"Tol'able David" is a good film, but it also suffers from some script problems that keep it from being anything other than a better than average time-passer---and I DO love silent films and I did want to love this film.
Richard Barthelmess plays David--the youngest member of his family. While this is believable, what isn't is how in the movie EVERYONE treats him like he's an 11 year-old! Again and again, David is told he's too young--too young to go to work delivering mail, too young to defend the family's honor and too young to do anything other than run errands for Mama. However, he looks to be about 20--way too old for such a role. Seeing everyone treating him like a kid just seemed dumb.
A trio of evil ruffians soon arrive to the tiny country town. They force themselves on their cousin--a nice but VERY ineffectual man who lives nearby. Eventually, one of these ruffians viciously attacks Barthelmess' brother--causing him to become an invalid. The father, upon learning of this, has a heart attack and dies! So, it's up to David to go to work to support his family--and avenge his family's honor. But, as David is 'only a boy' his mother convinces him NOT to seek out the jerks who paralyzed his brother---and, bizarrely, though there are witnesses to this unprovoked attack, no one does anything to arrest the attacker! Since when was an unprovoked assault okay in the sight of the law?! And so, despite his mother's protest, it's up to David to eventually take on all three of these career criminals in a conclusion that's fun to watch--but is unconvincing.
Barthelmess and the rest try their best and the direction and cinematography is very good. The problem is that the writing often just made little sense. As I said above, Barthelmess was simply too old for the role and the whole need for revenge made no sense either--there was a sheriff and yet no one seemed to take much note of three violent criminals living among them. Enjoyable but quite flawed.
Richard Barthelmess plays David--the youngest member of his family. While this is believable, what isn't is how in the movie EVERYONE treats him like he's an 11 year-old! Again and again, David is told he's too young--too young to go to work delivering mail, too young to defend the family's honor and too young to do anything other than run errands for Mama. However, he looks to be about 20--way too old for such a role. Seeing everyone treating him like a kid just seemed dumb.
A trio of evil ruffians soon arrive to the tiny country town. They force themselves on their cousin--a nice but VERY ineffectual man who lives nearby. Eventually, one of these ruffians viciously attacks Barthelmess' brother--causing him to become an invalid. The father, upon learning of this, has a heart attack and dies! So, it's up to David to go to work to support his family--and avenge his family's honor. But, as David is 'only a boy' his mother convinces him NOT to seek out the jerks who paralyzed his brother---and, bizarrely, though there are witnesses to this unprovoked attack, no one does anything to arrest the attacker! Since when was an unprovoked assault okay in the sight of the law?! And so, despite his mother's protest, it's up to David to eventually take on all three of these career criminals in a conclusion that's fun to watch--but is unconvincing.
Barthelmess and the rest try their best and the direction and cinematography is very good. The problem is that the writing often just made little sense. As I said above, Barthelmess was simply too old for the role and the whole need for revenge made no sense either--there was a sheriff and yet no one seemed to take much note of three violent criminals living among them. Enjoyable but quite flawed.