Olive Thomas Collection: The Flapper / Everybody's Sweetheart

Unless you are a silent film enthusiast (and if you're reading this review you most likely are) then you've probably never heard of Olive Thomas. Her death in 1920 at the age of only 25 under mysterious circumstances has kept her name from being totally forgotten but this DVD is the first opportunity for us to see first hand what made her "everybody's sweetheart".

Judging from the film THE FLAPPER which makes up more than half this disc, Olive Thomas was a gifted performer who combined the madcap qualities of Mabel Normand with the affable sincerity of Mary Pickford. The film is an occasionally witty somewhat clever comedy about a naive young girl at boarding school who gets mixed up with thieves. It was written by Frances Marion (the top screen writer of the silent era), directed by Alan Crosland (THE JAZZ SINGER), and produced by Lewis Selznick (father 0f Myron and David O.). That's a pretty good pedigree and shows how highly Olive was regarded by her contemporaries. It would be her penultimate film.

At this time Olive had been married to Jack Pickford (Mary's brother) for a few years. It was on a second honeymoon trip to Paris that she suddenly died after taking bichloride of mercury. Was it suicide, murder, or just a horrible accident? We will never know although the Timeline Films documentary OLIVE THOMAS: EVERYBODY'S SWEETHEART that fills out the DVD does draw its own conclusion. It is informative and well produced although a little shallow. There are a wealth of clips and photos and it features narration from Rosanna Arquette.

But back to THE FLAPPER. The print from the George Eastman House is absolutely first rate with hardly a blemish and it's even color tinted and has the original illustrated title cards. It's one of the best silent film prints I have ever seen. The piano accompaniment from Robert Israel compliments the action quite nicely. It's great to have this truly talented actress available once again. Hopefully some more of her films can be reissued (very few have survived) so that she can continue to cast her spell on a whole new generation of moviegoers. Thanks again Milestone Films for another job well done.

I had only seen photographs of the beautiful Olive Thomas prior to seeing this delightful film. Olive had more than beauty; she was a marvelous actress and she definitely had star quality. The documentary is a marvelous added bonus which shows clips from what remains intact of her all too brief film legacy. I'd very much love to see her other films whether they are in pristine condition or not. Olive had a definite knack for comedy. It doesn't matter that she was not a virtuous little girl in real life. What is important is that, had she lived, she may have gone on to be one of the biggest stars in the 1920s
and I feel that she would have succeeded. When she is on screen, she dominates every scene she is in and that is star quality. I do hope Milestone will release more of the existing Olive Thomas films. Her talent is on the level of Mary Pickford, Marion Davies, and Clara Bow. It is time for Olive Thomas to receive the credit she deserves. I have become an Olive Thomas fan after seeing only one film of hers. That says a lot. It is tragic that she died just prior to her 26th birthday. Before stars were truly stars, seeing Olive in this superbly directed comedy leaves one wondering, "What if she had lived longer?" It made me think of the great Jean Harlow who died near Olive's age. Both had a great deal more to offer and both had great talent. I am very glad I have "discovered" Olive Thomas and may more of her films be released on DVD and may more that are "presumed lost" be found. I am ready to see more of this actress' work!

This is yet another excellent DVD by Milestone Films, this time putting together all the available material on Olive Thomas, a popular actress of the mid to late 1910s who has been almost forgotten in our day. This collection contains one very entertaining feature film from 1920, "The Flapper", an interesting and nice hour-long documentary about Olive, and other delightful bits of bonus material to round out the picture. I was impressed by "The Flapper", first of all for its perfect picture quality, and for the high standard of the film in general. One thing that caught my attention was the unusually good art work accompanying the intertitles, and which adds a special touch to the film. But the main focus is, of course, on Olive Thomas and her bubbly personality as she plays a sprightly 16-year-old whose typically-teenage desire to be more grown-up lands her in trouble. With a script by famed screenwriter, Frances Marion, and direction by Alan Crosland, "The Flapper" was a sure hit, and after 85 years it is still as entertaining as ever. There are no complex plots or deep issues; simply a fun, charming and also interesting ride through society of 1920. Olive's peformance is the highlight of the film, and she often reminded me of her famous sister-in-law, Mary Pickford, and it's a shame that hardly any other Olive Thomas films have survived. Judging by snippets from her other films presented in the documentary, her performances were always entertaining, and no doubt she was very popular for both her pesonality and her attractiveness. The documentary helps us to understand Olive better as it covers her entire life, including her start in showbusiness in the Ziegfeld Follies and her tragic death at barely 26 - just when her film career seemed to be really taking off. I enjoyed this documentary for its use of much footage from Olive's other films besides "The Flapper", and the other bonus material and stills complete this collection perfectly. All up, a great DVD and a feature film almost anyone is sure to enjoy, even if you're not too familiar with silent films.

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