Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927)

Considered by many to be the greatest silent film ever made, William Fox brought German director F. W. Murnau to Hollywood to make this expressionistic but sincere melodrama. Story takes place over the course of roughly a day and a half, and tells how the rekindling of love saves the marriage of county couple George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor, after the formers indiscretion with a devious flapper women from the city (Margaret Livingston). I won’t lie, it was hard for me to get into this film at first, and I was grateful for the expert audio commentary of cinematographer John Bailey, without which I’d have had a hard time making it through the first half hour. After that however the film really opens up, and becomes both visually and emotionally beguiling. While King Vidor's The Crowd remains my favorite silent drama, this is probably now my number two (with the 1925 version of Ben Hur coming in a close 3rd). Janet Gaynor gives what is defiantly now my favorite female performance in any silent film, she’ll just break your heart in this, and was very much deserving of the singular honor of being the first best actress Oscar winner (not to slight the male lead, George O’Brien is also quite good). Film is technically impressive as well, both in the daring camera work (which also won an Oscar), and the shear scope of the sets, including more then a mile of functional trolley line laid for the movie. Also the original 1927 score includes the music later used as the theme to Alfred Hitchcock Presents! Essential to your film literacy. 4 ½ out of 5.