MovieChat Forums > Of Human Hearts (1938) Discussion > ambient sound

ambient sound

posted 18 years ago by legadillo
10 replies | jump to latest

Anybody notice the birds chirping in every scene--even inside the White House? I thought, well, there were a lot more birds back then, and the White House wasn't as well insulated as we're used to today... but then Lincoln looked out the window and the trees were bare! The birds were tweeting like lunatics in winter!

And the crickets chirped, and the footsteps clunked, and the tack jingled--it was ridiculous! I thought it sounded like a really bad restoration, but there wasn't any restoration info after the credits.

Anybody know anything?

[–] X-Evolutionist 17 years ago

The footsteps in the White House were very loud and annoying for me, too! And, when Jimmy Stewart was riding Pilgrim home, the reins were jingling way too loud all the way.

X

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[–] RRozsa 13 years ago

I'm noticing the birds also. And sometimes the music drowned out the voices. There was one scene in which I couldn't hear what his mother was saying.

Just because I'm distractable doesn't mean I

[–] BKinzeys 13 years ago

I can only guess that during a transfer or restoration somebody screwed up on the sound mix. Maybe the original soundtrack was damaged or lost. I also didn't notice it until about halfway into the film.

[–] BCarl 13 years ago

Yes - the ambient sound/music was generally WAY too loud. And, the footsteps were very phony. It amazes me that "weak" films like this were made in 1938 and the year after turned out to be "THE" year for Hollywood.

[–] digitaldiva 13 years ago

Hi BCarl,

Did you really think the film was weak? I thought it was excellent except for the technical glitches which I assume are issues from the transfer.

[–] BCarl 13 years ago

I KNEW I shouldn't have used that word. I guess I just couldn't resist comparing it to some of the Jimmy Stewart films that came soon after, which is not fair.

I just thought some of the scenarios were a stretch: 1) the idea that the president would recall one of his "famous" field surgeons from the battlefield to lecture him about the way he treated his mother, 2) this same surgeon would soon after be given a leave of absence to visit his mother, and 3) he rides his beloved horse almost like John Wayne and Jeff Bridges in "True Grit."

I dunno - the message seemed to me was to lay a guilt trip on anyone who had treated their mother in a similar fashion. Beulah Bondi was MARVELOUS in this film, undoubtedly the strongest performance.

Add to that the lame footsteps and background sound/music being too loud, I was just disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I watched it, but it's definitely not one of my fav Jimmy Stewart films, and he is my all-time fav actor.

[–] digitaldiva 13 years ago

Hi BCarl,

I think the sound issue was the condition of the print. The sound technician on the film was the great Douglas Shearer, Norma Shearer's brother. The film has needs restoration

Personally, I loved the story which I saw as one of self-involvement. During the war, the President read letters, did arrange for leaves but it's a matter of taste.

[–] bravehome 13 years ago

Lincoln's White House was very different from today's. He enjoyed meeting with people of all walks of life, and though pressed by many duties his WH was an open door.

Here is a sample quote from a longer article on Lincoln's White House:

Carl Schurz, a diplomat-turned-general who often visited the White House, wrote: "Those who visited the White House - and the White House appeared to be open to whosoever wished to enter - saw there a man of unconventional manners, who, without the slightest effort to put on dignity, treated all men alike, much like old neighbors; whose speech had not seldom a rustic flavor about it; who always seemed to have time for a homely talk and never to be in a hurry to press business, and who occasionally spoke about important affairs of State with the same nonchalance - I might almost say, irreverence - with which he might have discussed an every-day law case in his office at Springfield, Illinois."

I think Lincoln's scene in this movie is extraordinary, one of the best portrayals I've seen despite its brevity, and was quite true to the spirit of Lincoln from all I've read.

For those who wish to see more of the link from which I quoted, here 'tis:

http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/inside.asp?ID=1&subjectID=1

[–] Sproketer 13 years ago

The sound was mixed poorly in some scenes where the music almost drowned out the voices. It doubt it was a restoration issue. I would guess it wasn't mixed properly to begin with. It happens on rare occasions.

[–] bderoes 10 years ago

I just watched the film on Warner Archive Instant, and did not notice inappropriate sound at all. It's also available on Made to Order DVD from the Warner Archive Shop.

I just re-watched the scene in Lincoln's office. Definitely no trace of cricket or bird sounds. I suspect the new release has better sound than what you viewed.