I had the good fortune of buying this DVD for $1 from Potomac Video (R.I.P.) instead of paying $3 to watch via Amazon or Google Play. Netflix still doesn't offer enough silents, altho I learned of this one from a documentary accompanying a silent I did get via Netflix. You see, it stands out for showing Lon Chaney's ability to play characters without freakiness or even makeup -- in this case, a sergeant with a hard edge but also a heart. Maybe that's why he liked it best of all his films.
Despite getting top billing and being the only person in the cover image, Chaney does not play the protagonist; he merely has the only name involved you're likely to recognize. No, our hero is "Skeet" Burns, initially an unruly, carefree cad who fakes enlistment just for the free train ride but then joins for real in apparent financial desperation -- clearly in way over his head. On the plus side, he gets to meet attractive nurse Norma; on the minus side, Sgt. O'Hara also wants Norma and makes the better impression up front. But both men have to set her aside when called upon to fight bandits in southern China....
You can imagine the comedic, romantic, and dramatic (even bloody) aspects that ensue. You can also predict how the story plays out, somewhat broadly. That shouldn't spoil the fun, especially when you factor in some choice intertitles.
Politically incorrect? Not that I noticed, despite a clear separation of racial roles. I was concerned about the interactions between men and women, but nothing beyond the technology level really struck me as dated, no pun intended. Norma reacts in ways I basically approve, and both men develop as gentlemen.
Factually incorrect? IMDb lists a few errors that I didn't recognize as such, having little knowledge of the Armed Forces, but nothing likely to get a recruit in trouble in real life. That's especially good news if the movie inspired more enlistments, as rumored.
No comments:
Post a Comment