Runtime: 97 minutes
Directed by: John Ford
Starring: Margaret Mann, James Hall, Charles Morton, Francis X. Bushman, Jr., George Meeker
From: Fox Film Corporation
This was a simple yet effective late silent movie from John Ford I decided to check out while some of his early work was on the Criterion Channel. Hearing that Ford was obviously inspired by German Expressionistic movies and for certain Sunrise... I was intrigued.
Before World War I, a mother in Germany has 4 adult sons, 1 of which has emigrated to America. Eventually, all four joined the armed forces, but of course the man in the United States has to fight for his new country-that fact causes trouble in the Rhineland.
The movie is for certain sentimental and even back then Ford wasn't always a fan of authority. Even if you don't view it as a tribute to F.W. Murnau it is a nice charming piece of work; if you are able to recognize what the director was inspired by, that will make you further appreciate this piece of work. It's really better seen in person than described by me all the nods that Ford had to Sunrise; there are plenty. There's drama, pathos, some heartbreaking moments, a few laughs, scenes that will warm the cockles of your heart... a German village was even brought to life rather well in Hollywood.
One last note: one intertitle that made me laugh was praise directed towards the United States by in part noting that “everyone's equal”... in 2022 that is patently absurd. That said, that wasn't true in 1928 either!
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