Nils Asther invites Loretta Young to rest in his bedroom in the silent movie Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928)
Showing posts with label film: 1928 laugh clown laugh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film: 1928 laugh clown laugh. Show all posts
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Saturday, 24 September 2011
Picture of the day: kissing her feet
Nils Asther and Loretta Young in Laugh, Clown, Laugh, 1928
Detail of a lobby card
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Bluebeard 1944: film in full
I just found Bluebeard in full on youtube. Hooray!
It's also available dubbed in Spanish
Other Nils Asther films in full on YouTube:
Nils Asther films, entirely copyright free, on the Internet Archive:
Flying Blind 1941
Bluebeard 1944
Submarine Alert 1941
*
Friday, 26 August 2011
blog rot! and favourite Asther films
Last night there was an attack of page rot on this blog, for no apparent reason. I lost information from the end of my blog pages in a very random way. That means the pictures, links and information I had gathered about all of Nils Asther's films from about 1932 onwards were deleted. It seems to be unrecovereable.
I backed up everything that is left relating to his early films left on the pages, but it was a bit of a shock.
Anyway, I'm taking it as an excuse to reorganise the pages and hopefully they'll be better than ever when I'm finished.
As a cheer-me-up, I've been making a list in my head and deciding on my 5 favourite Nils Asther films of all time:
1. The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
WHY: It's beautiful, complex and sexy. And it takes me on a thoughtful journey every time. At the start, it genuinely seems to be borderline racist, with the missionaries in their own little self-enclosed, superior world, not to mention with Asther playing Chinese. Then it twists and turns and becomes intensely philosophical with a plea for mutual understanding.
2. The Single Standard, 1929
WHY: Okay, it's not the most complex of stories. Young attractive woman has love affair. But Arden's (Garbo's) decision to go for freedom and equality in love uplifts me every time, especially when you consider that was the 20s. And Garbo is breathtaking, and she sizzles onscreen with Asther.
3. The Cardboard Lover, 1928
WHY: Okay, I've not actually seen this one yet. But it's still my third favourite because it looks so funny and amazing, and Marion Davies is a hoot. Plus I totally have a thing for men who can do comedy, and Asther totally can.
4. Laugh, Clown, Laugh, 1928
WHY: The tragic ending of this moves me every time. Frankly, Asther is acted off the screen by Loretta Young and Lon Chaney, but that's why it's so good. There is that one shocking pre-code moment where Asther goes in for a bit of a fumble with Loretta Young... totally in character, but still. Wowzers. I think he was a bit of a bad boy.
5. By Candlelight, 1934
WHY: This is a polished little gem of a comedy from director James Whale, and it's guaranteed to make me feel better on any dismal soggy afternoon. I do tend to skip the rest and only watch Asther's scenes... just being honest. He's the best thing in it. So suave and adept at farce.
Other films of his I've seen so far (or part seen, with rough appreciation ratings)
Starring Roles
Make-Up **
The Man in Half Moon Street ***
Submarine Alert **
The Marriage of Corbal **
The Right to Romance **
Supporting Roles
Son of Lassie ***
Behold we Live **
The Cossacks ***
Topsy and Eva *
Himmelskibbet ****
Samson and Delilah **** (he's only on screen for 30 sec)
Do I want to see them all? You bet.
Monday, 18 July 2011
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928)
Laugh, Clown, Laugh is a silent movie from 1928 starring Lon Chaney, Loretta Young and Nils Asther.
IMDb: As professional clowns Tito and Simon are traveling, they happen upon an abandoned child, whom they take in and name Simonetta. When Simonetta is older, she becomes a circus performer herself. One day she is looking for roses, and climbs into the garden of Count Luigi Ravelli. The count becomes infatuated with her, but she leaves as soon as possible.
Sometime later, Ravelli consults a doctor about his fits of uncontrollable laughter, and there he meets Tito, who has come to seek help for his fits of uncontrollable weeping. The two decide to help each other, and they establish a friendship, but problems arise when they realize that they are both in love with Simonetta.
scenes with Nils Asther from the film
Count Luigi Ravelli (Asther) spies someone in his rose garden.
It's lovely Simonetta (Loretta Young), and the Count lifts her from the fence.
He has rather busy hands.
He wraps his handkerchief round Simonetta's cut.
Then he tries to place a rose somewhere a gentleman has no business being.
But Simonetta keeps him out of her nubbies and holds the bloom instead.
Ahem.
The Count takes her to his house, and straight to his bedroom.
He lifts her onto the bed. Some astonishingly blatant groping goes on here.
For something really quite chaste, this is
one of the most sexually charged things I've ever seen.
For those into feet, this scene will make you happy.
"What a lovely child of nature you are! What an alluring woman you could be!"
They are interrupted.
"Send that peasant away!"
"No."
The lady spits hellfire. The Count rushes to soothe.
Simonetta is shocked at the situation and escapes out a window.
With the competition gone, the lady lets herself be pushed her out the door.
But the lovely Simonetta has gone. The Count begins to laugh compulsively.
* the years pass *
The Count seeks out help because of his uncontrollable giggling.
At the doctor he meets Tito, Simonetta's adopted father, who keeps crying.
The doctor suggests to Count Luigi that he will be cured if he falls in love.
Then the doctor says the same to Tito... I get the feeling it's his fallback diagnosis.
Luigi and Tito talk together on the balcony.
"You mean, you can't help laughing -"
" - any more than I can help crying?"
Hey, whatever works.
Simonetta arrives. She is advised to help Tito be more social for his condition. Tito insists the three of them leave the doctor's arm in arm together.
They spend time together and go for a carriage drive.
But then Tito discovers the Count has given Simonetta some expensive pearls.
He accuses him of having improper designs.
The count shows Tito a proposal of marriage included with the necklace.
Flik nobly gives the Count his blessing,
even though he loves Simonetta himself.
Simonetta still believes the Count is trifling after her past experience.
After he proposes she realises he is serious, and consents. Tito is heartbroken.
Count Luigi and Simonetta spend time together.
"Oh Luigi, I could be so happy, if only Tito were not - alone.
Can't we have him near us? He seems so helpless - ."
"Of course, dear. We need him too. He seems almost part of us."
that's the end of the scenes with Nils Asther
also, check out these blog entries about Laugh, Clown, Laugh:
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