Plot: What’s it about?
In such that this is a silent movie, I am hesitant to do more than give the bare minimum of plot outline, as the film relies on more complex devices to move and maintain the storyline. As such, a few sentences could reveal too much and that wouldn’t befit this terrific film. Instead of leaving this section blank or writing too much, I will offer a narrow overview of what you can expect and the rest is up to you to explore on your own. This movie follows the antics of several married characters, all of whom seem to have something up their sleeves. A few of them couldn’t be happier, but most of have some portion of their life they need fulfill outside of marriage. Some can’t seem to find a woman to do their laundry, some want to experience forbidden romance, and some just want to make it through another day of married life. At the end of these experiences though, who will remain married, if anyone? This review covers the first time I had seen this movie and going into that viewing, I was unsure of what to expect from the film. I had read many excellent reviews for this movie and that build my hopes up somewhat, but often people overpraise older films based on their age, which reminded me not to raise those hopes too high. But now I’ve seen the movie of course and I am pleased to report, The Marriage Circle deserves all the praise I had read and then some. This is a silent film made in 1924, but the lack of words doesn’t hinder the flow of the storyline in the least. The actors use their bodies to help move things along and bring across notions, which works to perfection in this movie. I was surprised to see few impressive production design pieces, but the rather simple nature of the visuals enhance the actors’ work. This is a basic film on the surface, which offers a lot to think and laugh about once the credits have rolled by. I recommend this excellent movie to all fans of classic cinema. A true master helmed this movie, in the person of Ernst Lubitsch and he delivers yet another outstanding film in the process. This was his first American movie and though it differs from his German work in visual style, the basic sense of his previous work can be found here. This seems like a simple film at first, but after another viewing I was surprised at how complex the characters had become. Small notions and detail, that might slip by you the first time become more clear when you pay closer attention. This proves to be another notch in Lubitsch’s cinematic belt and one of his better films, in my opinion. Other films directed by Lubitsch include The Shop Around The Corner, The Merry Widow, A Royal Scandal, and Trouble In Paradise as well as many, many more. The cast in this film is outstanding and includes Monte Blue (Key Largo, San Antonio), Marie Prevost (Almost A Lady, Divorce Made Easy), Florence Vidor (Honeymoon Hate, The Popular Sin), and Adolphe Menjou (Man Alive, Paths Of Glory).
Video: How does it look?
The Marriage Circle is presented in a full frame transfer, which preserves the film’s original aspect ratio. This movie is well over seventy years old and though some flaws are present, this is a superb transfer from Image Entertainment. With a film this old, some debris and damage is expected and that’s no exception here, but this print is much cleaner than I anticipated. A lot of dirt and scratches can be seen, but nowhere the levels I’ve seen in other films from this time period. The sepia toned tint looks good here also, never obscuring detail or becoming too bright. Another classic movie has been given a fitting visual treatment, thanks Image!
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a silent film and as such, the only audio present is the musical score. This disc uses a stereo mix that sounds very good, never overwhelming in the least. The music sounds terrific in this mix and never becomes distorted or harsh, which is vital for a release such as this one. Not much more can be said really, after all this is a silent picture!
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no bonus materials.
