The 40th Edition of Le Giornate del Cinema Muto
is now what we in publishing call a “bundle”; a mix of physical media and
digital content with the cinemutophiles returning to Pordenone for the full
programme including live screenings, accompaniment and lashings of Aperol
Spritz late into the night… and a lighter schedule available online and worldwide.
It’s the best of both worlds and the best we can hope for as the cautious C-19
recovery continues.
The streaming got off to a rip-roaring start with a big
party in Nice, the annual carnival, covered extensively, including one or two
hangovers and a reunion of Mander and Horne; not a long-lost music hall pairing
but the star of The First Born, accompanied once again by the man who
produced one of the most memorable scores for modern restorations at the London
Film Festival in 2011! Miles Mander is one of the most naturally caddish
performers in silent film and Stephen infused his screen time with louche
motifs and the doomed swagger of the fatally flawed. MM has his charm though
and this is a film full of that from delightful leads to a location I know well
having proposed and honeymooned there.
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| I really have no idea what is happening |
Directed by Danish Georg Jacoby is what they call in the
business a “Europudding” with a cast and crew drawn from across the continent.
Jocoby made some 150 films including the German production Quo Vadis? (1924)
starring Emil Jannings and Lillian Hall-Davis and he makes a thoroughly entertaining
comedy-crime-romance here making use of his characterful cats and those
locations. Carnival looks very lively full of arcane paper mâché figures
floating through agitated streets crammed with locals and the excitement is
palpable. The old pier with its amazing Crystal Casino is in full view – this was
to be destroyed by the Nazis in 1942 – although much else remains unchanged.
The party continues indoors with the introduction of The
Joker himself, alias Peter Carstairs played by the British actor and director, Henry
Edwards who, fact fans, was married to the legendary Chrissie White co-star of
the Tilly comedies and very much more. He has a feline screen presence and an
assured air that is almost as camp as the Christmas we’re about to have
cancelled in the UK.
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| Henry Edwards aka Mr Chrissie White |
From the sublime to the hungover and the wreckage of the
party the night before at down-at-heel solicitor, Mr Borwick’s office and if
Edwards is a cat, Mander is a weasel with his mean moustache and scrunched
features wincing as he remembers his troubles stretch far beyond the headache
and dry mouth. The crumpled cad’s lady friend Lulu (Ruth Komdrup) wakes up from
under a pile of paper and as Borwick shaves, proceeds to romance his pal.
Submerged in debt, largely through spoiling Lulu, the dastardly solicitor is in
deep trouble until news of a car crash opens the doors of dishonesty.
A rich young man is the victim and he calls for a lawyer
so that he may hand over incriminating love letters and locket bearing the
image of his love, Lady Cecilia Powder (Renée Héribel) who is married to English
Sir Herbert Powder (Gabriel Gabrio) … Borwick is supposed to dispose of these
items, instead he devises a plan to monetise them.
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| Miles Mander doing what he does |
The Powders meanwhile seem like a happy family, as they
prepare for that night’s party at the Savoy, until Cecilia spots the headline
on a newspaper used by Henry to make a hat for their son – nice touch! She collapses
in shock as her sister Gill played by German actress Elga Brink who was married
to the director and also featured in Quo Vadis. Gill and Brink are soon
dominating the film as she fights for her sister’s honour and tries to work out
which of the men she can actually trust. It’s a really good performance by
Brink and she easily matches the two Brits for screen presence and intelligent
expression. I may have to set up a new site to house the Elga screenshots from
this film… she’s a little like Brigitte Helm.
If the presence of so many English characters is surprising
it’s worth pointing out that Jokeren was based on a successful 1927
English stage play, The Joker, which had 155 performances in the West
End and here is relocated to the upper classes favourite seaside resort.
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| Lady Cecilia Powder (Renée Héribel) gets powdered. |
All these characters collide at the Savoy which has the
biggest party you’ll see outside of Hollywood with dozens, nay hundreds of
dancing girls and Jacoby’s camera flying around to catch the action. Now, get
your notepad’s ready, cos here goes… Gill is captivated by Peter before being
harassed by an inebriated Borwick who sobers up after Peter sends him to the
floor. Nursing his pride and a grudge – as ever – he spots Gill’s sister and
realises she is the woman in the locket; tonight is looking up splendidly as he
has found the person he must blackmail.
Borwick doesn’t hang about and has soon negotiated Cecilia’s
pearl necklace for the locket before telling her and Gill about the letters. Peter,
meanwhile, spots the trade and lifts the pearls back leaving Borwick empty-pocketed.
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| Elga Brink and Henry Edwards |
Now if you think the lawyer is now short of options and,
ahem, living on Borwick time, you’d be wrong for he is as resiliently cunning as
he is unprincipled. Honestly mate, if you applied all these wiles to your work
you might make a career of it! Anyway, he’s not done and is soon convincing
Gill that Peter is the Joker after all, he had the jewels after all and soon,
she finds him with the letters…
OK, things get a bit convoluted in the final third but the
style is winning and the performers keep the drama believable and tense right
up to the final showdown when things get nasty…
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| Ain't no party like a Savoy party |
Stephen Horne’s accompaniment was superbly attuned to this
light-hearted melange of styles and, recorded from home – he’s performing live
with Frank Bockius in Pordenone – there was a slightly different emphasis with
the flute especially cutting through with some delicious lines as I wore my
headphones and missed parts of Strictly… it was worth it!
A grand start to the Giornate and, what can I say, unlike
those on the ground in Pordenone I awoke after a full night’s sleep and without
the mild hangover late night sessions in the piazza occasionally bring!
A toast to all involved especially the organisers and musicians
but also my silent film colleagues and friends, providing the audience these
films richly deserve!
Bonus Brink Pics and the old pier...
