Those of you who think silent movies are boring and that the complete element of storytelling is lost without dialogue have obviously never seen The Kiss. It was both the end and beginning of an era for this 1929 drama; Greta Garbo switched to talkies afterwards, and Hollywood was prepped for a brand new star Lew Ayres. Lew had been an extra in two previous films, so for an intents and purposes this was his introduction to audiences. His very next movie would be All Quiet on the Western Front, and the rest is history.
I love titles that have double or even triple meanings, and when you watch The Kiss, you won't be sure which is the titular kiss until it really and truly happens. Greta stars as a beautiful woman trapped in a loveless marriage to the brutish Anders Randolf. She falls in love with Conrad Nagel, but she breaks it off to spare him her husband's violent temper. As their lives diverge and carry on, Greta tries to make the best of things by enjoying her friends and her lifestyle. Among her friends is Holmes Herbert, whose young son Lew Ayres is home during a break from college.
Lew is such a doll in this movie, and he's so young! He was only 21 years old: quite the lucky break for the young man to act opposite the silent icon Greta Garbo. The story of this movie passes at a quick pace and will keep surprising you at every turn. Mark my words, you'll get so consumed in it, you'll forget the actors aren't talking. This is a great one to start with if you're new to either silent movies in general or one of the most popular silent actresses. She's very pretty in this one, and her over-the-top mannerisms fit right in with the filmmaking style. If you like movies like Madame X and Back Street, you'll like this one.
I love titles that have double or even triple meanings, and when you watch The Kiss, you won't be sure which is the titular kiss until it really and truly happens. Greta stars as a beautiful woman trapped in a loveless marriage to the brutish Anders Randolf. She falls in love with Conrad Nagel, but she breaks it off to spare him her husband's violent temper. As their lives diverge and carry on, Greta tries to make the best of things by enjoying her friends and her lifestyle. Among her friends is Holmes Herbert, whose young son Lew Ayres is home during a break from college.
Lew is such a doll in this movie, and he's so young! He was only 21 years old: quite the lucky break for the young man to act opposite the silent icon Greta Garbo. The story of this movie passes at a quick pace and will keep surprising you at every turn. Mark my words, you'll get so consumed in it, you'll forget the actors aren't talking. This is a great one to start with if you're new to either silent movies in general or one of the most popular silent actresses. She's very pretty in this one, and her over-the-top mannerisms fit right in with the filmmaking style. If you like movies like Madame X and Back Street, you'll like this one.