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It

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Precious Little Gem!
Review: A first-rate romantic-comedy sensation of its day, this precious little gem of a movie shows actress Clara Bow at the peak of her short-lived career. This is silent cinema at it best, showing the lighter side to the silent era.
Clearly, Clara Bow is the star here, front and center, but the supporting cast is fantastic as well. The story isn't particularly original, brilliant, or surprising, but then it doesn't have to be. In fact, it probably shouldn't be.
This Kino DVD is a fine transfer, with little grain, and looks sharp, clean, and wonedrfully clear considering its age. The soundtrack score is clean and fits well.
Clara Bow looks so adorable in this film that its hard not to fall in love with her as you watch this film. It's just such a charming little romantic piece full of cuteness and playfulness, just like Bow herself.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A silent classic that defined sex appeal in the movies
Review: Clara Bow stars in this wonderful silent film as Betty Lou Spence a shopgirl at Waltham's Department Store. When she first sees her boss, the handsome Cyrus Waltham, Jr. (played by Antonio Moreno), she falls for him and decides that he is to be her husband. But Waltham barely notices the shopgirl until his friend Monty Montgomery (comically played by William Austin) spies her at the counter and determines that she has "It," a certain type of sex appeal. With the help of Monty and her own "It" factor, Betty tries to win the man of her dreams.

This is a delightful romantic comedy, based upon the short story by Elinor Glyn -- who also makes a cameo appearance in the film. the acting is spot on, so much so that you don't even need the title cards. You can tell exactly what's going on. Clara Bow is amazing as Betty, with just the right charm and sex appeal. The great music accompaniment on this DVD was written by Carl Davis and matches the film perfectly.

A classic romantic comedy from the Silent Era.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A silent classic that defined sex appeal in the movies
Review: Clara Bow stars in this wonderful silent film as Betty Lou Spence a shopgirl at Waltham's Department Store. When she first sees her boss, the handsome Cyrus Waltham, Jr. (played by Antonio Moreno), she falls for him and decides that he is to be her husband. But Waltham barely notices the shopgirl until his friend Monty Montgomery (comically played by William Austin) spies her at the counter and determines that she has "It," a certain type of sex appeal. With the help of Monty and her own "It" factor, Betty tries to win the man of her dreams.

This is a delightful romantic comedy, based upon the short story by Elinor Glyn -- who also makes a cameo appearance in the film. the acting is spot on, so much so that you don't even need the title cards. You can tell exactly what's going on. Clara Bow is amazing as Betty, with just the right charm and sex appeal. The great music accompaniment on this DVD was written by Carl Davis and matches the film perfectly.

A classic romantic comedy from the Silent Era.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It: Clara Bow Had 'It'
Review: For a few brief years in the mid 1920s, Clara Bow stood above all Hollywood as the new kind of female lead. All other actresses may have been beautiful, sexy, or even talented, but their talent was used only to bounce off their male leads. These females could radiate only a virginal sort of charm, one that could be accepted or rejected by her suitor. Clara Bow changed all that. In her very first film, Bow, looking like a twenties combination of a zesty Cindy Lauper with a sizzling Marilyn Monroe, bounced all over the screen, radiating from her face that she was a woman who was not bashful about getting what she wants. By 1927, Bow, only 22, was already a star. Hollywood was determined to use her sexual presence to elevate her to unheard of levels. The problem was that the word 'sex' was a no-no; however the word 'it' was not. The would-be producers of Bow's next film looked to a hack writer named Elinor Glynn for a lead that would let them sell sex, even if it meant using a pseudonym. For an unspecified large sum, Glynn gave them permission to use her copywrighted 'it' as the fulcrum to build the first female smoldering superstar. The name of the film, of course, was IT, and so Clara Bow was forever associated as the girl who had 'it.' The plot was rather simple. She plays a shopgirl who has to explain the unwanted presence of a baby in order to snag her boss. During the film, all of her trademark techniques are used: huge smiles, hair fluffing, direct pursuit of her man, rapid-fire dialogue, and a willingness to tell the Establishment to go to hell. By the end of he film, she has her man, and Hollywood had its superstar.
Even today, watching IT is a lesson that eternally repeats itself. Talent,in whatever medium, will showcase itself. Clara Bow had that and it as well. It took Jean Harlow to pick up the baton that Clara Bow held out for the next worthy contender for her title.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It: Clara Bow Had 'It'
Review: For a few brief years in the mid 1920s, Clara Bow stood above all Hollywood as the new kind of female lead. All other actresses may have been beautiful, sexy, or even talented, but their talent was used only to bounce off their male leads. These females could radiate only a virginal sort of charm, one that could be accepted or rejected by her suitor. Clara Bow changed all that. In her very first film, Bow, looking like a twenties combination of a zesty Cindy Lauper with a sizzling Marilyn Monroe, bounced all over the screen, radiating from her face that she was a woman who was not bashful about getting what she wants. By 1927, Bow, only 22, was already a star. Hollywood was determined to use her sexual presence to elevate her to unheard of levels. The problem was that the word 'sex' was a no-no; however the word 'it' was not. The would-be producers of Bow's next film looked to a hack writer named Elinor Glynn for a lead that would let them sell sex, even if it meant using a pseudonym. For an unspecified large sum, Glynn gave them permission to use her copywrighted 'it' as the fulcrum to build the first female smoldering superstar. The name of the film, of course, was IT, and so Clara Bow was forever associated as the girl who had 'it.' The plot was rather simple. She plays a shopgirl who has to explain the unwanted presence of a baby in order to snag her boss. During the film, all of her trademark techniques are used: huge smiles, hair fluffing, direct pursuit of her man, rapid-fire dialogue, and a willingness to tell the Establishment to go to hell. By the end of he film, she has her man, and Hollywood had its superstar.
Even today, watching IT is a lesson that eternally repeats itself. Talent,in whatever medium, will showcase itself. Clara Bow had that and it as well. It took Jean Harlow to pick up the baton that Clara Bow held out for the next worthy contender for her title.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: IT is the best movie ever
Review: In vivid 1927 color, this movie features what can only be described as IT. IT will shock and amaze you. Spectacular special effects added to the reality of IT. IT serves so may purposes, DVD, glider, even a door stop. IT should be at the top of your viewieng list, right under politicians.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: It
Review: IT is a lot more fun than a silent film has any right to be. The story is simply enough (think shop girl Cinderella fantasy,) the acting credible enough, and the editing competent enough to almost make title cards unnecessary. This is a movie that celebrates reaction shots. The biggest contributor, though, is cute, bubbly, down-to-earth sex goddess Clara Bow. To top it off, the Image release also boasts an informative commentary track, a remarkably clean print and a modern, custom-built score.
They had to play it coy back then, but today we can step out from behind the euphemisms and reveal the definition of "It" as sexual attractiveness. Even by modern standards the perky Bow had "It" in spades, especially when compared to such grotesque contemporaries as the ghoulish Theda Bara and the vulgar Mae West. After all these years Bow still looks cute and modern, while her rivals have faded into obscurity and decades of exaggerated parody.
I haven't the finer sensibilities needed to fully appreciate female-centric tales of the poor girl getting the rich boy. The plot seems thin, and the secondary characters a bit boring when Bow's not on the screen. Still, I have no problem enthusiastically recommending this to anybody.


Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Film!
Review: One of the best silent films to hit the screen. If you're interested in silent films or Clara Bow, this is a great place to start. Beautiful Clara stars as a vivacious shop girl named Betty Lou who has designs on the handsome department store manager, played by Antonio Moreno. William Austin turns in a funny performance as Monty. Buy this film, you'll be glad you did!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: CLARA'S BEAUS.
Review: One of the most brilliant publicity campaigns in the history of the movies surrounded the making of Clara Bow's most famous vehicle. Elinor Glyn, an author of heavy-breathing romances during the twenties, announced that Clara Bow had IT (i.e. massive sex-appeal) whereupon Paramount's propaganda department flooded the media with "WHAT -IS- IT?" items, Bow's press agent disclosed that Bow's next picture would be simply entitled - surprise! - "IT", written and produced by Mme. Glyn (who wrote the sensational novel of the same title). The whole gimmick was so effective that a little comedy about a shopgirl who chases and captivates the store-owner became a smash-hit and zoomed Bow to superstardom. Look briefly for Gary Cooper (with whom Bow would have a red-hot affair in a couple of years) Incredibly, Josef Von Sterberg was handed a few scenes to direct!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Film That Introduced The "IT" Girl--Darling Clara Bow!
Review: One of the most popular writers of the roaring 20s was "Madame" Elinor Glynn--a middle-aged and decidedly matronly-looking woman who fancied herself as the arbiter of all things pertaining to sex-appeal. Madame Glynn called sex-appeal IT, wrote a book by that name, and then made considerable money informing the public who had IT and who didn't. And Madame Glynn declared that the little known actress Clara Bow had IT, and that Clara would star in a movie called IT.

It was a put-up job, of course, with Madame Glyn handsomely paid (and given a cameo appearance in the movie) for her trouble. But it would have all been naught--except for the fact that Clara Bow really did have IT. She turned in an extra-charming performance and shot to stardom as the "IT" girl.

Make no mistake about it: Bow is a LOT of fun to watch, a doll-like beauty with an infectious smile and bubbly energy. And IT, the very slight story of a shop girl smitten with love for the big boss (Antonio Moreno), is tailor-made to display her charms; comic actor William Austin also has several good moments as Bow's would-be suitor. Clara Bow would appear in considerably more sophistocated films later in her career, but IT provides a great introduction to one of the most adorable actresses to grace the silent screen. Recommended.


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