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Although D.W. Griffith was best known for directing serious epics with a social conscience, the master of silent cinema was no slouch when it came to heartwarming comedies. Griffith's 1925 feature
Sally of the Sawdust is further distinguished by its starring role for comedian W.C. Fields, reprising a role he originated on stage in Dorothy Donnelly's play
Poppy. Fields had been firmly established in vaudeville as a gifted comedian and juggler, and those skills are readily apparent in this sweet-natured story about a young circus waif named Sally (latter-day Griffith ingenue Carol Dempster). Sally's mother was rejected by her wealthy father for marrying into show business, then died during childbirth, leaving Sally to be raised by lovable circus performer and con artist J. Eustace McGargle (Fields). Destiny eventually brings Sally back to the luxurious home of her grandparents, who remain unaware that she is family. Legal hassles erupt when McGargle is accused of fraud, and matters are further complicated when a local socialite falls for Sally's considerable charms. Only the truth of Sally's lineage can save her and McGargle from jail, and Griffith milks this amusing melodrama for all it's worth. Propelled by a wonderful piano score adapted from the film's original 1925 cue sheets and performed by Philip Carli, this delightful silent has been faithfully preserved and remains highly entertaining. It's fascinating as W.C. Fields's first screen success (he later remade this film as
Poppy in 1936), and the little-known Dempster proves to be a charming comedienne in her own right. The DVD transfer is remarkably pristine, retaining the tinting of the film's original release.
--Jeff Shannon
Review
Released on DVD in a crisp and clear restored version, D.W. Griffith's slightly altered screen version of Broadway star Dorothy Donnelly's circus comedy drama Poppy is, truth be told, far too much Carol Dempster. A singularly unattractive actress whom Griffith unaccountably doted on ( la Susan Alexander), Dempster is allowed to hog the camera at every opportunity. This, sadly, takes attention away from her co-star W.C. Fields, who performs -- or attempts to perform, if only the smitten Griffith hadn't let his camera wander back to Dempster -- several of his legendary routines, including "The Old Army Game," and all too-brief examples of his famed juggling dexterity. Alfred Lunt, who was starring opposite wife Lynn Fontanne in their greatest hit, The Guardsman, at the time, plays Dempster's love interest, but is as colorless as she. As in the original 1923 Broadway production of Poppy, it is in the end left to Fields to fill the many gaps, which he does in his inimitable way while proving what a fine silent comedian he really was. Although he would repeat his McGargle role in the 1936 sound remake of Poppy (and variations of him in several other comedies), Sally of the Sawdust remains historically important as a showcase for the younger and more adroit W.C. Fields in his Ziegfeld Follies period. Watch for plug-ugly William "Shorty" Blanche, Fields' longtime stage partner, performing his "stooge" routine. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
