"7th Heaven" is an American English-language movie from 1927, so this one is not that far away anymore from its centennial anniversary, maybe depending on when you read this review already closer to 100 than to 90 which was now two years ago approximately. I was lucky enough to watch these 110 minutes on the big screen again as one of the theaters in my place is showing a Frank Borzage retrospective these days. This one here is neither among his earliest nor latest career efforts, but a definite contender for his most famous now. By the way, he was also a really prolific actor in his younger years, but by 1927 he was really only shooting films. And also not writing them really because he was not one of the many writers credited with this one here that include those working on teh original play, the screenplay, the intertitles etc. Yep intertitles. You are probably not surprised by the fact that this was still a silent movie. Well sort-of. There is a great deal of music and soundtrack here, some of it really beautiful honestly, but we don't hear the actors talk (yet). But this lack of spoken language did not really take away anything here in terms of quality. I must say I needed a little while to actually develop an interest in this film, but when I did I was really curious about what is going to happen next. The main reason for that was lead actress Janet Gaynor and this was really her year. She was barely in her 20s, but won the Best Actress Oscar for this one and two other movies she made. One other would be Sunrise, maybe the most known and in "Street Angel" she also acts next to Charles Farrell, her love interest in this one here, and I read these two were also a couple for a while in real life. Or at least considered marriage. God knows what that means back in the 1920s.
Anyway, now for this film we got here: Farrell, not related to Colin, does okay overall with what he was given and he is certainly the most lead character in this film, especially early on, so he carries the movie nicely for the most part. But like I said the scene stealer here is Gaynor, who really shines every time she is to be seen, Which is a lot as this is for really long sequences basically a two-person play you could even say. Only at the beginning we see some supporting characters and actors who do not really have any impact on the story honestly and this is before the two at the center of it all know each other or are sepperated again due to war. So I must say honestly that when it came to supporting characters, the film did not have too much to offer away from the key story. Like the other woman who is a bit of an antagonist (if you could even say that with how she has virtually no screen time) and even has a juicy physical fight sequence with the female main character. Or also the notion about the rich uncle and aunt it was early on I think. It just felt so randomly thrown in, but hardly made any impact. Same is true about the main character's job background. How he is down there in the sewers, but dreams of being a street cleaner instead. Now talk about job perspectives. People today would be disgusted, but days were different back then. Best example is the other well-off guy who approaches Gaynor's character when her sweetheart is dead. Dead, apparently I should say because in fact he does show up in what is honestly a way too unrealistic happy ending sadly. But these are done so frequently today, especially in German movies, and back then they weren't an exception either I supppose. The one other main story criticism I got is about how the two grew closer. I mean come on can you really fall for somebody, and so hard, who actually when they commit suicide you complain that they use your knife for it? That was pretty sadistic this scene honestly and well, I also really cannot understand the other way around why she would so hopelessly fall for him. But it was cute nonetheless how she hoped she can stay at his place / with him once they showed to the police they are actually a couple. Or married even. Interesting. Being together in the same place was a strange piece of evidence honestly in my opinion. What if one person was just out. Or how about marriage certificates? No databases there. Oh well, lets not be too picky here. At least the film delivered emotionally.
Still they somehow saved it at the end with how they included again the "fill my eyes with you" reference and how he was blind. Temporary? Forever? They wanted us to believe temporarily for sure int he sense of a fully happy ending, but who knows. In general these recurring themes and quotes were truly the heart and sould of the script. I am of course also talking about the "looking up" and "remarkable fella" moments that are at their best when they actually come from her one one occasion. So cute when she calls herself that. Oh well, there was a special kind of romance to these movies that is so hard to find in films these days. let alone, achieve in real life. Then again, real life back then was maybe different too. After all, we were in-between two of the most gruesome wars mankind had seen, even if it was almost 10 years since WWI and still over 10 until WWII. But Black Friday was also just looking around the corner and there were many other issues in terms of people being poor in society. And crime ruling entire cities. Now we are drfting a bit away, sorry. What else can I say about this movie. I quite liked it honestly. I am generally not too big on silent films, but the music truly made a big difference here, no need to add a soundtrack decades later. The actual one is amazing enough, also some tunes you will recognize immediately. Now I already just mentioned how war was on people's minds and the side story with the old guy and his car (Éloise) was one I actually enjoyed quite a bit. This they handled nicely and you almost felt a bit sad for poor old Éloise at the end, which is quite an achievement given she is just wires and metal. But giving a name to things always makes a difference I suppose. Okay I guess that would be all then. Oh wait, finally a few words on the awards success. Borzage won his first of two Oscars here. Also it was successul for the script, funnily only one credited winner. And like I said for Gaynor. Kinda surprising with all this success that the movie did not take home Best Picture. But this should not keep you from watching. I won't hesitate to give this charming little movie a thumbs-up. Go see it unless you really dislike old films. And even if you do, then maybe Gaynor's turn here can change your mind. It's impossible not to fall in love with her. I wonder if they ever remake this one. Probably not anytime soon and that is alright. This one here is good enough for sure without a modern overhaul.
Anyway, now for this film we got here: Farrell, not related to Colin, does okay overall with what he was given and he is certainly the most lead character in this film, especially early on, so he carries the movie nicely for the most part. But like I said the scene stealer here is Gaynor, who really shines every time she is to be seen, Which is a lot as this is for really long sequences basically a two-person play you could even say. Only at the beginning we see some supporting characters and actors who do not really have any impact on the story honestly and this is before the two at the center of it all know each other or are sepperated again due to war. So I must say honestly that when it came to supporting characters, the film did not have too much to offer away from the key story. Like the other woman who is a bit of an antagonist (if you could even say that with how she has virtually no screen time) and even has a juicy physical fight sequence with the female main character. Or also the notion about the rich uncle and aunt it was early on I think. It just felt so randomly thrown in, but hardly made any impact. Same is true about the main character's job background. How he is down there in the sewers, but dreams of being a street cleaner instead. Now talk about job perspectives. People today would be disgusted, but days were different back then. Best example is the other well-off guy who approaches Gaynor's character when her sweetheart is dead. Dead, apparently I should say because in fact he does show up in what is honestly a way too unrealistic happy ending sadly. But these are done so frequently today, especially in German movies, and back then they weren't an exception either I supppose. The one other main story criticism I got is about how the two grew closer. I mean come on can you really fall for somebody, and so hard, who actually when they commit suicide you complain that they use your knife for it? That was pretty sadistic this scene honestly and well, I also really cannot understand the other way around why she would so hopelessly fall for him. But it was cute nonetheless how she hoped she can stay at his place / with him once they showed to the police they are actually a couple. Or married even. Interesting. Being together in the same place was a strange piece of evidence honestly in my opinion. What if one person was just out. Or how about marriage certificates? No databases there. Oh well, lets not be too picky here. At least the film delivered emotionally.
Still they somehow saved it at the end with how they included again the "fill my eyes with you" reference and how he was blind. Temporary? Forever? They wanted us to believe temporarily for sure int he sense of a fully happy ending, but who knows. In general these recurring themes and quotes were truly the heart and sould of the script. I am of course also talking about the "looking up" and "remarkable fella" moments that are at their best when they actually come from her one one occasion. So cute when she calls herself that. Oh well, there was a special kind of romance to these movies that is so hard to find in films these days. let alone, achieve in real life. Then again, real life back then was maybe different too. After all, we were in-between two of the most gruesome wars mankind had seen, even if it was almost 10 years since WWI and still over 10 until WWII. But Black Friday was also just looking around the corner and there were many other issues in terms of people being poor in society. And crime ruling entire cities. Now we are drfting a bit away, sorry. What else can I say about this movie. I quite liked it honestly. I am generally not too big on silent films, but the music truly made a big difference here, no need to add a soundtrack decades later. The actual one is amazing enough, also some tunes you will recognize immediately. Now I already just mentioned how war was on people's minds and the side story with the old guy and his car (Éloise) was one I actually enjoyed quite a bit. This they handled nicely and you almost felt a bit sad for poor old Éloise at the end, which is quite an achievement given she is just wires and metal. But giving a name to things always makes a difference I suppose. Okay I guess that would be all then. Oh wait, finally a few words on the awards success. Borzage won his first of two Oscars here. Also it was successul for the script, funnily only one credited winner. And like I said for Gaynor. Kinda surprising with all this success that the movie did not take home Best Picture. But this should not keep you from watching. I won't hesitate to give this charming little movie a thumbs-up. Go see it unless you really dislike old films. And even if you do, then maybe Gaynor's turn here can change your mind. It's impossible not to fall in love with her. I wonder if they ever remake this one. Probably not anytime soon and that is alright. This one here is good enough for sure without a modern overhaul.