Quando o Homem Ama

Another commenter wondered whether Turner Classics would resurrect this film. I was lucky enough to see that happen this weekend on their Sunday silents. The film is a beautifully done piece; the scenery, costuming and makeup is amazing. The characterizations are darling. John Barrymore does seem to play down his role somewhat, but overall the acting is very well done. The whole movie makes me want to read the French story upon which it is based, as much because of what the movie does say as because of what it doesn't. The subject matter is a fascinating look at what is acceptable in society both of the time the story was written and the time the movie was made. A worthwhile film if you can catch it!

Director Alan Crosland and star John Barrymore attempt to recapture the the success of their previous effort, THE BELOVED ROGUE, with this story of debauchery and all-conquering love in the ancien regime, from the novel MANON LESCAUT. It was a popular story, made into a couple of ballets and an opera by Puccini. But despite the sumptuous sets and stuntwork, it lacks the essential verve and generosity of Barrymore's performance in the earlier movie -- but this movie is not about him. The star of the picture is Dolores Costello, who would marry Barrymore a year later. The modern moviegoer should be able to recognize her easily enough. Their grand daughter, Drew Barrymore, has her eyes.

At first it seemed to me that Barrymore was too old for the role -- a young man studying for the priesthood in his forties? But the very real chemistry of the two stars more than makes up for that.

The story of Manon Lescaut has been retold several times since the good Abbé first wrote it. It's a tragedy with all sorts of moral overtones, what with the Chevalier besotted by his love for the gold digging Manon who nonetheless loves him back in her own way. This film version is somewhat faithful to the original albeit considerably cleaned up for us puritanical Americans. Already a shocker when it was first published in 1731 many of the sordid details, especially Manon's prostitution, was barely hinted at and the tragic ending completely left out. What's left is a period drama with considerable posturing and glaring, great costumes and great production values. The first half is rather slow and drawn out. With Manon's prostitution left out it's a little difficult to evoke the emotions needed to connect a viewer to a show. But once she's arrested and sentenced to the colonies the film takes off with a bang. From then on it's a roller-coaster ride, lots of action, pathos, drama. It never lets up. This part makes the whole thing worth seeing. One last thing: I'm a fan of Drew Barrymore and it was kind of fun to see her grandparents together on the screen. I sure hope she continues the dynasty.

Before John Barrymore left for United Artist, he had one last movie to make to fulfill his three-picture contract with Warner Brothers. He starred along with his future wife Dolores Costello in February 1927's "When a Man Loves," a period piece based on Abbe Prevost's 1731 novel Manon Lescaut.

Warner Brothers continued with its experimentation into sound films with "When a Man Loves," the studio's third disc-on-sound Vitaphone picture. At its February 4, 1927 premier, the New York City theater audience failed to pay attention to the empty musical pit usually filled with an orchestra. So crisp was the music coming out of the house's speakers they completely forgot about the lack of musicians. Just as the film concluded, there appeared a brief 15-second clip of the Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra with its conductor on the screen. It was then the patrons realized all the music was pre-recorded and synchronized to the movie. They went nuts.

When a Man Loves (1927)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Silent melodrama about a man (John Barrymore) studying for the priesthood when he falls in love with a woman (Dolores Costello) whose brother (Warner Oland) has sold her for prostitution. This film is beautiful on the eye but the story is pretty lacking, which makes it rather difficult to sit through the 110-minute running time. The costume design and sets all look extremely well especially a torture dungeon used on a ship towards the end of the movie. Both Barrymore and Costello, who would be married the following year, are very good in their roles but Oland comes off rather bland. Myrna Loy has a cameo but I wasn't able to spot her. The screenplay is all over the place but as I said earlier the story never gets too thrilling or dramatic so it left me rather cold. This is another early Vitaphone film and the movie was released two weeks before The Jazz Singer. There isn't any spoken dialogue but there's several sound effects, which are pretty silly especially some of the effects used during a thunderstorm.