4.0 out of 5 stars
Comments on "The Italian" only, Oct 10 2011
This review is from: Perils Of The New Land: Films of the Immigrant Experience (1910 - 1915) - Traffic in Souls / The Italian (DVD)
I have yet to see Traffic in Souls, but here are some thoughts
I jotted down on 'The Italian':
Well made silent melodrama, of some historic import.
The acting is generally quite good and understated for the time, the cinematography
has some nice lighting effects, and moving shots (and one amazing close up, where
the camera shakes with a character's anger).
On the other hand, the melodramatic story feels predictable, along with having
a giant plot hole at its center, and some other annoying, easily avoided contradictions
and logic gaps.
Certainly this story -- a struggling Italian immigrant and his bride in the slums of
New York, coming to America to fulfill their dreams, but finding disillusionment and
despair -- must have resonated with a lot of people at the time. I just wish the story
had the subtlety of the acting and images.
But this is a good, solid, important early film, for film lovers and film students.
Note: As of a few months back there is a release of this feature paired
with a 1912 short for much less money than this double feature. Easy to find if you
search for "The Italian silent"
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