The Sound of Silents-- Part 1

(The Passion of Joan of Arc, 1928)

This is Part One of Two:

In Billy Wilder’s 1950 classic Sunset Boulevard, Norma Desmond, a fading star from the silent era, tells playwright Joe Gillis “We didn’t need dialogue. We had faces!” Those of us in the 21st century find relating to the first films—those shot before the invention of sound—a very difficult task. And for good reason: it’s like comparing apples and oranges. But the films of today bear very little resemblance to the moving pictures of the 1970s or 1940s, much less to those of the early 20th century. How does a viewer of today approach those silent classics? Or do they discard them with the understanding that anything without sound is not worthy of modern viewing?

First of all, any belief that silent films should not be seen because they are too old is a misunderstanding. What is required is a little background in understanding films and filmmakers from about 100 years ago. The biggest mistake we often make is approaching these motion pictures from a bygone time with a modern mindset. Movies reflect the time in which they are made. There is no way around it. Current events affect movies. The films from the 1930s, after the Great Depression and before America’s involvement in World War II, are much different than the motion pictures that were being produced during the 1940s and 1950s, during and after the war. And as technology changes, so do they stories and movies. Imagine trying to film The Matrix in 1979 instead of 1999; that the very idea would exist is doubtful.

So imagine again filming a movie without computers, without color film stock—and without sound other than a theater’s organ accompaniment; these technological marvels simply did not exist yet. Just a few title cards to propel the story, to show dialogue and to clarify the plot. Silent movies are stories told visually. One of the best ways to contrast the dynamics of silent films with modern sound pictures is with the lyrics of the song “With One Look” by Don Black and Christopher Hampton from the musical based on the film Sunset Boulevard:

With one look I can break your heart

With one look I play every part

I can make your sad heart sing

With one look you'll know all you need to know

With one smile I'm the girl next door

Or the love that you've hungered for

When I speak it's with my soul

I can play any role

No words can tell the stories my eyes tell

Watch me when I frown, you can't write that down

You know I'm right, it's there in black and white

When I look your way, you'll hear what I say

Yes, with one look I put words to shame

Just one look sets the screen aflame

Silent music starts to play

One tear in my eye makes the whole world cry

Director D.W. Griffith was the first filmmaker to discover that camera close-ups with little acting could convey more emotion than the histrionic performances borrowed from stage acting. With one look, an actor could show happiness, love, heartache or disdain. The movements of the characters conveyed thought and intention. If a group of men walked slowly around the corner of a barn where a person waited and the leader of the group turned to the others and held his finger to his lips, we know that they were moving in stealth; what he actually said when his lips moved is unimportant. If it was important to the plot, a title card would appear on screen and tell us what he said. Otherwise, their actions are enough because the story was told visually.

Next time, Part Two...