The Crowd
Director: King Vidor
Year Released: 1928
Rating: 2.5
What I thought was going to be a study of conformity in society - highlighted by some astounding shots of people in perfectly spaced rows at their place of employment, virtually indistinguishable from each other - decides to shift focus to one man and the trouble he has meeting the status quo. His wife's relatives - the typical snooty in-laws every man fears - have high expectations for their daughter, and raise their noses at her ordinary spouse, who doesn't make a ton of money. Contrivances cause the marriage to experience ups and downs - the problems (as expected) are quickly resolved. Hate to frown upon a picture that looks this good (or is this visually stylish) but it never completely won me over. This silent's evil twin brother is Von Stroheim's Greed.
