially as the picture quality itself is very impressive. Sure, there are marks and scratches here and there, but far less than you'd expect for a film well over 70 years old. The picture is generally quite sharp with decent contrast that only occasionally seems a little too harsh. I would rate the picture as being in the top 5% for movies of this age. The second reason this DVD could have been better is the music score. The 1992 restoration features a Carl Davis composition which is quite simply the best music score for a silent film you will ever hear...Unfortunately this DVD features a totally different score by William Perry. Whilst William Perry manages a perfectly adequate piano score that fits well with the movie it isn't a patch on Carl Davis' version. The "only" extra on this DVD is a documentary entitled "Discovering The It Girl". This only covers Clara Bow's life and career in a superficial way but we are treated to a wealth of movie clips. Contributions from people who knew Clara Bow also help make this a very enjoyable documentary. It's also worth noting that Kino previously released the movie and documentary on two separate VHS tapes. By buying them both on this one DVD instead of two videos you're actually saving yourself a few dollars! Notwithstanding the minor shortcomings, I definitely rate this DVD as a worthwhile purchase.

Clara Bow stars in this wonderful silent film as Betty Lou Spence a shopgirl at Waltham's Department Store. When she first sees her boss, the handsome Cyrus Waltham, Jr. (played by Antonio Moreno), she falls for him and decides that he is to be her husband. But Waltham barely notices the shopgirl until his friend Monty Montgomery (comically played by William Austin) spies her at the counter and determines that she has "It," a certain type of sex appeal. With the help of Monty and her own "It" factor, Betty tries to win the man of her dreams.

This is a delightful romantic comedy, based upon the short story by Elinor Glyn -- who also makes a cameo appearance in the film. the acting is spot on, so much so that you don't even need the title cards. You can tell exactly what's going on. Clara Bow is amazing as Betty, with just the right charm and sex appeal. The great music accompaniment on this DVD was written by Carl Davis and matches the film perfectly.

A classic romantic comedy from the Silent Era.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Winning and worth seeing if paper thin
An oddly beguiling silent romantic comedy.

I can't see it as a 'great' film, with a thin, and (even for it's time)
corny story of a salesgirl trying to win the... Read more

Published 9 months ago by K. Gordon

5.0 out of 5 stars I love the music on this film
The story is trite and banal. Pop fluff of the 1920'sbut the score gives it some sort of elusive character. Kudos to the musicians! Read more

Published on Mar 4 2003 by Jahlaune Hunt

5.0 out of 5 stars I love the music on this film
The story is trite and banal. Pop fluff of the 1920'sbut the score gives it some sort of elusive character. Kudos to the musicians! Read more

Published on Mar 4 2003 by Jahlaune Hunt

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, you kid!
The uncredited Josef von Sternberg is presumed to be responsible for one of the sexiest and most haunting images in movie history: Clara Bow lounging while her once and future... Read more

Published on Mar 5 2001 by slung

5.0 out of 5 stars IT is the best movie ever
In vivid 1927 color, this movie features what can only be described as IT. IT will shock and amaze you. Spectacular special effects added to the reality of IT. Read more

Published on Jan 14 2001

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