Kidnapped (1917) a review
One of the great pleasures in watching silent films is the requirement to immerse yourself in the moment. Silent cinema really doers need every bit of your full attention. The lack of audible dialogue in no way detracts from your enjoyment. It is the immersive quality of silent films that are an attractive hook for me. You can, quite simply, be lost in them.
The legend of silent films being primitive, jerky, poorly filmed and unsophisticated are just that, a myth and a legend. Granted, early films did have their rough-hewn quality, it was a learning experience. It was not one in which the Americans were always the innovators, either. The slick and glossy Hollywood films were coming soon, as they say.
Back to capsule myth-busting, one has only to look at the films of the Lumiere brothers to see the naturalness of their films. The fantasy worlds of Georges Melies were feats of magic all done within the camera and scripted with wit and charm.
Thomas Alva Edison, well know inventor and patent corporation was a famed early producer of films. Best remembered for the electric light, the phonograph and kinetoscope, Edison best remembered for the films he made early on. One has only to mention Edison employee Edwin S. Porter and the first thing one thinks of is this:
(via GIPHY)
It is likely that Edison's most famous contribution to film history The Great Train Robbery (1903). Do not think this was it, Edison released a bunch of wicked sound movies in 1913. Kinetophones can be had and believe me when I say you need this DVD (more on this in a future posting). Edison, like other companies ventured into feature productions. It is one of the feature film programs I am talking about today.
I have been a kickstarter backer for the last several years, backing many projects like those of Ben Model and Undercrank Productions, and many by Edward Lorusso. Fritzi Kramer of the wonderful blog Movies Silently jumped into the pool in 2017 with her kickstarter campaign to bring a complete 1917 night at the movies to DVD. This recreates the division of Edison called "Conquest Programs" which were some short films, and a feature, all guaranteed to be family friendly. Of course, I backed Fritzi's maiden effort and was rewarded with a copy of the DVD and some little bonus gifts that came with it. Now, all the history of this release and how Conquest Films came to be, just go read Fritzi's piece on her handiwork here.
Now, putting yourself into the mood for an evening at the movies, 1917 style did not take much effort from me, just plunking in the disc and settling down was all it took. So here we go!
The program started out with a comedy Friends, Romans & Leo which featured Ray McKee as the lovelorn swain. More about him later. This was, to me, a rather primitive bit of film and comedy for 1917. There was lots of background to lend an air that you are in ancient Rome, but, for the little Egyptian touches, too. The actors were a tad clumsy and the story simple. It got good for me when it was time to toss the rival to the lion. The lion was not one that Cecil B DeMille employed in Male and Female to ravage Gloria Swanson, nope a guy in a Lion costume. I am a sucker for this, so the action at the end of the short increased the entertainment value an awful lot. Love triumphed and the bad guy got his just desserts. The lion got lunch! All in all it was good fun and a great way to start the program.
Next up was the tale of Little Red Riding Hood in silhouette. This short film was thoroughly charming and fun. Sad end for grandma and the nasty old wolf, but, you knew that going in. The tinting was great as we Ben Model's scoring (for everything on the disc, BTW, top notch).
Next we had a short pictorial of Province town, MA in Cape Cod. Now, let me get this out that I was more than a little annoyed at the endless iris in and iris out, after mere moments as we changed scenes. There was one good cut, it might have been almost a wipe. The longest little sequence in the travelogue was a Portuguese fisherman mending a net, he warranted a close up and it was great. It was a fascinating, albeit brief, glimpse of life when small towns were sleepier, kids played in the dusty street (there was even a couple of kids having a good fight). It made the small town life seem very appealing, though it would have been much harsher back then.
Finally for the shorts was a wonder for 1917, microscopic amoebas. While microscopic views had been seen much earlier in British cinema, for instance, this was a quick biology lesson that went down smooth.
Then we get the meat of the program, a 1917 version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped. Here is where we get back to Ray McKee who plays David Balfour, the one who is kidnapped. I'm getting ahead of myself. McKee was fine as the innocent victim. The star of the film for me was Robert Cain as Alan Breck. Total scene stealer and swashbuckler.
I do not see a lot of what would be identifiable as directorial traits by Alan Crosland. Why would there be, this was one of his first, if not his first directing job. There is dash in the film, but no camera movement. Nearly everything is shot straight on in a medium distance and everyone squeezes into the frame. Or runs around in and out of frame. Once in a while we get an irised close up. So for 1917, this is rather primitive filmaking.
The best things for me were the lighting, as Fritzi mentioned in her own post about the film, Balfour at the fireplace. This was worthy of Alvin Wycoff Rembrandt lighting, to me. Also this split screen which was wonderful.
Which brings you to Joseph Burke as Uncle Ebenezer Balfour, but, let's talk delsartian acting chops. Broad playing to the back gallery. Nonetheless, the hand wringing old codger is fun. No wonder David is afraid of him. As I said, Robert Cain stole the film, what charm and swashy-buckling worthy of Rafael Sabatini!
The movie is a streamlined version of the tale, but it keeps all the good parts. It's rollicking good fun.
As I said, I kickstarted this and was more than happy to do so. It was a fun way to spend an evening and I had little trouble settling in and pretending it was 1917 and I was in the local theater. I would recommend this to anyone, as a curiosity and as a fine piece of restorative work. Lots of hard work and love went into this project and it shows. From the film restoration, the tinting, the scoring and titling. 100% class act here. If you are interested, you can pick up a copy here on amazon and live life just like it is 1917. Bring your own popcorn!
I have been a kickstarter backer for the last several years, backing many projects like those of Ben Model and Undercrank Productions, and many by Edward Lorusso. Fritzi Kramer of the wonderful blog Movies Silently jumped into the pool in 2017 with her kickstarter campaign to bring a complete 1917 night at the movies to DVD. This recreates the division of Edison called "Conquest Programs" which were some short films, and a feature, all guaranteed to be family friendly. Of course, I backed Fritzi's maiden effort and was rewarded with a copy of the DVD and some little bonus gifts that came with it. Now, all the history of this release and how Conquest Films came to be, just go read Fritzi's piece on her handiwork here.
Now, putting yourself into the mood for an evening at the movies, 1917 style did not take much effort from me, just plunking in the disc and settling down was all it took. So here we go!
 |
| Juanita Fletcher as the female protagonist |
 |
| Little Red Riding Hood |
Next we had a short pictorial of Province town, MA in Cape Cod. Now, let me get this out that I was more than a little annoyed at the endless iris in and iris out, after mere moments as we changed scenes. There was one good cut, it might have been almost a wipe. The longest little sequence in the travelogue was a Portuguese fisherman mending a net, he warranted a close up and it was great. It was a fascinating, albeit brief, glimpse of life when small towns were sleepier, kids played in the dusty street (there was even a couple of kids having a good fight). It made the small town life seem very appealing, though it would have been much harsher back then.
Finally for the shorts was a wonder for 1917, microscopic amoebas. While microscopic views had been seen much earlier in British cinema, for instance, this was a quick biology lesson that went down smooth.
Then we get the meat of the program, a 1917 version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped. Here is where we get back to Ray McKee who plays David Balfour, the one who is kidnapped. I'm getting ahead of myself. McKee was fine as the innocent victim. The star of the film for me was Robert Cain as Alan Breck. Total scene stealer and swashbuckler.
I do not see a lot of what would be identifiable as directorial traits by Alan Crosland. Why would there be, this was one of his first, if not his first directing job. There is dash in the film, but no camera movement. Nearly everything is shot straight on in a medium distance and everyone squeezes into the frame. Or runs around in and out of frame. Once in a while we get an irised close up. So for 1917, this is rather primitive filmaking.
The best things for me were the lighting, as Fritzi mentioned in her own post about the film, Balfour at the fireplace. This was worthy of Alvin Wycoff Rembrandt lighting, to me. Also this split screen which was wonderful.
 |
| David has nightmares finishing up with nasty Uncle Ebenezer |
Which brings you to Joseph Burke as Uncle Ebenezer Balfour, but, let's talk delsartian acting chops. Broad playing to the back gallery. Nonetheless, the hand wringing old codger is fun. No wonder David is afraid of him. As I said, Robert Cain stole the film, what charm and swashy-buckling worthy of Rafael Sabatini!
The movie is a streamlined version of the tale, but it keeps all the good parts. It's rollicking good fun.
As I said, I kickstarted this and was more than happy to do so. It was a fun way to spend an evening and I had little trouble settling in and pretending it was 1917 and I was in the local theater. I would recommend this to anyone, as a curiosity and as a fine piece of restorative work. Lots of hard work and love went into this project and it shows. From the film restoration, the tinting, the scoring and titling. 100% class act here. If you are interested, you can pick up a copy here on amazon and live life just like it is 1917. Bring your own popcorn!
Comments