Transatlantic (1931)

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Saw Transatlantic on June 23 at a special screening at AFI/Silver, in the glorious restored Art Deco Silver Theater. In a joint presentation with the Art Deco Society of Washington an audience of almost 300 people enjoyed a restored copy of a little know early talking film Transatlantic. I was expecting a film like many of the early 30's films, a little slow, flat sets, and a thin story line. I was stunned to watch a fast paced, gripping story line that was definitely Pre Code, with a touch of Noir, and had stunning sets. Its called Grand Hotel on the Ocean, which is a bit unfair. You can see the similarities but this is a piece on its own. The gorgeous Art Deco furnishings, wood work, and grills, the flashing directional signage, exuberant jazz music, and costumes that would be popular today. There is infidelity, corruption, theft, and raspberry pie. The finally is a cat and mouse chase scene through a multi tiered engine room with tracking shots that is as good as any CGI super hero film today. A really amazing and superior film for its time, and you definitely see the talents of James Wong in its design. The AFI presentation included a pre film lecture by Christian Roden on early 20th century ocean liners and how the Liner companies updated their interior designs from the English country house look to the very latest cutting edge designs that are now referred to as Art Deco. The lecture provide helpful context on an industry now known more for Caribbean cruises than necessary and elegant transportation. Pay particular attention to a montage of scenes when the ship is going through high seas - couples on a dance floor and elegantly clad ladies falling down steps provide a look at how the real transatlantic crossing passengers braved high seas in practiced good humor. Many thanks to MoMa for the restoration. They made the overlap transition to subtitle, in sections where dialogue is missing, seamless to the viewer. Many thanks to all the technicians who pulled together the many foreign copies to recreate this film. Many in last nights audience wanted to know if the film would be shown again, and when it will be released for sale. We all want to see it again and again, and hit pause to admire the sets. If you have a chance to see this film, it is worth the time and effort. .

Edmund Lowe (Monty Greer), Lois Moran (Judy Kramer), John Halliday (Henry Graham), Greta Nissen (Sigrid Carline), Jean Hersholt (Rudolph Kramer), Myrna Loy (Kay Graham), Earl Foxe (Handsome), Billy Bevan (Hudgins), Goodee Montgomery (Peters), Jesse De Vorska (buyer), Claude King (captain), Crauford Kent (first officer), Rosalie Roy (bride), Ruth Donnelly (Burbank), Eddie Borden (interloper), James Kirkwood (Sigrid's beau), Jack Lowe (waiter), Henry Sedley (Chalky), Larry Steers (passenger), Louis Matheaux (henchman), Edmund Mortimer (guest), Bob Montgomery (Socker).Director: WILLIAM K. HOWARD. Screenplay: Guy Bolton and Lynn Starling. Original screen story: Guy Bolton. Photography: James Wong Howe. Film editor: Jack Murray. Art director: Gordon Wiles. Stills: Clarence Sinclair Bull. Copyright 10 July 1931 by Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Roxy, 30 July 1931. 6,627 feet. 73½ minutes.SYNOPSIS: A Grand Hotel on an ocean liner.NOTES: Academy Award, Art Direction, Gordon Wiles (defeating A Nous la Liberte and Arrowsmith).COMMENT: Photographer Jimmy Howe was once asked by an eager film student in the late 1960s, to name the director Howe regarded as the most skillful, the most talented, the most inventive and the most accomplished in the entire American film industry. Jimmy had worked for many great directors. The eager student expected him to nominate Martin Ritt, Howard Hawks, Raoul Walsh, or perhaps John Frankenheimer. To the student'sutter amazement, Howe unhestitatingly answered, "William K. Howard." Would you believe, the student had never even heard of William K. Howard? Sad, but true! Well, here in "Transatlantic", we find Howard at the zenith of his powers. In fact, "Transatlantic" is a superbly beautiful film in every respect. Even Edmund Lowe (under Howard's sympathetic direction) gives a thoroughly convincing performance.Enough said! I don't want to detail all this film's merits. I would rather you seek it out and watch it yourself!

Lois Moran may have been F. Scott Fitzgerald's inspiration for Rosemary, the sweet starlet in "Tender is the Night" but it is a pity she didn't inspire studio bosses to find her better movies. Samuel Goldwyn discovered her in Paris and bought her to Hollywood where she was given the role of Laurel in "Stella Dallas". Apart from that and "Transatlantic" she appeared in no other films of note but the next year (1932) she was on Broadway starring in George Gershwin's "Of Thee I Sing" and the sequel "Let Them Eat Cake". Broadway saw something that had alluded Hollywood.In a terrific long panning shot, all the bustle of boarding a huge ocean liner is depicted - from the taxis pulling up, everyone streaming through the entrances, the baggage trolleys, even a little stray dog (looked a lot like Asta) and all the crew working to get the liner off to a smooth start. Jed Kramar (Jean Hersholt) confides to his daughter Judy (Lois Moran) that this will be the start of a new life for them, Monty Greer (Edmund Lowe) is on the run from the police and in the next cabin, Kay Graham (Myrna Loy, spelt Mirna in the credits) is promising her insufferable husband Henry (John Halliday) that she will try to be more cordial to his mistress, Sigrid (Greta Nissen) next time she pops into their cabin.Linking the main characters is Monty - he accidentally makes the acquaintance of Kay while looking for his bag, he already knows Sigrid and tries to convince her to leave Henry to his wife, Kay, who loves him very much. A robbery is being planned and Graham, a successful banker, is the target. Even though news has just come through that his bank has failed, Graham is not bothered as he is fleeing the country with most of the securities and money he could lay his hands on. Kramar, a depositer with the bank, is ruined but when he tries to confront Graham, he is thrown out like a piece of riff raff. An attempt is made on Graham's life and both Kramar and Greer are held on charges of attempted murder.With a plot very reminiscent of "Grand Hotel" (and seeing that Vicki Baum published her novel in 1929, this maybe the first (although slight) adaptation of it) with Edmund Lowe (substituting for John Barrymore) as the debonair thief willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in distress, especially Myrna Loy (substituting for Greta Garbo) as the let down wife, the real star of "Transatlantic" is the atmospheric cinematography of James Wong Howe and the magnificent sets. Fox, more than any of the other major studios, embraced the Expressionism that came out of European movies of the 20s and "Transatlantic" had a very Continental air about it. The film credits and even various newspaper clippings that appeared throughout the film were in French. Also it helped that there were no big name stars - Edmund Lowe, Lois Moran, Greta Nissen, John Halliday, Myrna Loy (when she was still a supporting player) all gave the movie a European feel.Highly, Highly Recommended.

Made in the early-morning of talking pictures, this belies any notion you might have of early talkies, with fast editing, a deleriously moving camera, and sharp script. Sets are magnificent, with the luxury liner where the action takes place assuming the atmosphere of some Byzantine palace. Best of all, it's capped off with a tour-de-force cat-and-mouse shoot-out through the vast engine room, which James Wong Howe's photography turns into a visual wonderland-maze of catwalks, huge machines and glossy steam. Script, story and playing are all top-notch.