Silent Film Review - It 1927

 No, we are not talking about clowns. We are talking about a silent film from 1927. Starring Clara Bow, it is all about the idea you have "it" or you don't. "It" is essentially sex appeal that gets you what you want. Here's what I thought of it. 

Courtesy of TCM

I both do and don't like the main characters. Clara Bow is an actress beloved to silent film. She can cry on a dime (sadly, because she had a terrible childhood). This is the romance between Betty (Clara Bow) and Mr. Waltham - who had a girlfriend this entire time and ignored her like she was chopped liver. It starts with Betty working at Waltham's Store, where she sees the new boss (Mr. Waltham) and falls in love instantly. This whole time Monty (Waltham's friend) is reading an article about "It" - sex appeal that guarantees you get your man/woman. 

Courtesy of Pinterest-
Clara Bow

Betty comes home to her roommate (who has a child). Poverty stricken as her friend is, things look kind of desperate for her friend. She goes to the Ritz after being asked out by Monty, purely to sit at a table near Mr. Waltham - who is with his girlfriend and her mother. This is after she created a dress from her work dress (because her work dress isn't good enough for the Ritz). At any rate, she gets herself noticed by Waltham, who then conveniently forgets his girlfriend exists several times when talking to her. 

When he sees her at work, she collects on her bet that he wouldn't recognize her next time he sees her. To compete with the girlfriend (this I don't like at all) she says "take me out to the beach for dinner" and he literally ignores the fact his girlfriend had asked and he said yes to that. In other words, he brushed off his girlfriend to go out with Betty. I don't like that Betty did this or that our main man treats his girlfriend like she's nothing important. I hate it, actually, but let's move on. 

She comes home and welfare is trying to take her friend's child. She has no means of support and these two older women want to take the baby from her. Betty races up the stairs, takes the baby in her arms, and claims she has a job and it's hers to save her friend. This I do like. She even tells the welfare women that "if women like them had babies instead of doing this they'd be better off". She tells them off and then some. This gets back to Waltham through Monty, though, and he thinks badly of her because he thinks the baby is hers. I don't like our main man. She literally should have taken Monty and been done with it. 

Betty gets to work and he's suddenly cold to her. She quits her job. Betty then gets a visit from Monty, who then realizes his mistake - in actually thinking she had a child. They then concoct a plan to get back at Waltham for not giving her the benefit of the doubt. Monty gets her into the yacht for the week long party and she manipulates Waltham into proposing, only to laugh him off, then cry because it wasn't funny after all. No kidding, Betty, no kidding. This I don't like her for. Monty spills that it wasn't her child and then the two get together (despite a girlfriend who's literally treated like she's wallpaper) after Monty steers a boat into another boat. The two women fall off the boat. Waltham, once again the boyfriend of the year, gives his girlfriend a life preserver and swims to Betty. At the end Monty and the girlfriend watch them flirt while standing on the anchor attached to the boat. 

My Thoughts

It must be said that I appreciate Betty defending her friend from Welfare workers. It also must be said that I don't endorse manipulation and think our main man is a dirtbag. He treats his long-term girlfriend like she's wallpaper and doesn't exist. He says he'll dine with her, then goes to the beach with Betty. We see no apology and the girlfriend looks like she's miserable. I don't think it takes a detective to find out why. These characters are not nice people. 

Courtesy of Alamy - Clara Bow

The point of the film and the idea of "it" is you can get exactly what you want with sex appeal - as long as you have "it". You have it or you don't. It means you effortlessly get what you want by being yourself. Or using your sex appeal to get it. "It" in this scenario is charm and charisma, and being attractive to others. Long story short, Betty had "it" and got the man she wanted. I feel so bad for the girlfriend. And Monty. Seriously, if you don't like your girlfriend you should break up. Don't just go all in on a side chick who has no shame in being a side chick. 

My rating 

To say I didn't enjoy myself would be a lie. I did enjoy myself. I would give a it a 7 out of 10, just because the main man and the main woman were not the type I'd root for. I'd argue that both are equally making bad choices. One is throwing away a relationship of many years and not just breaking up, and the other is homewrecking. 

The good part of the rating comes from great music, great acting, excellent dialogue, and an engaging film. I was never bored. Clara Bow had an amazing performance with emotion and drama, as well as those tears she could conjure in seconds. Well worth watching. You should see what you think. 

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