Male & Female: Amazon.ca: Thomas Meighan, Theodore Roberts, Raymond Hatton, Robert Cain, Gloria Swanson, Lila Lee, Bebe Daniels, Julia Faye, Rhy Darby, Mildred Reardon, Mayme Kelso, Edmund Burns, Alvin Wyckoff, Cecil B. DeMille, Anne Bauchens, J.M. Barrie, Jeanie Macpherson: DVD

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Cecil B. DeMille's breakthrough production, a satire on class distinctions. Based on James M. Barrie's play "The Admirable Crichton," "Male and Female" made a star of Gloria Swanson (Queen Kelly) and solidified DeMille's standing as a big box office director with one of his more modest, but no less 'big' silent classics.

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6 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
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4.2 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Why De Mille has a poor reputation?, Mar 19 2001

By

Prometheus "diosprometheus" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Male & Female (DVD)

A previous reviewer raised an interesting question. He asked "It is really hard to see why De Mille has such a relatively poor reputation, when one sees a film like Male and Female."

This is not really a hard question to answer, but one must understand De Mille and the nature of his politics. De Mille has a poor reputation for many of the same reasons that Elia Kazan was treated so poorly at the Oscars a few years ago by so many in Hollywood and the same reasons why Robert Taylor's name was removed from a building on the old MGM lot.

De Mille was anti-unionist, anti-communist, conservative, Republican; profoundly religious the other things that tend to destroy one's reputation in Hollywood. In the 1940's De Mille was forced out of the host position of Lux Radio Theatre because he refused to join the union of AFRA, (now Aftra).

What is often forgotten about De Mille is that he was, along with Samuel Goldfish, and Jesse L. Lasky, one of the founders of Paramount and in the early days of that studio, he was the creative force. He not only directed and produced many of the company's films, but also was in control of the company's entire output, writing scripts and directing sequences in films assigned to other directors. De Mille is often credited as the first man to film (the 1914 Squaw Man) in Hollywood. He did more than any other man to make Hollywood the greatest film center of the World. He handled every genre in film and even invented some that never existed before.

In the mid 20's, De Mille sold his shares in Paramount and joined MGM briefly where he made some of his worst films such as the eccentric Madame Satan.

De Mille doesn't deserve the poor reputation that he has. He was a cut above most of his competitors in narrative skills, pacing of action, in gauging public tastes and anticipating the changing moods of the nation. He developed some of Hollywood's brightest and most famous stars. He was a master storyteller and his films almost always entertained. But in Hollywood, as the truely blacklisted Kazan, Adolph Menjou and William Dmytryk found, your reputation is often judged on your politics and not by your product.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars extraordinary silent film, July 21 2002

By

Rachel (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Male & Female (DVD)

This film is a masterpiece that gives you the feel of the time and place of the story line. Gloria Swanson is definitely a superb, passionate, and glamorous actress in the film. The picture quality is very clear and the orchestra sound added makes this movie a time capsule for years to come. This film, without a doubt, is one of gloria swanson's finest moments along with her other films "Sadie Thompson" and "Sunset Boulevard." I strongly recommend this film to those who appreciate a brillant silent film.

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4.0 out of 5 stars better than most newer movies, Nov 18 2001

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James A. Bretney (Colorado Springs, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Male & Female (DVD)

Saw it first on AMC Silent Sundays and loved it. An interesting look at a simpler and slower time. Interesting commentary on class and man's nature. At times, it got a little slow but the great thing about silent films is that in those days the director's challenge was to evoke emotion from the audience through action: the protanganist reacting to note just handed to him, the spying over the shoulder or the reactions to other actors. "I was a King of Bablyon and you were a Christian slave." I own it.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Admirable De Mille
It is really hard to see why De Mille has such a relatively poor reputation, when one sees a film like Male and Female. Read more

Published on Feb 5 2001 by Mr Peter G George

3.0 out of 5 stars This is a silent movie, and so it has no soundtrack.
I have not seen this movie, although one of my video books gives it 3 stars out of a possible 5. Generally all DeMille films of whatever era (from 1914-1956) are entertaining in... Read more

Published on May 6 2000