The Idle Rich

Dir. William C. de Mille

80 Minutes

USA

1929

Starring: Conrad Nagel, Bessie Love, Leila Hyams, Robert Ober, James Neill, Edythe Chapman

**/*****

Very early talking picture about wealthy Conrad Nagel becoming engaged to Leila Hyams. His attempts to "aid" her family, members of the "great middle class", are thwarted at every turn by them who feel that he is simply trying to show off his status and wealth.

Even considering the limitations and discomfort by many becoming accustomed to the sound technology, this film is a tepid and mundane affair. From the get-go, following a title sequence lacking any music, Nagel and Hyams sit awkwardly in the frame for several seconds before giving their first lines, and nobody feels particularly comfortable and the entire business is incredibly awkward even comparatively.

Following the opening scene in an office, the action never leaves Hyams family home (though moves between a few rooms within the apartment). The bulk of the film is very simply framed, with the actors in long shot moving around the space of the room, and there are glimmers of director William C. de Mille experimenting with the distance of the camera from the actors in giving off a cramped and tiny amount of space (especially for Nagel, who has difficultly in navigating around an area that is so much more cramped than he is used to). The highlight of this is a centerpiece bedroom scene. These exchanges are somewhat pleasurable, but as the narrative moves more into its primary conflict there is simply not enough variation in visuals or in performance to retain much interest, and the thing mostly putters to a happy conclusion. Certainly a piece for early-film enthusiasts (or those simply curious), but there are much better avenues to explore to dip your feet into the era.

August 24th, 2019