The more one studies silent film, the more one discovers that it was the studios that killed the stars, not the advent of sound. And if you watch the early talking attempts of many of the silent era's top stars, you will witness that it was more of the awkwardness of the actors themselves then their voices that hurt their careers.
And although Delores Costello eventually settled into a comfort zone with the new medium of sound, the actress nicknamed the Goddess of the Silent Screen, never regained the fame or dynamic screen presence she once had.
However, in that wonderful, brief era where stories were told without dialog, Delores Costello was at the top of her game and any viewing of her surviving films proves that point. Sadly, she is more known today as either the wife of legendary actor John Barrymore or the grandmother of Drew Barrymore then the popular and talented actress that she once was. Nothing against her husband or granddaughter - it's just she had a talent that equaled theirs and it's a shame many of today's movie lovers will never know that.
From The Sea Beast to Noah's Ark and all of the silent films she made in between, the performances of Delores Costello are a rare treat should you happen to stumble upon them. And speaking of Noah's Ark - that film was finished just as the sound era was born, so the cast and crew went back and filmed a few scenes with dialog. It's that movie that one can see first hand her talents in pantomime and her uneasiness in early sound.
Delores Costello was a product of her time and even though the memory of her work has faded with time, perhaps it's time to rediscover this wonderful actress. You will discover that it will be time well spent.
And although Delores Costello eventually settled into a comfort zone with the new medium of sound, the actress nicknamed the Goddess of the Silent Screen, never regained the fame or dynamic screen presence she once had.
However, in that wonderful, brief era where stories were told without dialog, Delores Costello was at the top of her game and any viewing of her surviving films proves that point. Sadly, she is more known today as either the wife of legendary actor John Barrymore or the grandmother of Drew Barrymore then the popular and talented actress that she once was. Nothing against her husband or granddaughter - it's just she had a talent that equaled theirs and it's a shame many of today's movie lovers will never know that.
From The Sea Beast to Noah's Ark and all of the silent films she made in between, the performances of Delores Costello are a rare treat should you happen to stumble upon them. And speaking of Noah's Ark - that film was finished just as the sound era was born, so the cast and crew went back and filmed a few scenes with dialog. It's that movie that one can see first hand her talents in pantomime and her uneasiness in early sound.
Delores Costello was a product of her time and even though the memory of her work has faded with time, perhaps it's time to rediscover this wonderful actress. You will discover that it will be time well spent.
A very fine and concise essay on Costello. She reminded me of a statue of Venus whose pose creates a mood that her voice could never hope to match, and could only detract from that wordless image. It's worth listening to her performance on Lux Radio Theater in March 1938 where she plays the Bette Davis role in an adaptation of the 1932 film, THE MAN WHO PLAYED GOD. George Arliss repeats his title role and listening to DC enact scenes with him I keep seeing Davis in my mind. I wonder if DC studied her film performance because most of her intonation seemed to imitate BD.
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