mark.waltz Review of By the Sun's Rays

By the Sun's Rays (1914)

By the sun's rays, old films were made. By age and ancient technology, they slowly faded away.

[4/10 · 26 July 2017]

This one reel silent film western isn't in the best of shape, but it features a rare good guy played by Lon Chaney at the beginning of his career. It's really a bit part, and he looks almost how you would expect him to look in real life. The film is pretty hard to follow because there isn't enough time for character or plot development, and both the title sequences and a shot of a letter seem to have faded with time. It's got the typical bandits (out to steal some gold), a hero, the damsel in distress, and several clichéd supporting characters (including Chaney). I rank this one as more a curiosity for film historians and students, one lessened in impact by the passage of time and a reminded that really nothing, including the best art, lasts forever.