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Lonesome

Play trailer Poster for Lonesome 1928 1h 9m Comedy Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Two lonely people (Barbara Kent, Glenn Tryon) meet, then are separated.

Critics Reviews

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Norbert Lusk Los Angeles Times 06/23/2021
Glenn Tryon's performance is skillful and intelligent, sympathetic and sincere. Go to Full Review
TIME Staff TIME Magazine 03/26/2020
The story is relegated to comparative obscurity behind a maze of superimpositions, dissolves and other tricks of the camera. Go to Full Review
Abel Green Variety 12/30/2019
Some of the photography and the basic appeal of the theme saves it for a time, but for the main Lonesome drags and ultimately peters out. Go to Full Review
Alexander Bakshy The Nation 04/09/2020
[Lonesome] shows many extremely interesting and suggestive effects such as the combination of a number of independent images within the same frame. It is marred by an unnecessary talking sequence. Go to Full Review
Mattie Lucas From the Front Row 08/06/2019
4/4
An irresistible bon-bon of a movie, a lovely, effervescent celebration of love that is so refreshingly unironic that it may seem a bit naive to modern audiences, but that is merely part of its allure. Go to Full Review
Pat Kewley PopMatters 02/27/2013
9/10
Although to a large extent the two characters are basic archetypes, as a writer and director Fejs has a poet's touch when it comes to the details of phrase and gesture. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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bob S @RT96072139 Jun 27 A wonderful movie- funny, sweet, poignant and very wonderful. So worthwhile! See more 04/06/2016 Adorable little movie. Great to see Coney Island, but worth it for way more than just that. Being lonely in the city is apparently as old as cities. Love it. See more 02/12/2016 I was pleasantly surprised with this. The sound sequences were pretty laughable but overall this is a nice film with two actors that have noticeable chemistry. See more 01/10/2016 Paul Fejos shot this film in the silent mode but then it was refashioned: first, with sound effects and music, and then, with three short scenes with actual sound dialogue (thus it is a "part-talkie"). Two lonely people meet at Coney Island on the 4th of July weekend and enjoy a whirlwind day out. Fejos uses superimposition very liberally, both to depict what people are thinking but also just to show concurrent events (and he even overlays a clock to show us that time is passing). Although the early scenes (with the clock) are all drudgery and lonesomeness, once we reach the beach, we are treated to hand-tinting and some beautiful compositions. "Always" by Irving Berlin plays an important role on the soundtrack and in the "twist" ending to the film. Of course, the twist in question is fully telegraphed - when the two young people become separated (and they don't even know each other's last names), we know they will be reunited - but we just don't know how or when. A delight! See more eric b @RT55475325 02/03/2015 The plot is simple: A boy and girl (both "working stiffs") find innocent love at an amusement park, only to have their new romance threatened by casual circumstance. Nothing too interesting there. What is interesting is Paul Fejos's amazing, shoot-the-works direction, which includes dizzy editing, lots of multiple-image layering and even a splash of color (in 1928!). Definitely a film ahead of its time. The release year is also crucial because this was the transitional period between silents and talkies, thus there are three sound scenes of dialogue squeezed into the action. Some film buffs will say these are unwanted and awkward, but no real harm is done and some necessary plotting is delivered. A magical film, breezing by in under 70 minutes. Why is "Lonesome" so poorly known today? See more 03/24/2014 A forgotten classic of the silent era, LONESOME realliy is a one of a kind . I can't recommend this one enough. See more Read all reviews
Lonesome

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis Two lonely people (Barbara Kent, Glenn Tryon) meet, then are separated.
Director
Pál Fejös
Production Co
Universal Pictures
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 28, 2012
Runtime
1h 9m