It has only been in recent years that some of Ernst Lubitsch's silent films have become available on video. They prove that "the man with the golden touch" certainly had it before his more famous films of the 30's and 40's. I was unfamiliar with ETERNAL LOVE until this VHS/DVD incarnation and based on the few reviews I had seen I wasn't expecting much. Imagine my surprise and delight when I found myself totally captivated. I thought the four principals all gave fine performances (especially John Barrymore) and the photography (shot in the Canadian Rockies) was some of the best I've seen in an American silent film. The ending ,while not unexpected, still managed to have a terrific impact. Of the 3 Lubitsch silents I have seen (THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG and THE MARRIAGE CIRCLE are the other 2), this one tops the list. My thanks to the UCLA Film and Television Archive and to Milestone Films for making it available on video.
Review of Eternal Love
