Monday, March 25, 2024

My constant desire to learn is highly motivating. Thinking about that yesterday, I wondered how much casual learning really sticks. I became interested in watching a silent British movie, “Piccadilly,” from 1928, starring the Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong, a film star.

That opportunity had me recalling elements of my journey years ago toward appreciating foreign films over Hollywood’s typical outputs. The best foreign films would activate viewers’ minds. Watching taught me about interpreting film action and dialogue to encourage a fuller comprehension of on-film behaviors. Foreign films had me reflecting more deeply on human behaviors and motivations.

My learning included watching Old Days’ Silents, which taught that on-film action, with only patches of printed dialogue, offers viewing experiences that are both powerful and highly emotional. Yesterday, while reflecting, I decided to watch “Piccadilly.”

I needed a few minutes to understand a series of silent actions that seemed disjointed and awkward. However, I was quickly impressed by the artistic scenery arrangements and superb camerawork by the film’s director. Before Wong’s appearance, the acting was old-fashioned and overly dramatic, but her film style was expressive and spontaneous.

As the film progressed, I became my former viewing self, focusing on key elements–script flow, scene shifting, camera angles, and believability. The script was jerky, its outcome dissatisfied and wasn’t believable, and throughout, every character overacted. What made viewing worthwhile were the excellent scene settings, the consistently great camerawork, and Wong’s appealing presence.

I used my old learning to interpret and appreciate a classic work, which has interested me in watching other well-known silent films. I would compare their fundamental elements, the scripts, scenes, and camera work—those backbones that made early movies appealing.

Dear Friends: I’ll add that this bit of film study cost me a new subscription. Diana