Each Monday, I continue to share Western movie reviews. For more of my movie reviews, click here to follow me on Letterboxd.
Week 194: The Silent Man (1917)
This is the leanest, most muscular William S. Hart picture I have seen so far. It seems that he and Ince were good for each other; the producer’s influence may have cut through some of the sentimentalism found in Hart’s other work.
Though there is a good lady who wins Hart’s heart as usual in his films, it’s refreshing that his character isn’t as infatuated this time around. Also, his prospector doesn’t go through the typical moral reversal. He’s just a good man done wrong.
The action is terrific and it’s refreshing to see a leading man who can really ride, unlike most of the movie stars these days. I was also genuinely surprised by the twist at the end, an unconventional finale.
I’d love to remake this some day and toughen it up a little more, possibly explore the prostitute character in more depth. I’d probably change the title to DRAGGED IN THE DUST as an homage to the Dallas Sonnier/Zahler film.
Watched on rarefilmm.com
