Customer Reviews

Carmen / Brock, Farrar, London Philharmonic Orchestra [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

By 1915, Metropolitan Opera soprano, Geraldine Farrar, had an international reputation. DeMille, looking for the perfect vehicle to introduce her to the screen, had to look no further than one of her most successful stage roles--Carmen. In fact, by 1915 Farrar had already undertaken the role at the Met opposite none other than Enrico Caruso (who also sang opposite Farrar in the first American "Madama Butterfly" at the Met in 1908).

DeMille saw "Carmen" as the ideal role for Farrar's first film, but due to the enormous fee requested for the opera's libretto, he adapted the original story by Prosper Merimee, which had fallen into the public domain. So, this film version, while basically telling the same story, differs somewhat from the Bizet opera.

For film buffs, the film offers an unusually compact directorial effort for DeMille with a running time of just 59 minutes. And, there's none of DeMille's usual moralizing. For opera buffs, "Carmen" allows a unique view of an opera legend in a role she made famous. Although the film is silent, Farrar ably conveys the character's earthy quality, while not actually convincing us of her sensuality.

An added plus: Not only is this Keno print in remarkable condition, but also affords us the opportunity to hear Farrar sing some recorded arias from the opera during a presentation of stills from the movie.

I bought this film because I am collecting films with Wallace Reid in them as he was a relative of mine. I had never seen any interpretation of Bizets Carmen or any performance by Geraldine Farrar and I found this film to be very entertaining indeed! And the jacket of the CD contained a long biography on Ms Farrar that was just fascinating. And, of course, I was excited to see another film with Wallace Reid in it too! He was very dashing and handsome in his military uniform. Also, there was an actual bullfight in one scene of this film which was supposed to be Old Spain but was really 1915 LA! Lots of action in this film and I think anyone would enjoy it.

Carmen is supposed to be a woman of incomparable sensuality who exploits her charms to make men do her bidding--even to kill for her. Although Geraldine Farrar was a popular singer of her time, this is a silent picture where you don't hear her. You only see her. And she is quite ugly and not a great movie actress. When she is first introduced as the legendary Carmen, it is almost comical. She looks old, plain with but two outstanding features--horse teeth and a big nose. Later, her attempts at being a temptress are undeniably ludicrous. How she landed this part will remain a mystery to me. Wallace Reid, on the other hand, is brilliant as always. It's just hard to imagine a young, strapping Reid heartbroken for a woman who looks like she could be his mother. It was like Pierce Brosnan going after Streisand in The Mirror Has Two Faces. I just don't get it.