....yet the performances from Clara Bow and Gary Cooper are so powerful that the story becomes incredibly profound and moving.
Several commenters have made the point that this is an just old fashioned morality play, but it is in fact timeless, as old as Rome and as modern as tomorrow morning. The emotions and the relentless logic surrounding this little group of people is a constant source of celebrity headlines and they play out again and again, all over the world.
Cooper was still learning his craft - and the makeup department was, too - but it doesn't matter; his performance is stunning.
The years and decades pass but there have been few actresses indeed that can reach the level of Clara Bow. A century later, her ability to show her audiences greed, envy, love, despair with nothing more than facial expression is still virtually unmatched.
This is an all-time great film.
Several commenters have made the point that this is an just old fashioned morality play, but it is in fact timeless, as old as Rome and as modern as tomorrow morning. The emotions and the relentless logic surrounding this little group of people is a constant source of celebrity headlines and they play out again and again, all over the world.
Cooper was still learning his craft - and the makeup department was, too - but it doesn't matter; his performance is stunning.
The years and decades pass but there have been few actresses indeed that can reach the level of Clara Bow. A century later, her ability to show her audiences greed, envy, love, despair with nothing more than facial expression is still virtually unmatched.
This is an all-time great film.