Erich Von Stroheim was certainly one of the most colorful characters of early Hollywood. He played many evil huns in his acting career, but he attempts a romantic role here, and I found his 'Nicki' interesting. Visually, the movie grabs you from the first scene, as we get a revealing view of his morally and financially bankrupt parents. His mother sports a mustache and his father, a drunken sot, is vainly proud of his mustache, which he keeps covered in gauze during sleep!
Quite beautiful in an early role is Fay Wray, playing Nicki's true love. She looks at times like a Gloria Swanson doppelganger. The family's debaucheries are noted in elaborate parties which look not unlike Dante's Inferno.
It's a simple story and well told. Von Stroheim's 'Nicki' may love Faye and his lovely apple blossoms, but he cannot escape his parents' greed, and so winds up marrying not for love, but for money, and is decidedly unhappy at the end of the film. That's right...no happy ending in sight, as the myth of the kidnapped Danube mermaid plays out in real life.
For a silent film to hold one's interest in this jaded world shows the magic that cinema possessed even in its early wordless form. Von Stroheim's original vision was over six hours long! The version I saw ran a little under two hours, and the footage Von Stroheim shot is wonderful, especially the color sequence.
Quite beautiful in an early role is Fay Wray, playing Nicki's true love. She looks at times like a Gloria Swanson doppelganger. The family's debaucheries are noted in elaborate parties which look not unlike Dante's Inferno.
It's a simple story and well told. Von Stroheim's 'Nicki' may love Faye and his lovely apple blossoms, but he cannot escape his parents' greed, and so winds up marrying not for love, but for money, and is decidedly unhappy at the end of the film. That's right...no happy ending in sight, as the myth of the kidnapped Danube mermaid plays out in real life.
For a silent film to hold one's interest in this jaded world shows the magic that cinema possessed even in its early wordless form. Von Stroheim's original vision was over six hours long! The version I saw ran a little under two hours, and the footage Von Stroheim shot is wonderful, especially the color sequence.