While the wrestler in question lives the high life with another woman, his wife and their numerous children live a miserable existence; she follows him, hunched over, until the inevitable climax.
Although Capellani would become a major director of features over the next decade, his early works, such as this one, show a hesitant talent, given to melodramatic stories and stagey acting. the talents shown here in terms of editing are very good; the scene cuts are sharp and define what is going on. However, the length of the shots is long, as if he is underestimating the ability of his audience to absorb what is going on.
Technically this is something of a transition piece; several early directors modeled their works on tableau vivante, in which paintings were reproduced on the stage with live actors who held their positions. This evolved in movie into a tension between telling a story through scenes rather than individual shots. This work offers us a story told in scenes. It would later evolve into a style of camera-work favored by Feuillade in which the camera would sit and observe a far more action-filled scene.
At this stage in its evolution, it doesn't work. Each scene is arranged so that one thing happens, and that's not enough to keep the viewer engaged.
Although Capellani would become a major director of features over the next decade, his early works, such as this one, show a hesitant talent, given to melodramatic stories and stagey acting. the talents shown here in terms of editing are very good; the scene cuts are sharp and define what is going on. However, the length of the shots is long, as if he is underestimating the ability of his audience to absorb what is going on.
Technically this is something of a transition piece; several early directors modeled their works on tableau vivante, in which paintings were reproduced on the stage with live actors who held their positions. This evolved in movie into a tension between telling a story through scenes rather than individual shots. This work offers us a story told in scenes. It would later evolve into a style of camera-work favored by Feuillade in which the camera would sit and observe a far more action-filled scene.
At this stage in its evolution, it doesn't work. Each scene is arranged so that one thing happens, and that's not enough to keep the viewer engaged.
