I saw this recently on a TCM overnight tribute to Arbuckle's "Goodrich" films, and for me the most amazing moment of the entire production was when "Nell" leaped off of the cliff -- at least fifty feet high -- at the urging of the Hero, who promised to catch her in his "steely arms."
Of course, he missed (or didn't so much as try to catch her). But I saw no evidence of camera trickery or rigging with cables when the stunt performer (chauvinism leads me to believe it was a man in drag) dropped from that dizzying height onto a small dirt mound without so much as losing his feet. What a jump! I'm sure the landing was cushioned somehow, but "Nell" hardly seemed to even bounce on impact. Here we are, more than eighty years later, and our elaborately planned and executed film tricks are still put to shame by people such as this performer and Buster Keaton in their heyday.
Or maybe the copy of the movie was just so scratchy that I missed the ropes and pulleys. Steve V.
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xylonian-1
16 years ago
Agree, and noted that. IMO the "fire scene" was a probably a bit risky as well, no????
With regard to 'old movies' compaired to "new"....I am amazed sometimes how long the camera rolls before a splice, and what actions are included.
Urania to Terpsichore: "You're so quiet. Musing????"
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