Eileen of the Trees

Glorious Youth is one of the most interesting films of Anny Ondra's career in the 1920s. Her first works in England were made under the direction of Hitchcock's mentor Cutts. The melodrama Glorious Youth was probably preceded by God's Clay, but it is not 100% certain which film was made first. In contrast to the way Hitchcock is known and respected today, Cutts has completely disappeared from awareness and so has his work. I don't have much experience with silent UK films, but in a way, I'm pleasantly pleased with many aspects of the film. Anny benefited from the change in make-up and wardrobe, she could show off her charms in a new way and by the end, she looked exactly as she did for years in her seminal sound films. At the same time, she played the unusually brutal scenes of abuse so realistically that it almost ripped my heart out. Yet for all that, she also had room to charm with her natural beauty and sense of cinematic comedy. The cinematography was great, and so was the work with the soft light in the city and the sharp contrasts in the countryside. During the final world-class chase, it was impossible to even breathe. I hope to watch God's Clay at some point in my life, because Anny in England really isn't just Hitchcock, although it was his The Manxman and Blackmail that helped Anny to be forgotten and slowly rediscovered. (08/09/2012)