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I saw this for the first time last night (TiVo'd off of TCM). I really liked
it. A couple of questions and comments:

First, does anyone know the origins of the soundtrack TCM used? It sounded
very old, both in recording quality and style (the heavy use of sound
effects and human voices made me feel that they were saying "Look, this is
now a sound film"). Was it originally released as a "sound" film (it was,
after all, 1928, so it was possible)? Was there a sound re-release?

Considering Davies' own life, with Hearst's preference for putting her in
serious dramas rather than the comedies that better showed her talent, it's
an interesting choice of subject.

That Vidor could do this and The Crowd in one year shows some real
versatility.

Lincoln

"Lincoln Spector" <Notreally.TakeThisOut@myemailaddress.com> wrote in message
news:sC5ge.980$Y81.663@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com...
> I saw this for the first time last night (TiVo'd off of TCM). I really
liked
> it. A couple of questions and comments:
>
> First, does anyone know the origins of the soundtrack TCM used? It sounded
> very old, both in recording quality and style (the heavy use of sound
> effects and human voices made me feel that they were saying "Look, this is
> now a sound film"). Was it originally released as a "sound" film (it was,
> after all, 1928, so it was possible)? Was there a sound re-release?
>

The TCM print recently aired included the original synchronized music and
effects score that was available to theaters equipped for sound reproduction
at the time, so the soundtrack is as old as the film... no older, nor the
product of a re-issue. The film's theme song, "Cross Roads," was recorded
by a number of popular phonograph artists of the day, and commercially
released to the public.

> Considering Davies' own life, with Hearst's preference for putting her in
> serious dramas rather than the comedies that better showed her talent,
it's
> an interesting choice of subject.
>

Amen to that. It's the sort of picture she was best suited to, yet seldom --
it seems -- given the chance to do.

> That Vidor could do this and The Crowd in one year shows some real
> versatility.
>

Yup!

> Lincoln
>
>