City Girl

Released Jan 30, 1930

1h 8m

Drama

Romance

List

63%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

82%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

A wheat farmer (David Torrence) predicts his son's (Charles Farrell) lover will be unfaithful.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

Murnau's final Hollywood film is widely underrated.

Jun 24, 2006

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John Monaghan

Detroit Free Press

A solid, emotionally charged picture that bridges a gap between German expressionism and poetic realism.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 4, 2005

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Some of Murnau's genius remains in the lighting of individual shots, and particularly in a lyrical sequence in which a man (Charles Farrell), a woman (Mary Duncan), and Murnau's camera dance through a sunlit field.

Jan 1, 2000

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Murnau's sense of evocative image and editorial rhythm greatly elevates it.

Jan 8, 2022

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Film Daily Staff

The Film Daily

It has one of those stories that are aimed at the sentimentality in a person but never quite reach their mark.

Mar 13, 2021

Full Review

Shadow Stage

Photoplay

Its first part is a beautiful, powerful story of the love of a city waitress and a son of the wheatlands... Finished as a talkie, it lost all its steam.

Mar 13, 2021

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Oliver P

There are some obvious flaws - some careless editing mainly- but if you can forgive the defects, this movie has some sort of essential and timeless quality. Nosferatu probably has more flaws as a movie, but these tend to be forgiven because of the striking images. Taken purely visually City Girl is one of the most beautiful movies you will ever watch. The attention to lighting and camera creativity saw Murnau years ahead of his time. Despite the sometimes over theatrical acting, the movie is firmly grounded in the kind of detailed realism that formed Murnau's later style , which in turn makes the movie more accessible to a modern audience that has become more sophisticated. There's a common theme running through Murnau's movies - the downtrodden/underdog triumphing against adversity through pure strength of character. I think that in City Girl Murnau almost manages to hit that spot perfectly and if you like romance (I do) then this is unquestionably one of the most romantic movies ever made. Its simple on the surface, and deeply human underneath. In short- look past the faults and it's fantastic.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/24/23

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Audience Member

The last great silent movie. Very touching romance film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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bill t

Despite a very weak ending, this is a very good film featuring what happens when a farm boy meets a city girl, they get married, and he takes her back to his farm. It could have entered into Crocodile Dundee humor, but it's interesting when the girl, probably from being brought up in the city, takes bullshit from noone. Very crisply acted (It does help that Charles Turrell is easy on the eyes) and expertly lit.. Check out those night shots! This is an interesting film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ignore the naysayers, whatever the hell they know about movies. This is magnificent movie making. I rarely use the word 'literally', but this film is literally breathtaking. I loved it from the start with perfect casting and moment-capturing. Great cinematic storytelling. A silent movie to begin anyone's journey into silent movies. Can't rate it highly enough. I laughed. I gasped. I hung on every moment, and, being a silent in the last days before the advent of the dull talkies, there were many of them. Terrific joy in a pure wonder where even the smallest characters have presence.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

There is true beauty to behold in Murnau's pictorial view of Minnesotan farmland - amber waves of grain and all that. But I think some of the scenes in the Windy City, especially when Kate looks out of her apartment window and the passing El train creates flashes of light on her face, are equally stunning. You can see how this may have influenced Malick's Days of Heaven. However, the plot, elemental though it is, feels too rickety to support all these perfect images. Apparently, a producer tampered with the end product after Murnau walked away. So, we have Country Boy meets City Girl, marries her and brings her back to Minnesota where his Old Man does not approve. Their relationship is strained until the Old Man finally relents (after some lascivious farmhands show him his stupidity). No match for Sunrise (to which the plot, but not the images, bears some similarity) -if you are new to Murnau, start there (or Faust or The Last Laugh).

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A waitress in a big city diner falls in love with a country guy visiting the city. They quickly get married and move to the country where she faces his stern father. As I was watching, I thought this is kind of lightweight for a Murnau film. I mean, the director of "Nosferatu" and "Sunrise"? But then as it progressed, I saw that it has gotten more complex and darker. It pretty much turned into somewhat of a companion piece of "Sunrise". It's not quite as great as that film. He uses some of the same notes but it's still a wonderful film worth checking out since hey, it's a Murnau film.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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F.W. Murnau

Director

Charles Farrell

Lem Tustine

David Torrence

Lem's father

Mary Duncan

Kate

Edith Yorke

Lem's mother

Anne Shirley

Marie Tustine

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Synopsis

A wheat farmer (David Torrence) predicts his son's (Charles Farrell) lover will be unfaithful.

Director: F.W. Murnau
Screenwriter: Marion Orth
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: United Artists
Genre: Drama, Romance
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 30, 1930, Original
Release Date (DVD): Feb 17, 2009
Runtime: 1h 8m