Swanson Summer… Zaza (1923), Kino Lorber Blu-ray

The fastest, easiest, most enjoyable picture I ever made…

Gloria Swanson

 

There’s a buzz about Gloria Swanson what with a UK premier of a new restoration of Queen Kelly* and a cracking book about the film fresh on bookshelves** but, then again, there’s always been a buzz around Gloria. What strikes you so often about the primary stars of this enduring medium is the sheer kinetic energy displayed in service to the narrative, the action and the story. They had faces then of course but they had to radiate and then they had to mime: no portion of the screen was uncovered and no doubt was left in audience’s minds of the feelings on display.

Gloria was, of course, one of the golden generation of short actors, arching her back and standing on tippy toes to gain a fraction of an inch when measured against Mary, Mabel or Viola Dana. Lord knows what they were feeding them in Brooklyn, but the Talmadges were almost supernaturally tall at 5ft 5” and therefore probably unbeatable in the inter-studio netball league (if there was one).

But no matter how big they were, the harder they fell if they were playing alongside Gloria and this film features a couple of catty skirmishes with Mary Thurman (5ft 4”) who goes down just as quickly as Bebe Daniels (5ft 4”) in Why Change Your Wife? (1920). Gloria is too swift, has lightning combinations and goes in harder every time and, as Zaza, the talk of Parisian nightlife, she is peerless and fearless. Thurman plays Florianne, a singer just below Zaza on the bill and in the pecking order, who loathes her more popular rival as much as the men love her but she’s a tryer, we have to give her that.

Watch out for a swinging right hook Yvonne!

The film opens with a title card invoking the spirit of Zazas past on stage and on screen – Rajane, Duse, Leslie Carter, Farrar - before introducing another – “a modern and tempestuous Zaza – the Zaza of today – “, who is to be found in a small provincial theatre not far from the capital. The new sensation dominates the bill and backstage as well and we find Zaza in a dressing-room tizz as Gloria establishes her star’s quality by playfully bullying her loyal assistant Nathalie (Yvonne Hughes) when she can’t find the silk gown she’s actually wearing. She blames her anyway then smiles a crafty smile and drops a tip on the dresser. She’s somewhat less forgiving of the stage manager and crew, not to mention Florianne whose head-dress offends her as she peers through the safety curtain spyhole and so she plucks part of it out.

Director Alan Dwan sets a Fairbanks-frenetic pace as you’d expect and how else to establish the presence of Zaza who has to be a stage stunner even in silence and with her motivations only hinted at. Opening at the Théâtre du Vaudeville in Paris, in May 1898, Pierre Berton and Charles Simon’s play contains a backstory that is not present in Hollywood, not even implied, with Zaza having been a prostitute before escaping to success in the music hall. But don’t worry, things do get a little "French"… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Gloria abides

Zaza casts a spell on her audience and one of those enthralled is the rich gentleman Bernard Dufresne (H. B. Warner) who comes to the theatre every night to stare adoringly at the petit star as she swings high over the audience in a very literal attempt to make her jump out of the screen. Technically these are so well filmed with the camera above Gloria as her swing moves to and fro at alarming speed, the cinematographer must have been moving exactly in parallel motion probably on a cherry picker or some other device, not looking down and cranking with all of his might to capture the action below.

 

Zaza’s swing is very impressive but it’s also her biggest weakness as Florianne cuts one of the ropes which frays and snaps during a performance throwing the star to the ground below and breaking her leg. Besotted Bernard takes command and arranges for the best surgeons in all of France to make her well again but she must spend a long time convalescing in his rural retreat and one thing leads to another… as it was always likely to do!

Gloria and HB Warner in the press

Yet there’s more than one twist in this particular tail as Bernard’s full situation is revealed and heads may have to rule over hearts. You really have to watch it to find out as Gloria gets to show us her dramatic range – her true superpower – emoting in ways that few could accomplish. But it’s not just her face, she is physically expressive despite not being a dancer, and has a natural pep and swagger that fills the screen and draws the eye.

The film is also splendid vehicle for Swanson as a clothes horse with stunning designs from a young Norman Norell who, recently graduated from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn where he studied fashion design, joined Paramount in 1922. He worked with Gloria and also with Valentino before the film business moved to Hollywood and he then would go on to have a huge career in fashion right the way into the early 1970s.

Gloria's glorious gowns!

His remarkable talents are well on display here and you couldn’t ask for a finer clothes horse than Swanson who wears his creations as extensions of her character’s personality. You don’t need to be tall to wear haute couture on screen, just natural grace, main character poise and Zaza-vroom energy!

This contributes to the film’s joys and, later on, acts as a counter point to the difficult choices Zaza must make as life moves from on stage and in stalls, to bucolic family settings. Love is love but there are many forms as she will discover…

The music is from Jeff Rapsis and is based on the original cue sheets from 1923 which takes us close to the original musical experience of audiences watching. It’s a 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix so hi-fidelity way beyond 1923 but all the better for filling your living room with Jeff’s expert extemporisation and practiced feel for the period and the musical sentiment of this joyful film. 

An excellent package all round from Kino-Lorber and apologies for only taking the nine years to watch and review it! NOW is the time though, now is Swanson Summertime!

*BFI 20^th September and tickets go onsale 6th August - there's also an introduction from Pamela Hutchinson author of…

**The Curse of Queen Kelly, (Sticking Place Books) – you can order from here or the BFI Shop and don’t forget to bring them along for signing on 20^th!

Gloria expects you on 20th... NO excuses!