Le Giornate del Cinema Muto - Pordenone Diary Day 7
First things first, I am a failure as day seven resulted in no gelato. Going to double up on Saturday because it’s the final day and because I only have two more days to have gelato.
Because I needed to go get a Covid test so I can return to the United States, I missed the next serial film of Ellen RichterDer Flug um den Erdball/The Flight Around the World (1925), much to my disappointment. In addition to missing the film, I regret deeply missing the gentlemen who scored the two part film, Guenter Buchwald (part 1) and Stephen Horne (part 2). I find it interesting, two camps on Richter, I am in the I love her camp. She really had some range!
My first film of the day was the 2:30 program and the first film was a short from 1919 called Up in the Air After Alligators. This is part of the screen writers program and while the inter-titles were humorous, the film was not. In the early moments of the short the audience laughed quite a bit, including myself. The scenes at the alligator farm, the animal abuse proceeded with alligators pulling a cart with a child or being harnessed to pull a boat, even for alligators we felt great sympathy. There was an uneasy silence as the film progressed. Mercifully, it was only 13 minutes.
Three, count em, three instances of seppuku! Next for theRiscoperte/rediscoveries program of the day it was all things Japanese themed. The first three films were Vitagraph Studios and each film dated from 1910. The Love of the Chrysanthemum which was a 13 minute riff on Madama Butterfly. It featured mostly white actors in yellow face, Where the extras were Japanese. The second film Ito, The Beggar Boy was rather moving as the young protagonist whose mother died of starvation was adopted and raised as their own boy. He being a loyal son about to protect the younger sibling who is the natural child of the parents. He narrowly avoided his own death by what one might assume as possibly sun stroke, not sure, but the rescue was not daring yet emotionally stirring. The third film in the series was called Hako’s Sacrifice, again we’re back to the protagonist in yellow face and tragic figure. The white actors in yellowface is cringeworthy, I have to give it to Vitagraph that these films were sympathetic and sensitive in the portrayals of Japanese.
The final two films in this program were a revelation. They both were produced in Russia by the Pathe company and they starred a true Japanese actress/dancer named Madame Hakano. These are, as far as I know, her only extant films. Neither of them have happy endings, spoilers she commits Seppuku. In both films you see a true, honest to goodness, S-T-A-R. The first film La Petite Geisha (1913) in which she plays a woman who nurses a Russian soldier/prisoner of war in hospital and they fall in love. The pair sneak off in the middle of the night and travel to Russia and it’s not clear to me that they actually do marry, It is clear that they are in love. Naturally, their happiness is not meant to last. Oleg meets up with another lady and promptly starts an affair with her. Hanako soon learns of his indiscretion and in an attempt to plead her case before the other woman she is rebuffed. Oleg continues his affair and Hanako unable to bear the shame commits Seppuku outside the door. In dramatic fashion her blood flows underneath the door of the room where Oleg and his paramour are having their assignation. The woman dramatically places her hand in a pool of blood whereupon they discover Hanako’s suicide. It was graphic and fantastic. The second film L’Honneur d’une Japonaise (1914), Hanako it’s to deliver a set of rare plates to her cousin or brother I’m not sure I’m not remembering which and one of which is stolen by a servant who desires her. The discovery of the missing plate is her shame because she can’t explain how it was stolen and she is punished for this. To restore her honor, she commits Seppuku. I don’t mean to give the plot short shrift here, but it was completely engrossing. Madame Hanako was a tremendous force in such a tiny tiny frame. According to the notes she was no more than 4 foot, 6 inches tall. On screen she stood as tall as 6 foot 4 so great is her stature and commanding star power. I would love to think that there are more films of her that may be discovered, I would hope so but I honestly have no knowledge. I would also LOVE to know how these films came about since this was not too far beyond the Russo/Japanese war of 1905. She was one of the greatest discoveries of this festival and I feel so fortunate that these restorations were presented at this time when I was here to see them. They will forever be burned in my mind she was that fantastic. The films were supported by John Sweeney who played with sensitivity and supportive themes that were not at all parity or stereotypically. In fact I found the scores to be very emotional particularly for the last two films starring Hanako just a great great experience.
The final program featured at the beginning of the presentation of the 2020 and the 2021 recipients of the Jean Mitry award. For 2020 I confess that I got a lump in my throat seeing steamed Author J. B. Kaufman received his Mitry Award with so much humility. He felt it was some thing he did not deserve, and this I think he is entirely wrong. J. B.’s work over the decades proves that he is most deserving of this award and it was so great to see a gentleman who is so kind receive something so graciously. For Jay Weissman who was presenting all the awards it was also very emotional and that was wonderful to see.
The next film starring Max Linder was obviously one of the most anticipated films of the week. Max, der Zirkuskonig/King of the Circus (1924) was Max Linder’s final film and it’s a tragedy. Linder’s life was not happy and soon after making this film he murdered his wife and committed suicide, it is said that those that give laughter often have the most unhappy lives. Clearly this was true with Max. The film however is one of joy. Linder has been making films for, I think close to 20 years by this point and he still was able to create gags that were unique, physical and incredibly funny. He plays a wastrel bon vivant who must make a decision to marry otherwise his inheritance will be lost him. Of course, the woman he falls in love with it’s not one of the three that his uncle approves . No, she is a circus performer play by a lovely Vilma Banky. I must say that Banky was charming as always though in this film a little bit chubbier than she would later be in Hollywood. Nevertheless she was lovely and believable as the acrobat. Serge Bromberg described that the journey to restore this film and it was as epic as any epic film. There were 11 source prints and eight restorers working on the film and it took quite a long time to complete. Some of the film elements were less than stellar but it didn’t matter the film itself was a wonderful thing. The other wonderful thing was the score performed by Neil Brand and Frank Bockius. How the pair of them managed to get themselves from the pit on stage after such an incredible performance is beyond me. This was energetic and delightful in every way I feel so lucky to have been able to be here tonight to see it, to hear it, and to experience it.
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