TWO OF A KIND: Diane Keaton & Edna Purviance

The recent passing of Diane Keaton has prompted me to seek out her work, both in films I fondly remembered, as well as ones I had never seen. Along the way I became distracted by her natural talent, her intelligence, and that infectious personality which shined through, not only in her performances, but also in her many televised appearances on a variety of talk shows.

Upon watching her, though, I couldn't shake the feeling I'd seen this personality before. And I had. In fact, the whole world had - a generation before Diane Keaton was even born.

Long before Woody Allen had an on screen / off screen leading lady, Charlie Chaplin had one as well. Her name was Edna Purviance, and she starred opposite Chaplin in over 30 films produced between 1915 and 1923.

But the similarities among the two go further than sharing the screen with a popular funnyman of the time. And they begin with their appearance.

EDNA PURVIANCE

DIANE KEATON

Looking at photographs, as well as the films of both actresses, they look eerily similar - almost as if they were mother and daughter. They weren't. But their lives seemed oddly connected as both women would often change the subject when asked about themselves, as if perplexed on the notion that anyone would have an interest in them.

They also shared the demands and scars of image. Diane Keaton openly talked of her struggles with Bulimia, while Edna Purviance's weight strongly fluctuated between each film. Two strong independent women, they both ignored the expectations of society. Purviance married late in life - age 43, but never had children, while Keaton never married but adopted two children after the age of 50.

In comparing their careers, Diane Keaton was more prolific, versatile, and had formal training. She met Woody Allen when they were part of the cast of the Broadway comedy, Play It Again, Sam, whereas Edna Purviance met Chaplin in a coffee shop where the up and coming funnyman offered the non actress a screen test.

CHAPLAN AND PURVIANCE

KEATON AND ALLEN

While Diane Keaton and Woody Allen were more like collaborators on their various film projects, Edna Purviance and Charlie Chaplin worked within the old fashioned model of student and teacher, with both women attaining the same results within the realm of the time periods they each inhabited.

And while Keaton and Purviance excelled in comedy, they both showed their critics a dramatic range with controversial films - Keaton as the teacher of deaf children by day and a bar hopping promiscuous woman by night in Looking for Mister Goodbar, and Purviance as the innocent young woman who becomes the mistress of a wealthy man in A Woman of Paris.

EDNA PURVIANCE in A WOMAN OF PARIS

DIANE KEATON in REDS

In Kevin Brownlow's documentary, Unknown Chaplin, we see glimpses of Edna Purviance's radiant charm through various outtakes. Even without ever hearing her voice, one can't help but be smitten with her carefree playfulness among her castmates, just as we are equally enamored with Diane Keaton in viewing many of her early interviews.

And just as the inexperienced Purviance was thrust into Chaplin's world of knockabout English Music Hall cronies, Keaton, a student of the famed acting teacher Sanford Meisner, found herself in the foreign world of Woody Allen's zany intellectual self depreciation. And both women fit right in, naturally.

No longer lovers of Allen or Chaplin, Diane Keaton and Edna Purviance continued working with the men that made them famous as the two comic director/performers successfully ventured into more mature comedies and dramas.

Unless you're a silent movie enthusiast, Edna Purviance is virtually forgotten today, while Diane Keaton has bypassed Woody Allen in both popularity, and versatility. Both Allen and Chaplin have credited these two women with the success of their early directing careers proving without a doubt the old saying, "Behind every successful man is a woman."

The Best Female Performances of 1920

In 1920 there were no ceremonies to award the best movies and performances of each year. I would like to remedy that. Based on reviews of the time, as well as having watched these films myself, I would like to highlight what I believe to be the best performances by an actress of the year 1920. Since award worthy accomplishments were rarely acknowledged one hundred years ago, I feel honoring the past, now, is better than never. Of course, with so many lost films and others unavailable to the public, it's impossible to know for sure what the best of the year actually was. These honors you are about to read come only from me, a humble fan who watches a lot of silent movies.

So let's start with what I believe to be the best female performances of 1920, beginning with LILLIAN GISH in "Way Down East."

Lillian Gish in "Way Down East"

With the exception of maybe Buster Keaton or Lon Chaney, nobody put more of themselves into a role than Ms Gish did. Her work in "Way Down East" is no exception. The harrowing climax set during a blizzard, featuring its female star adrift on a piece of ice heading toward a waterfall, was the real thing. There were no stunt doubles, fake props, or safe working conditions. Besides putting herself in physical danger, Lillian Gish's performance also takes her and the audience on an emotional ride. Her portrayal of a young innocent girl tricked into having sex, who then becomes pregnant and alone, is both heart breaking and empowering. I truly believe if the Oscars were around in 1920, Lillian Gish's performance in "Way Down East" would have been a contender.

Lillian Gish would have had fierce competition, though, from several other equally compelling actresses, beginning with OLIVE THOMAS for her work in "The Flapper."

Olive Thomas in "The Flapper"

The untimely death of Ms Thomas just four months after the film's release, is not a factor in "The Flapper" having one of the best female performances of 1920. Many young actresses became more well known than Olive Thomas for playing rebellious youth, but it was in "The Flapper" where audiences saw it first, setting the stage for Joan Crawford, Colleen Moore, Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, and countless others. Olive Thomas had "It" long before the term was invented, and her work in "The Flapper" is celluloid proof. Had she lived, I believe this gifted actress would be remembered for her talent instead of her death. And one can only speculate on how far her career may have gone. Based on her efforts in "The Flapper," I would say pretty far. However, hers wasn't the only female performance to open the eyes of the world to the ways women were becoming individuals of their own.

What Olive Thomas did for the female youth, TORA TEJE in the film, "Erotikon" did for sexual equality.

Tora Teje in "Erotikon"

Before audiences discovered the sensuality of Greta Garbo, there was Tora Teje. And her performance in the film "Erotikon" is one of the more memorable ones of 1920. Although, tame by today's standards, her playful approach to marital infidelity must have been scandalous one hundred years ago. At the risk of sounding cliche, it is hard to keep your eyes off her in this film. There had been portrayals of bored wives before in the movies, but through Tora Teje's multi-layered characterization, we see not only first hand her frustrations with a loveless marriage, but also her bold attempts at managing her gnawing urge for physical intimacy. In the hands of another actress, her character could have easily become one dimensional and predictable, which is far from the case here.

While sex appeal certainly went along with the performances of the first three actresses profiled here, it was not a factor in the work of VERA GORDON in "Humoresque,"

Vera Gordon in "Humoresque"

Vera Gordon, the oldest of my nominees, wasn't even mentioned on the poster alongside her younger co-stars, Alma Rubens and Gaston Glass. However, her role as the strong-willed mother with dreams of her son escaping poverty through his musical talents, is the foundation of this wonderful film. Like today, unless already established, older actors rarely sustained a movie, but the success of "Humoresque" fell on the shoulders of Ms Gordon and she carries the film with grace, pathos, and honesty. Her name may not have been mentioned in the promotion of the movie, but it is the only one you will remember when finished viewing.

Another award worthy performance from 1920 which cannot be ignored is that of EVELYN PREER in "Within Our Gates."

Evelyn Preer in "Within Our Gates"

Sadly, if the Oscars were held in 1920, Evelyn Preer would not have been nominated due to the color of her skin. These are my Oscars, though, and her work deserves to stand equal alongside the other deserving female performers of 1920. "Within Our Gates" is the intense tale of an African-American woman and her travels North to raise money for her southern rural school, only to discover that racism and white supremacy extend beyond the South. Ms Preer was popular with the black arts community, which dubbed her "The First Lady of the Screen," appearing regularly in what was called at the time, "Race Films." She was never given the opportunity to work in "White" Hollywood, which is shameful, for she would have been so good in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," opposed to the white actors that were cast in black face.

Not all of the top female performances of 1920 were in leading roles. I can think of two supporting players, whose work contributed greatly to the success of their films. The first is BARBARA BEDFORD in "Last of the Mohicans."

Barbara Bedford in "Last of the Mohicans"

Ms Bedford's role as the kidnapped daughter of a Colonel, who offers her life to save her sister, is devastatingly painful to watch. Although not the star of the movie, it's the work of Barbara Bedford in this film that gives the audience an emotional sucker punch that takes quite a while to recover from. And even though she might not have had as much screen time as the others mentioned, Barbara Bedford's work in "Last of the Mohican's" deserves to be considered one of the best of 1920.

And finally there's BEBE DANIELS in "Why Change Your Wife?"

Bebe Daniels in "Why Change Your Wife"

As the free spirited jazz baby that catches the eye of a married man, Ms Daniels manages to steal every scene she's in, including several with screen legend, Gloria Swanson. Good comic performances tend to get overlooked come awards season, but it's hard not to notice Bebe Daniels in "Why Change Your Wife?" Her charm is contagious and helps elevate this light romantic comedy to the award worthy level.

So who gets my imaginary Oscar for the best actress of 1920? They all do. How can a person pick one performance over another when all are deserving? And who's to say drama is harder than comedy? To the modern movie goer, most of these names mean nothing, but their work has given me, and countless others, such joy and admiration that the least I can do is to try to keep their contributions alive - starting with this blog you just read.

Edna Purviance 1895 - 1958

 Edna Purviance (pronounced per-vie'-ance) was Charlie Chaplin's leading lady in the comedian's early years with the Essanay, Mutual, First National, and United Artists studios. She performed as his love interest in over thirty films while simultaneously playing that role in real life on and off throughout their working relationship.

She had never intended on being an actress. After her natural good looks and easy going personality were spotted at a cafe, she was suggested to Chaplin after he had come up empty on his search for a female co-star. Her lack of experience didn't concern him. He felt it was actually more of a plus that she had never been in front of a camera - feeling he could train her much easier without her falling back on old habits. Chaplin was, however, worried she might not be suited for comedy. His fears were put to rest when at a party he performed an improvisational act pretending to be a hypnotist. Chaplin pulled her from the crowd and whispered directions to her, which she spontaneously followed impeccably.

In 1915, Edna Purviance made her film debut in A Night Out. And even though a lot of her screen time in that film was played opposite Bud Jamison, her bits with Chaplin not only showed her adaptability to his style of comedy, but also proved the two of them together had chemistry. It was a chemistry that carried beyond the celluloid as they soon became a couple in real life as well.

In her first several films, Chaplin wisely didn't push his novice leading lady into doing more than just looking pretty. Her inexperience, though, was overshadowed by her natural charm, and as she gradually found comfort in front of the camera, her roles became more demanding. And the larger the part, the more her winning personality shined through.

Although, Edna Purviance was never considered a slapstick actress, she managed to hold her own when physical comedy was needed. She took her first pratfall (falling off a tree branch) in A Jitney Elopement, and proved she could handle even more physical challenges in the knockabout film, Work. But it was her genuine charisma as a leading lady that made her performances so special.

Although she gained experience in front of the camera, she never really developed into a great actress. She certainly had the potential, though. Her work in A Burlesque on Carmen  proved she could become a character other than herself. And her performance in The Vagabond showed she could handle any emotion. But Edna Purviance was ultimately just a regular girl, who, together with a mixed ensemble of ex-vaudevillians, found herself a key component in the early years of a comedy genius. And like Chaplin's other talented supporting players, she was never given the opportunity to outshine the star.

Early on, to make up for her lack of training, she relied on her winning personality. And it's her fun-loving nature that shines through in almost every film in which she appeared. When watching Edna Purviance, we rarely see the character, but instead, the audience is given the gift of witnessing her contagious persona. This is obvious in her early films. And the more she appeared in front of the camera, her true self came through. She had a natural magnetism, and it is easy to see what Chaplin saw in her, both professionally and personally.

However, Edna Purviance's weight fluctuated from film to film. And according to Chaplin himself, he felt she was becoming too matronly looking for the roles she would normally play. Instead of moving on without her, though, he decided to write and direct a drama in which she would star. 

That drama was A Woman of Paris. It would be her first leading role and Chaplin had hoped the film would be the beginning of her career as a dramatic actress. But Chaplin ignored her greatest asset - her personality - which was nowhere to be found in this film. And even though the movie is quite good, and Edna Purviance does an adequate job, she is upstaged by her co-star, the then unknown, Adolphe Menjou. To make matters worse, since Charlie Chaplin wrote and directed the film, the public not only anticipated a comedy, but also expected to see him on the screen. And although it faired well with the critics, A Woman of Paris, was a box office flop in 1923.

Chaplin tried to help her once again when he was producing a film directed by the up-and-coming director, Josef von Sternberg, called A Woman of the Sea. This would be Edna Purviance's first time on a movie set without Charlie Chaplin, and according to von Sternberg, she was extremely timid and uncomfortable in front of the camera. The film was destroyed after one showing.

After one more failed film, Education of a Prince, her career was over. And while the public soon forgot Edna Purviance, Charlie Chaplin never did. He kept her on his payroll for thirty years until her death in 1958.

The film performances of Edna Purviance never fail to show a young woman with an infectious personality, opposed to the actress that the public thought she was. But nothing says it more clearly than a 1916 interview with Photoplay magazine when she was asked what her hobbies were, and she responded, "Oh, act, I guess."

The Saphead - 1920

"The Saphead" is an enjoyable film, as long as you are not expecting a Buster Keaton comedy. It's true, Mr. Keaton is the star of the movie, but any similarity between this film and the ones that have made him so popular, are practically non existent. He does fall down the stairs once, and briefly crushes a mans hat while trying to retrieve his own, but that is about it. If it wasn't for the fact that his character never smiles, one may wonder if it was the great stone face they were actually watching. Well, it is, but what you see instead of a Buster Keaton slapstick adventure, is rather, an actor playing a role in an ultra light, romantic comedy.

Douglas Fairbanks had starred on Broadway in the popular play "The Henrietta," but when it was adapted for the screen, he was not available to revive his role. Having been familiar with the work of Buster Keaton, Fairbanks suggested the up and coming comic actor for the part. It would be the first full-length film that Buster Keaton would star in, making "The Saphead" a rather unassuming start to his career in features.

The plot is rather involved, but to sum it up quickly, it's about a family of eccentric rich people and the up and down love affair between Bertie (Buster Keaton) and his adopted sister, Agnes, played by Beulah Booker. Throw in a desperate brother-in-law, a mistress, an illegitimate child, some wall street bully's, and mix them together with a little dumb luck, and you have an entertaining, but predictable film.

If you're the type of person that loves to watch silent movies, "The Saphead" is worth a view. However, if you're a huge Buster Keaton fan and just want to see inventive visual gags and jaw dropping stunts, you'd be better off skipping this one. It's a pleasant silent film if you don't let your love of Buster get in the way.

Marion Davies 1897 - 1961

One can only speculate if William Randolph Hearst made Marion Davies famous, or actually hindered her success. It's no secret of their lengthy affair and that he had his own production company, Cosmopolitan Productions, which his newspapers used to promote his film company's biggest star, Ms Davies. It's also well documented that he preferred her to appear in miscast period costume dramas, opposed to what she was best at; light romantic comedy.

With her career forever linked with the married Hearst, it's made her true talents as a comedic actor easy to push aside. I certainly had no interest in her work until I repeatedly heard how good "Show People" was. And as much as I enjoyed the movie, I was still swayed by the thought of a career being built by one's rich lover - especially since the powerful lover was the man that destroyed the reputations of both Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and Virginia Rappe in order to sell more newspapers.

However, the more films I watched that featured Marion Davies, the more I realized I should give this talented actress a fair chance. I started by giving "Show People" another view. The first time watching, I couldn't help but feel that Constance Talmadge or even Bebe Daniels would have been so much better in the role. However, now, after numerous viewings, Ms Davies without a doubt, owns the character of Peggy Pepper, as well as the much deserved renewed interest in her career.

While many consider Mabel Normand one of the early female role models in film comedy, it's Marion Davies that took the same goofy appeal and refined it, making her truly a comic performer that is hard to not notice. And if one were to ever think her charming work in "Show People" was just a fluke, then they should check out "The Patsy" and they will soon discover that the talent of Marion Davies was real.

Thanks to Undercrank Productions, and the very talented musician, Ben Model, many of the films of Marion Davies are getting new life on DVD. And like when I first discovered the silent work of Lon Chaney, John Gilbert, Greta Garbo and so many others, I now consider viewing a Marion Davies picture equally thrilling. So, if you avoided her films because you thought her career was given to her, think again. She had the talent to not only make it on her own, but could quite possibly have been even more famous without the influence of her rich lover. Her surviving films prove that.

Erotikon - 1920

Leave it to the country that brought us Greta Garbo to deliver one of the most flirtatious and sexy comedies of the silent era. "Erotikon" succeeds on so many levels, one often forgets that it is billed as a comedy. And while the movie doesn't really provoke outward laughs, it does manage to let a naughty grin linger on the face long after the closing credits have passed.

Directed by Mauritz Stiller, "Erotikon" features Lars Hanson as a lonely sculptor fighting his longings to commit adultery with the wife of his best friend, while she appears to have the same compulsion for another man; her flight instructor. The husband doesn't seem to notice either of their antics because he has a roving eye of his own; toward his niece.

American audiences would not be seduced by Greta Garbo for another six years, but was given a taste of the passionate danger they had yet to witness, thanks largely in part by Swedish actress, Tora Teje, in the role of the sexually playful wife, Irene. Through her multi-layered embodiment of the character, we not only see the frustrations of a loveless marriage, but also her brash attempts at satisfying her escalating urges for physical intimacy.

Released in 1920, "Erotikon" was one of several films that brought attention to the ever growing evolution of the sexually independent female. The United States released a similar movie that year, "Why Change Your Wife?" with Gloria Swanson, which was fun, but tame in comparison, making it appear that in the early part of the twentieth century Sweden was most definitely at the forefront of social change.

Today's audiences may view "Erotikon" as out-dated fluff, but one must remember the subservient rules women were expected to follow prior to 1920 to fully appreciate how fresh and risque this movie must have felt at the time. Also featured in this wonderful ensemble are the talents of Anders de Wahl as the befuddled husband, and as his love interest, none other than the future Mrs. Lars Hanson, Karin Molander.

The Mating Call - 1928

"The Mating Call" is another one of those Howard Hughes produced silents that may never see a legitimate DVD release due to the complicated mess of the late billionaire's estate. Thankfully TCM is still around to share this treasure with their many dedicated viewers. And what an adventure this movie takes its audience on.

Part romance, part thriller, "The Mating Call" tells the story of a farmer who just wants to be left alone. Unfortunately he can't shake the advances of his ex-wife and her jealous husband, who happens to be in charge of the local branch of the Ku Klux Klan. To add to the complicated plot, the farmer marries an immigrant straight off of Ellis Island in hopes of keeping his unwanted guests at bay.

Intrigued? You should be, for when it comes to wild stories and their many twists, nothing tops the silent era for its daring originality. And "The Mating Call" is no exception.

Thomas Meighan stars as the likable hero. Meighan was an interesting actor, for he didn't share the dashing good looks of his contemporary leading men, nor did he have the charisma that make so many actors popular. However, it was his lack of both of those star-making traits that made him perfect for the role of the awkward farmer caught in a circle of lust and murder.

With his average looks and laid back portrayal, he made for the perfect acting partner with the two actresses that share the movie with him. Renee Adoree is her usual charming self as the immigrant willing to do anything to stay in this country. Oddly enough, her always powerful screen presence did not overshadow Meighan's subtle approach. Instead it brought out a shy tenderness in his portrayal, adding another layer to the complicated relationships that make up the story.

And speaking of layers, the top acting prize in this film goes to Evelyn Brent as the pushed aside ex-wife. It's a role that could have easily been one dimensional, but Brent manages to make her character not only unpredictable, but fresh, bizarre, and totally original. Every scene she is in, it's hard to keep your eyes off her. It's amazing watching this actress be in total control of a character that is so impulsively out of control. Of all the reasons to seek out this film, the performance of Evelyn Brent makes the top of the list.

"The Mating Call" is much more than a series of good performances, though. This film also serves as a reminder of how free and original many of the silent movies were. And as sad as it is that over seventy per cent of the content of the silent era is most likely lost forever, we can be grateful that this movie and so many other equally good efforts have been preserved and still pass the test of time.