Directed By William Wyler/Love Trap

Rating:
Summary: Charming Comedy with Witty Touches
Review: A new release of an obscure 1929 part-talkie, THE LOVE TRAP, seems to have come out of nowhere but we're glad it's here. This romantic comedy starts off as a traditional silent film, complete with its original synchronized music score. Then about half-way through, all the characters start talking. Despite the fact that the film changes audio-visual mediums in a flash, director William Wyler keeps rolling as though nothing has changed. Indeed, it's tribute to the young director's skill and talent that he basically preserves the jaunty pace of the silent footage even with the addition of spoken dialogue.

A mint quality print both pictorially and aurally, this forgotten film is a rediscovered gem. Star Laura LaPlante is remembered, if at all, for her role in the spooky 1927 silent, The Cat and the Canary (also on dvd these days) but her personality really shines in THE LOVE TRAP and it's easy to understand why she was so popular at that time. The film's leading man is Neil Hamilton, a fairly well-known actor in the 20s and 30s, who fell into obscurity thereafter but emerged in the mid 1960s as Police Commissioner Gordon in the famed Batman TV series. (His story of faith and perserverence through those long years of obscurity made a big impression back in the 70s).

The real star of the film though is William Wyler who manages to distinguish this rather slight story with many witty directoral touches and flourishes. KINO VIDEO has again, as it did with its release of Wyler's Counsellor At Law, produced a vivid transfer. A bonus documentary of Wyler, originally produced in 1986, is included on The Love Trap disc and provides interview footage of the director that was made only a few days before his death. All considered, a highly recommended dvd of a film worth rediscovering.

Rating:
Summary: Delightful Antique!
Review: This part-talkie from l929 is a must-see for any film buff who wants to behold that weird quasi-combination movie--"Part Talkie!"--popular back in those days.The first half of "The Love Trap" is a fast-moving silent with a pleasant musical score. Then the second half is an equally fast-moving talkie. And this is when you discover for yourself why the adorable blonde, Laura LaPlante, was such a big star back then. Her voice is musical and normal, so it's a mystery as to why she never continued far into the early talkies. She retired soon after making this movie. William Wyler let's her shine and despite all the horror stories one hears about how frozen actors were in l929 because of the microphone, you certainly don't see any of that stiffness here. Kino has done a beautiful job restoring and bringing us this unknown comedy from the great William Wyler. I'm getting ready to watch it again--and wonder anew why Laura quit the movie business only a year after "The Love trap" was released.

Rating:
Summary: Delightful Antique!
Review: This part-talkie from l929 is a must-see for any film buff who wants to behold that weird quasi-combination movie--"Part Talkie!"--popular back in those days.The first half of "The Love Trap" is a fast-moving silent with a pleasant musical score. Then the second half is an equally fast-moving talkie. And this is when you discover for yourself why the adorable blonde, Laura LaPlante, was such a big star back then. Her voice is musical and normal, so it's a mystery as to why she never continued far into the early talkies. She retired soon after making this movie. William Wyler let's her shine and despite all the horror stories one hears about how frozen actors were in l929 because of the microphone, you certainly don't see any of that stiffness here. Kino has done a beautiful job restoring and bringing us this unknown comedy from the great William Wyler. I'm getting ready to watch it again--and wonder anew why Laura quit the movie business only a year after "The Love trap" was released.