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The Tresspasser (1929) : Brief Review -

Gloria Swanson's Talkie debut is problematic but not a passable flick. Perhaps, her only Sound film to remember after "Sunset Boulevard". Gloria Swanson's stardom was at its peak during the 1920s decade. Most of her silent features by the mid-20s were hits and received well. She began to lose something by the end of the 30s, possibly due to the new girls' arrivals after 1925 (not taking any names to avoid competition). The Treespasser makes a watchable romantic melodrama, but one cannot overlook the misled plot or, better said, conflicts. Marion elopes with her boyfriend, Jack Merrick, a wealthy businessman. He is not ready to quit his father's property, despite his refusals to their marriage, and then Marion, high on self-respect, leaves him. She gives birth to his child and lives with her employer as his "kept woman". As expected, Marion and Jack meet again after 3 years when Marion wants her son to have the protection of his father, and all of a sudden, they both rekindle their lost love. That part was too dramatic and unacceptable. I lost half the interest in the film there, but then it had some good things, dramatic I mean, planned for the climax and ended up being a watchable melodramatic pulp. The film was released in both sound and silent versions, and you can notice the irregular lip sync and mismatched dialogues caused by it. Swanson looked convincing with those first-time dialogues, but I couldn't convince myself to like her character. The same goes for Robert Ames, because none of them play an intelligent part. Well, you can say who wants love to be intelligent. That's right too. I have seen many of Edmund Goulding's films from the 30s and 40s, so I don't think this film can end anywhere in my top 10 list. But, yes, it can be watched to get to know contemporary cinema, especially the earliest days of sound cinema.

RATING - 6/10*

Famous United Artists film from 1929 with Gloria Swanson in her smash-hit talkie debut. I saw this at the George Eastman House in Rochester last week; it has the only known complete print and it's a beautifully restored version.

Swanson stars as a private secretary who marries a wealthy man's son. But their honeymoon is interrupted by the angry father who bullies the son into getting an annulment to "test" Swanson, while they "gussy her up" for their society friends. Swanson storms out but the boy doesn't follow. Later she reads about his marriage to a "proper" girl in Europe. So she decides to never tell him about the baby from their honeymoon night. Later she reads about a terrible accident and the other wife's injuries. But by then Swanson has shacked up with her boss and living off him even though he is married. Everything comes to a head when the boss dies and Swanson tries to go straight but can't make a living to support herself and her baby. Re-enter the first husband, his crippled wife, and treacherous father.

Pure soap but it's very well done and Swanson (with her 2nd Oscar nomination for this gem) is totally great. Opening scene is a long dolly shot moving in toward her office where she has her back to the camera as she types. Her first words are "and how!" as the 'can-do" secretary. Up thru the honeymoon Swanson is bright and funny as the happy bride. She was a terrific comedienne. But when the story turns tragic, Swanson really comes into her element as the suffering mother, the high-living floozy, and finally the contrite penitent.

Robert Ames is the husband, Henry B. Walthall is the office manager, Kay Hammond is the crippled wife, Blanche Frederici is the nanny, Purnell Pratt is the boss, William Holden is the mean father, Henry Armetta is the barber, Mary Forbes is the boss's wife (in fabulous clothes and jewelry), and Stu Erwin shows up as a reporter.

Swanson sings "Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere" and "My Tormented Heart" in the Italian version.

A pity this film will likely never be released on DVD. The Trespasser is a great moment in a great star's career.

Gloria Swanson is Beautiful absolutely stunning in this motion picture. The film is a historical gem as we get a glimpse of life in the late 1920s and the fashion and scenery of the time period. The film itself isnt all over the place like other talkies of the time and the acting is alright all the actors did a good job in making it believable to the audience that is the charachter they're playing. Its a shame Swansons career did not to go as well in the 30s but made somewhat of a come back in billy wilders sunset blvd (1950). The copy I saw on Yout was scratchy and the film didnt seem like it was preserved quite well. Nevertheless the story line was entertaining to see the whole movie in its intiniry.

None of us should pretend that THE TRESPASSER isn't now, 82 years after its time, incredibly creaky. It is. But it's also, for a 1929 talkie, darned well made, with any number of clever cinematic touches and, unlike most 1929 dramas, a well-done musical score. Just contrast it with the other big 1929 woman's picture, the arid and primitive MADAME X, made a few months earlier. Obviously a number of modern viewers won't make the necessary allowances, as some of the other reviews here show. It isn't always easy to view an early talkie sympathetically, especially when The Marx Bros. aren't involved. But if TRESPASSER is trite in many ways, and relies on at least one outlandish coincidence, it should be seen, still, as a phenomenally astute way to introduce one of the biggest silent stars to sound film. It's fascinating to watch Swanson feeling her way into the talkies. Sometimes she's perfectly naturalistic, other times she declaims like an old-school stage star, and sometimes her silent-movie roots show very clearly with some too- grand gestures. In her best sound film performances, MUSIC IN THE AIR and, of course, SUNSET BOULEVARD, she used aspects of the old over-the- top silent style to great effect; here, not playing a grandiose diva, she can seem more self-conscious about the whole thing. But, more than anything else, she's an first-rate trouper, working hard to give an adoring public every bit of its money's worth. And she obviously worked very well with director/writer Edmund Goulding, who she helped (and also with Laura Hope Crews) to put together this autobiographically-tinged soap opera. (Gloria as the mistress of a tycoon? See the very first frames of the credits : "Joseph P. Kennedy Presents...") And though her singing isn't necessarily presented in a subtle way, it's terrific. Audiences in 1929 were bowled over to find out that she could sing as well (or even better) than she could talk, and it's easy to see why. Note, too, that she clears her throat before starting "Love, Your Spell is Everywhere," proving that she was doing it live on the set. Her performance of Toselli's Serenade is lovely too, especially the way Goulding has her singing off camera before entering, still singing, in a drop-dead gown. It's just too bad that both performances are somewhat truncated, unlike the commercial recordings she made of them. We shouldn't expect THE TRESPASSER to be seen, today, as anything other than a museum piece. Too many of its dramatics are too unsubtle or rudimentary for it to work without some necessary caveats. But as an antique, and a small, authentic piece of film (and political!) history, it's extremely engaging, as crafted by an intelligent and resourceful director for a still-brilliant, one-of-a-kind star.

This film was a delight and incredibly watchable. I highly recommend watching this film, which I believe ranks alongside such films as "Stella Dallas" and "Now Voyager." This is definitely of the Woman's Picture genre and a film that you are certain to enjoy.

I know this review is about "The Trespasser;" however, I must first write a few words about "Sunset Boulevard" to frame my discussion.

Like many fans of Gloria Swanson, I have always blurred the lines of reality between Gloria Swanson the actress and her portrayal of the fictitious character, Norma Desmond, from "Sunset Boulevard." I first viewed "Sunset Boulevard" as a teenager growing up in the 1970s. I was one of those viewers who really rooted for Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson) and wanted her to succeed in her "return" to motion pictures.

It is sad that Gloria Swanson was not able to appear in films of such caliber as "The Trespasser" after making "Sunset Boulevard." With my personal background viewership in mind, I found "The Trespasser" (1929) to be incredibly riveting, which is not always the case when viewing movies of this deep vintage.

Gloria Swanson's caliber of performance comes very close to matching her work in "Sunset Boulevard." I have not viewed much of her work that occurred between "The Trespasser" and "Sunset Boulevard," but have read that this interim work was of lesser quality.

I think that Gloria Swanson required a strong director who could bring out a good performance. Underneath any performance, there must be emotional substance to flesh out the dialogue (Method Acting). Otherwise, the words ring hollow and forced.

I think that the timing of this production provided Gloria Swanson with the perfect emotional storm to bring some method acting to her role in "The Trespasser." She desperately needed a hit film that would get her out of financial debt from the never to be finished "Queen Kelly".

I think that her underlying financial angst gave emotional depth to her performance. She seems to be at her best when her character is also in the midst of intense emotional desperation.

I hope you enjoy watching Gloria Swanson succeed in "The Trespasser" as much as I did. Norma Desmond would be proud.