Ello

I first saw "It" last year at a mini-festival at the Kemper Museum in Kansas City. The audience was about equally middle-aged (50's, 60's; I'm 63) and young (many 20's and early 30's). Everybody roared with laughter and delight throughout the film.

This is not only a sweet, wacky comedy (with a strong ending--how I wish current filmmakers could learn that lesson!), but also a demonstration, as others have pointed out, of one of the most magnetic personalities ever to face a camera lens. Clara Bow's presence is simply heart-stopping and her basic goodness, at least in this role, is such that it makes me feel maybe there's a little hope for humankind after all.

I watched it again, with a friend, at home this evening and marveled anew at the extraordinary vitality of this wonderful young woman. The extremely silly story doesn't matter in the least. The lesson of the film, as much as there is one, is "where there's a will, there's a way," and to follow the exploits of our heroine's will is pure balm for any weary soul.

If there's any question why Clara Bow became one of the top box office stars of the late silent era, "It" answers that question. The film, perhaps the one with which she will always be associated, is indeed a star turn, but a great one.

Bow,playing a counter girl who wins the heart of the owner of the great department store she works, turns in a memorable performance.

She brings everything you could want to the role, from great comic timing to a very robust physical presence. More than anything, of course, she is incredibly photogenic, a magnetic presence that simply lights up the screen.

Most heartening to me was the very large number of people well under 30 who viewed this film with me the night I saw it. They seemed to absolutely loved it.

Nothing earth shattering here, no high art, just pure entertainment! A bit like today's light romantic comedies, but a tad better in a lot of instances! The real star here is Clara Bow who could after all really act and wasn't just another pretty face, although she was that and more! It's not difficult to see why she became a popular personality with her vivacity, energy and contagious charm! The girl just exuded fun! As Antonio Moreno said in the movie, "She has plenty in reserve!" There are some cute lines in the movie, like when Monty says, " I feel so low I'd have to walk on stilts under a dachshund." William Austin is an entertaining secondary character.

The print I saw was in good shape and I enjoyed the high angle shots of the department store at the beginning of the movie with the camera panning down to the street, the amusement park scenes and the scenes on the yacht. Makes me want to see Clara in a serious drama too! Worth watching for Clara to see what It was all about! I don't think It has changed that much even in the present day!

Clara Bow's energy and glamour give this otherwise lightweight feature some life, making it quite a bit better than it had any right to be. The rest of the production does have a couple of strengths, but not enough to carry the load. The story is pleasant and generally entertaining, but rather negligible. The "It" theme is overworked, and downplaying it in favor of a little more substance might have improved the movie. Yet it is still certainly worth seeing.

Bow gets a character that allows her to use her strengths while also giving her a chance to do some other things as well, as her character goes through a series of romantic episodes and other experiences. Perhaps one reason why this is one of her best-remembered features is that the role gives her some opportunities to show different sides of her character, as she uses her facial expressions and other resources pretty well.

The rest of the cast is just there for Bow to play off of, and the characters are mostly one-dimensional. Antonio Moreno is solid but sometimes lifeless, and his friend Monty is an annoying character whose only constructive purpose is to advance the plot at a couple of key stages.

One minor asset of the movie is the inter-titles, several of which add a bit of bite to some otherwise trite situations. But the constant references to the "It" concept, which apparently come from the Elinor Glyn source material, get old quickly. It's hardly a very imaginative or significant concept, and a couple of passing references would have been more than enough, so as to allow the story to stand more on its own.

The story itself is told rather well, and there are some enjoyable sequences, especially towards the end. While the whole thing is too superficial to belong on any best-of or must-see lists - especially in a year that produced so many outstanding and significant films - it's a generally entertaining little feature, and it is one of the best showcases for Clara Bow, who was one of the most popular performers of the 1920s.

I'm completely smitten with Clara Bow. After having seen Wings, and having just watched It and the TCM documentary Clara Bow: Discovering the It Girl, I have to say that she's just about the most amazing actress of the silent era. Even besides her limitless beauty, it seems like she can accomplish anything with her face. It's far too bad that she was never given a role that fully suited her immense talent. Wings is the closest she ever came to making a great film, it would seem, but, even though she steals the movie away from the other actors, the dogfights and action sequences steal the movie from her. So then It has to stand as her testament, the film that best demonstrates her legacy. And because of this, it's not surprising that Bow is all but forgotten. I mean, It certainly isn't a bad movie. It's a moderately well done romantic comedy where the shopgirl goes after her rich boss. It's fun and entertaining, but not necessarily something you'll remember for that long afterwords. Much like any romantic comedy that would be released today, among which the best is only an average movie. But then those looking to observe Clara Bow's talent don't exactly need another movie. Bow effortlessly raises the level of the project. It would have been rather average without her, but she makes it good. Quite good, in fact. I couldn't take my eyes off her, and I know that I'll visit the film again because of her. The other actors are mostly forgettable, except for William Austin. He plays the boss's best friend, and he's pretty obviously a homosexual. It's one of the more open depictions I've seen. He's quite funny, as well, and it's no mean feat that he wins any attention whatsoever away from Ms. Bow. 8/10.