Good movie.

I just saw this tonight at the Kansas Silent Film Festival (music by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra) in Topeka (KS). We had a 30 minute prep by Dave Shepard (film preservationist, film professor) on the importance of this film just before the viewing.

I'd say it's a bit better than good -- I gave it a 10.

This was a watershed movie in film history.

The director, Murnau, was the greatest of the German directors at the time and the Germans were then making what were universally recognized as the most important, great films. Fox lured him over to make a prestige film -- choose any subject, money no object, but make us deservedly classy.

All the important production people, except the photographer, were German. And the photographer was the best then in Hollywood and he went to Germany for a year before filming this movie to learn the then current German techniques. He came back to make this film and then became a mentor to many other directors and cinematographers.

The film was also important for its special effects (largely done within the camera), movements (including long takes and moving depth of field), echoed symbolism, and the changes it made in movies after its appearance.

And it told a timeless story, well cast, well acted, well filmed.

It won 3 Oscars in the first ever Academy Awards in 1929 -- best actress (Janet Gaynor), best cinematography, and a special award, the only time ever given, "Most Unique & Artistic Production"