I guarantee you've never seen a movie like LONESOME. ****/****LONESOME is a little film of beauty, overflowing with romance, humor, and cinematic innovation, and it has quickly worked its way into being a favorite of mine. It certainly came out at an interesting time-- it was 1928, silent films were making the transition into talkies, and this movie was made right on the cusp of the transition. LONESOME then decides to be both silent and talkie, with most of the running time dedicated to a silent format, interspersed with sound segments. The silent segments are flowing and eloquent, showing the breathless turbulence of a summer day in Coney Island. Meanwhile, the sound segments are reserved for the simpler moments, letting you take a breath. It's a setup that I think ultimately proves successful for its endlessly charming romance. And what a fun romance it is! We follow strangers Mary (played by the stunning Barbara Kent) and Jim (an endearing Glenn Tryon), both working-class singles caught up in the crowds around them. They both decide one day to go to Coney Island to relax, but in the frenzy of the crowds they meet each other. When they were single, they were "lonesome," but when they meet, it's as if they were alone together. This is when LONESOME will divert into fantasy sequences, hand-painted with color. These are some of my favorite parts in the whole movie--they're just so incredibly dreamy. How could you not fall in love alongside Jim and Mary? The question will eventually boil down to this-- in a frenzied crowd, can you meet the perfect stranger again? The ending is poignant and needs to seen for yourself. LONESOME can be watched on DVD or Blu Ray through the Criterion Collection.
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