La Joue (The Wheel)

1923 silent melodrama

Rating: 18/20

Plot: Sisif's been workin' on the railroad all the live long day. A tragic train accident occurs, and he rescues an orphan named Norma and raises her along with his son Elie. Fifteen years pass, Sisif continues to work on the railroad, and Elie becomes a maker of violins. Both men become infatuated with the blossoming Norma who also catches the eye of other eligible bachelors. This leads to some problems that apparently can't unfold in less than four and a half hours.

The pros: Stunning cinematography. Gorgeously experimental. Heavily philosophical and occasionally very moving. There are some shots here which could arguably be the best in film history, and that's not even an exaggeration. The use of rabid-fire montage (predating Potemkin seemingly) is ahead of its time and very effective in adding an excitement to the action--the train wreck scene, fisticuffs. The characters are lovingly developed, and the film as a whole is a poetic and beautiful experience.

The cons: The son of a bitch is 270 minutes long! 270 bleaker-than-bleak minutes!