I dare say it can't escape anyone's attention that the very first intertitles, remarking on how wild horses roam free in the vast landscapes of the United States, look quite different after one hundred years. For as much as the natural world has been destroyed in the name of plundering its resources, taking wildlife and biodiversity with them, the whimsy portended in those first words is far more tragically nostalgic now. But then, though not to such an extreme, such reflections are no mistake in a picture where the plot involves white men of ignorance, greed, and shortsightedness heedlessly threatening the balance and natural order of the wild west, and specifically the well-being of the equines that call it home. Add elements of human drama and romance to that root idea to pad out the tale, and we have ourselves a plot. Notably, however, 'Wild Horse Mesa' takes a long while to meaningfully begin developing that plot; whether we attribute the unhurried gait to screenwriter Lucien Hubbard, director George B. Seitz, or maybe even original author Zane Grey, the flick just kind of lazily stirs the pot for much of the runtime while slowly adding this and that into the narrative. Lovely as the Coloradan vistas are, and the animals, and the sets and costume design, the first major impression that this makes isn't a particularly strong one.
Along the way one will note that surviving prints bear the mark of the wear of time, with the image quality having been impacted. That's no fault of the filmmakers, of course; on the other hand, some intertitles, invariably presented in a light font, are shone against a light background that makes them incredibly difficult to actually read (if not impossible), and only more so as prints deteriorated prior to digital preservation. Taken together with the approach here to building the plot, so unbothered as to feel unwieldy, we can only hope that the whole will find its feet and gel more as the length advances. I think of a jigsaw puzzle: all the pieces are laid out one by one on a table (some of them effectively faded with time), and in the appropriate positions relative to each other, but they aren't orientated in the necessary manner, let alone connected - not starting until, in this case, at least halfway through. It's odd, really; even as stunts and action sequences are peppered throughout in hearty doses, probably the top highlight, and story threads progress in a chosen direction, the cohesiveness of the entire saga is rather tenuous. We get a feature of western adventure and drama, most certainly, but this is an example that is overall far more about a general vibe than a concrete plot. Or at least, I must generously assume so; if the intent truly was a concrete plot, then I'm extending too much credit and the end result is even more troubled.
I appreciate all the work that went into the production; the crew operating behind the scenes turned in swell contributions. The cast is fine. Bert Glennon's cinematography is a bit unremarkable at some points, yet at others, gratifyingly smart and thoughtful. All the ideas in the story are solid enough in and of themselves, I think. Unfortunately, all told the narrative just isn't drawn together very well; considered all as one some notions might have just as reasonably been left out completely, for I don't believe 'Wild Horse Mesa' does a good job of establishing who some characters are, or how they fit in relation to other characters or into the sum total. Beyond the core of interacting with a herd of wild horses, too many aspects receive thin treatment. We get what we came for, sure, but it's less than fully convincing, and it's hard to drum up especial enthusiasm even before we note tinges of casual racism dotted here and there. I'm glad for those who get more out of this picture than I do, but I'm of the mind that whether you're a fan of westerns or the silent era or just looking for something good to watch, there are better options awaiting you anywhere you might look. This 1925 movie is still suitably okay for a lazy day, I suppose, if you happen to come across it. I'm just disappointed that the storytelling broadly comes off as weak and watered down as it does, and I wonder if my time wouldn't have been better spent elsewhere.
Along the way one will note that surviving prints bear the mark of the wear of time, with the image quality having been impacted. That's no fault of the filmmakers, of course; on the other hand, some intertitles, invariably presented in a light font, are shone against a light background that makes them incredibly difficult to actually read (if not impossible), and only more so as prints deteriorated prior to digital preservation. Taken together with the approach here to building the plot, so unbothered as to feel unwieldy, we can only hope that the whole will find its feet and gel more as the length advances. I think of a jigsaw puzzle: all the pieces are laid out one by one on a table (some of them effectively faded with time), and in the appropriate positions relative to each other, but they aren't orientated in the necessary manner, let alone connected - not starting until, in this case, at least halfway through. It's odd, really; even as stunts and action sequences are peppered throughout in hearty doses, probably the top highlight, and story threads progress in a chosen direction, the cohesiveness of the entire saga is rather tenuous. We get a feature of western adventure and drama, most certainly, but this is an example that is overall far more about a general vibe than a concrete plot. Or at least, I must generously assume so; if the intent truly was a concrete plot, then I'm extending too much credit and the end result is even more troubled.
I appreciate all the work that went into the production; the crew operating behind the scenes turned in swell contributions. The cast is fine. Bert Glennon's cinematography is a bit unremarkable at some points, yet at others, gratifyingly smart and thoughtful. All the ideas in the story are solid enough in and of themselves, I think. Unfortunately, all told the narrative just isn't drawn together very well; considered all as one some notions might have just as reasonably been left out completely, for I don't believe 'Wild Horse Mesa' does a good job of establishing who some characters are, or how they fit in relation to other characters or into the sum total. Beyond the core of interacting with a herd of wild horses, too many aspects receive thin treatment. We get what we came for, sure, but it's less than fully convincing, and it's hard to drum up especial enthusiasm even before we note tinges of casual racism dotted here and there. I'm glad for those who get more out of this picture than I do, but I'm of the mind that whether you're a fan of westerns or the silent era or just looking for something good to watch, there are better options awaiting you anywhere you might look. This 1925 movie is still suitably okay for a lazy day, I suppose, if you happen to come across it. I'm just disappointed that the storytelling broadly comes off as weak and watered down as it does, and I wonder if my time wouldn't have been better spent elsewhere.