Steve Tuttle, the titular lazybones, takes on the responsibility of raising a fatherless girl, causing a scandal in his small town. Many years later, having returned from World War I, he discovers that he loves the grown-up girl. My fellow reviewers have done so much justice to this fine film that I hesitated to submit my own thoughts, since many of them would be quite redundant. I therefore will not comment so much on the story itself in this review, but instead concentrate on some of the aesthetic qualities of the film.<br/><br/>The careful attention to period detail is one of the salient features of LAZYBONES. Produced in 1925, but telling a story that reaches back to the turn-of-the-century and advances to "now," it genuinely captures the look of each era it portrays. Often films made in the 1920s but set, say, before the War (WWI), look very different from actual films produced in 1914 – we can see it in the clothes and the hairstyles. In LAZYBONES this is not the case. Even the characters age believably as the decades advance (only Kit is portrayed by different actresses as she grows up). Buck Jones's transformation from a teenager to an almost middle-aged man is especially noteworthy.<br/><br/>Another strength of Borzage's direction is his strong evocation of place. His rural America is steeped in romanticism – so stylized and yet so personal as to exist both everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. One is left with the feeling that these characters – especially Steve (Buck Jones) and his mother (Edythe Chapman) – are inextricably linked with the languid atmosphere of their environment. This quality is also reflected in Borzage's lingering, empathetic close-ups that seem to stretch time beyond its natural bounds. The scene in which Ruth (Zasu Pitts) passes by Steve's house in the carriage, catching a glimpse of her daughter, is one such example. This moment – consisting of only a few seconds in real time – is frozen as Borzage focuses on the emotions displayed in the expressions of Ruth, Steve, and Kit (Virginia Marshall). The reunion scene when Steve returns from the war is certainly every bit the equal of the one near the end of Vidor's THE BIG PARADE, and is another prime example of "stretching time" for dramatic effect.<br/><br/>In contrast to such Borzage silent masterpieces as 7TH HEAVEN, STREET ANGEL, and LUCKY STAR, I would classify LAZYBONES as a film fundamentally grounded in realism (note the prominent use of real exteriors instead of studio back-lot sets). At the same time, however, Borzage flavors the whole work with a wistful romanticism that is never cloying but somehow manages to capture the dream-like qualities of our own nostalgic memories: snapshot moments, tinged at times with melancholy, at times with happiness. At his peak in the 1930s and 1940s, to watch Frank Borzage with pleasure, you have to believe in love as something more than a variety of lust. It can be transformative when living (as in the terrific and subtle A MAN'S CASTLE) and, in the hands of performers like Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, can even overcome death – although I should caution the observant film watcher that the enormous power of those movies lies in the unequaled abilities of Miss Gaynor, who was a truly great film actor; Mr. Farrell was a good one and gave many a fine performance, but it finally occurred to the people who made the movies that no one would go out of his way to see Mr. Farrell on his own.<br/><br/>Although the influence of Murnau on Borzage is usually cited as key, looking at this movie, made three years before SUNRISE, we can see that the essence of Borzage is already in place: the small figures against the enormous vistas, the seemingly inevitable workings-out of the plot but most especially the way people look at each other: Buck Jones never gave a better performance than as the title character of this piece. As another reviewer has put it, it's all in the eyes.<br/><br/>Visually, Borzage has not settled on his signature look, a gauzy effect achieved, according to legend, by filming through a pair of sheer white hose that softened the image and forced the audience to see what was in the viewer's heart. Instead, the print that was used in the Borzage/Murnau at Fox set seems both a little flat – perhaps from a safety-stock print – and possessed of a bit of dazzle on the right side of white objects. Perhaps this effect was intended. Perhaps not. In either case, this is a most welcome addition to my collection of silent movies.
Sharp & Fellows Inc. has been in business as a railroad contracting company since 1877. Specializing in railroad track construction, maintenance, inspection and lubrication, design, demolition, and special projects. Our main goal is to continue to exceed all customer expectations and railroad service needs. With two locations to better serve you in Los Angeles and San Bernardino, our company is the right one for you.
Chazacka replied
364 weeks ago