The Dumb Girl of Portici

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Nick M Lois Weber says, "Eat the rich!" in this film adaptation of the opera La muette de Portici, which stars the most famous international ballerina of the day: Anna Pavlova. Despite being silent, the movie *feels* like an opera--it has all of the spectacle, the cadence, and the plot structure--while remembering that it is still a film. It is an interesting subject for a silent picture, and the choice of Pavlova was a smart one. The character has grown up unable to speak, so she must use her body more than the average person to communicate. This gives her an excuse to lean heavily into expressive pantomime that would seem outlandish for a speaking character, and Pavlova is experienced and adept with this form of expression because of her work on stage. She had been touring the US for several years as part of a world tour, and is considered largely responsible for popularizing ballet in this country. The public knew of her and many would have been curious to see her perform in a new, and more accessible, medium. This is her only real film acting credit, but I could not take my eyes off of her from the first scene to the very last. She is a master at communicating her thoughts and emotions. Weber's direction also deserves credit, as there were several strong, impactful moments that left an impression on me. Despite feeling important, however, I didn't find myself loving this. Pavlova had a good excuse for being outlandishly expressive, but the rest of the cast's pantomime was allowed to become over the top as well, which is representative of a style that had mostly been abandoned on screen by this point in favor of a more natural approach. It also felt about 30 minutes too long. I appreciate this film, but from modern reviews I've read online I think people who are not well-versed in cinema of the day give this too much credit. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/05/24 Full Review Read all reviews

The Dumb Girl of Portici

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