An American Tragedy

Just a teeny bit better than the much more famous movie version of this story, _A Place in the Sun_. Of course that ain't sayin' much

Viewed May 2, 2021. It closes with 30 dull minutes set in a courtroom, but up until that, this is pretty great. Even the title cards, which are backdropped by gently flowing water, seem to convey the unsettling transience of life.

A closer representation of the original play than the 1951 version "A place in the Sun". For its time this has some great acting and real suspense with a fairly unknown cast (at least today). Genuinely holds the audience, although Pichel isn't quite Montgomery Clift this shows the development from play to cinema before the full Hollywood treatment. Stands up well.

Dated but solidly satisfying adaptation of a weighty novel, more compelling than the remake _A Place in the Sun_.

Star Rating: ★★1/2

Uma Tragédia Americana estreava há 90 anos em New York. Estava indo muito bem no que pode-se esperar de um Sternberg, mas toda a parte do julgamento é excessivamente enfadonha. O filme de George Stevens ainda é o filme definitivo sobre esse conto. Rip no PirateBay.

Sylvia Sidney was stunning in her role as Roberta. Sadly Phillips Holmes in the lead as the troubled Clyde Griffiths didn't match her presence. Holmes came across hollow and empty which close to killed any sympathy for his character. And just every actor over-powered him with their performances. In way I guess thats what director Sternberg wanted as to show that Clyde's was a weak man, but without much else going for him in his role it left something to be desired. Still a good movie.

Von Sternberg's version of Dreiser's novel emphasizes personal, emotional causes of the tragedy over social ones, thereby obliterating Dreiser's perspective.