Rating: 
Summary: Why De Mille has a poor reputation?
Review: A previous reviewer raised an interesting question. He asked "It is really hard to see why De Mille has such a relatively poor reputation, when one sees a film like Male and Female." This is not really a hard question to answer, but one must understand De Mille and the nature of his politics. De Mille has a poor reputation for many of the same reasons that Elia Kazan was treated so poorly at the Oscars a few years ago by so many in Hollywood and the same reasons why Robert Taylor's name was removed from a building on the old MGM lot. De Mille was anti-unionist, anti-communist, conservative, Republican; profoundly religious the other things that tend to destroy one's reputation in Hollywood. In the 1940's De Mille was forced out of the host position of Lux Radio Theatre because he refused to join the union of AFRA, (now Aftra). What is often forgotten about De Mille is that he was, along with Samuel Goldfish, and Jesse L. Lasky, one of the founders of Paramount and in the early days of that studio, he was the creative force. He not only directed and produced many of the company's films, but also was in control of the company's entire output, writing scripts and directing sequences in films assigned to other directors. De Mille is often credited as the first man to film (the 1914 Squaw Man) in Hollywood. He did more than any other man to make Hollywood the greatest film center of the World. He handled every genre in film and even invented some that never existed before. In the mid 20's, De Mille sold his shares in Paramount and joined MGM briefly where he made some of his worst films such as the eccentric Madame Satan. De Mille doesn't deserve the poor reputation that he has. He was a cut above most of his competitors in narrative skills, pacing of action, in gauging public tastes and anticipating the changing moods of the nation. He developed some of Hollywood's brightest and most famous stars. He was a master storyteller and his films almost always entertained. But in Hollywood, as the truely blacklisted Kazan, Adolph Menjou and William Dmytryk found, your reputation is often judged on your politics and not by your product.
Rating: 
Summary: Class distinctions fall apart on DeMille's desert island
Review: Cecil B. DeMille's 1919 film "Male and Female" is certainly representative of the director's silent work. Based on James M. Barrie's "The Admirable Chrichton," the film provides half-naked women in a story that constitutes social commentary. The story here finds Gloria Swanson as Lady Mary Lasenby, a snobbish socialite who is shipwrecked upon a desert island with her but fiance Lord Brockelhurst (Robert Cain), her butler Crichton (Thomas Meighan), and her scullery maid Tweeny (Lila Lee). The class distinctions that existed on the yacht of Lord Loam (Theodore Roberts) quickly fall apart as the group tries to survive and Lady Mary falls in love. DeMille, not content with showing Swanson swimming half-naked, contrives one of his celebrated flashbacks where Crichton becomes the King of Babylon and Swanson is the Christian slave girl that he must tame. I always thought that Babylon was long gone by the time of Christianity, but who am I to argue with DeMille? The pagan spectacle is diverting, especially the bit with the peacock headdress. What amazes me is how DeMille ties it into the present day narrative: because the King tames the slave girl she curses him so that in future lives he will be her servant. However, when they achieve equality in the "present," the two lovers are shown at the end in their ancient bodies, with Swanson sitting content at the throne of her man. I am sure we have all seen some variation on this storyline at some point, but with "Male and Female" we must have the oldest version of the tale still preserved on film. This is one of those silent classics where night scenes are tinted blue and the flashbacks appear golden. This is the film that made Gloria Swanson a star and you can certainly see why. Every time I see "Sunset Blvd." from now on, when DeMille talks about when Norma Desmond was a star, this is the film I will recall in my mind's eye.
Rating:
Summary: Class distinctions fall apart on DeMille's desert island
Review: Cecil B. DeMille's 1919 film "Male and Female" is certainly representative of the director's silent work. Based on James M. Barrie's "The Admirable Chrichton," the film provides half-naked women in a story that constitutes social commentary. The story here finds Gloria Swanson as Lady Mary Lasenby, a snobbish socialite who is shipwrecked upon a desert island with her but fiance Lord Brockelhurst (Robert Cain), her butler Crichton (Thomas Meighan), and her scullery maid Tweeny (Lila Lee). The class distinctions that existed on the yacht of Lord Loam (Theodore Roberts) quickly fall apart as the group tries to survive and Lady Mary falls in love. DeMille, not content with showing Swanson swimming half-naked, contrives one of his celebrated flashbacks where Crichton becomes the King of Babylon and Swanson is the Christian slave girl that he must tame. I always thought that Babylon was long gone by the time of Christianity, but who am I to argue with DeMille? The pagan spectacle is diverting, especially the bit with the peacock headdress. What amazes me is how DeMille ties it into the present day narrative: because the King tames the slave girl she curses him so that in future lives he will be her servant. However, when they achieve equality in the "present," the two lovers are shown at the end in their ancient bodies, with Swanson sitting content at the throne of her man. I am sure we have all seen some variation on this storyline at some point, but with "Male and Female" we must have the oldest version of the tale still preserved on film. This is one of those silent classics where night scenes are tinted blue and the flashbacks appear golden. This is the film that made Gloria Swanson a star and you can certainly see why. Every time I see "Sunset Blvd." from now on, when DeMille talks about when Norma Desmond was a star, this is the film I will recall in my mind's eye.
Rating:
Summary: Class distinctions fall apart on DeMille's desert island
Review: Cecil B. DeMille's 1919 film "Male and Female" is certainly representative of the director's silent work. Based on James M. Barrie's "The Admirable Chrichton," the film provides half-naked women in a story that constitutes social commentary. The story here finds Gloria Swanson as Lady Mary Lasenby, a snobbish socialite who is shipwrecked upon a desert island with her but fiance Lord Brockelhurst (Robert Cain), her butler Crichton (Thomas Meighan), and her scullery maid Tweeny (Lila Lee). The class distinctions that existed on the yacht of Lord Loam (Theodore Roberts) quickly fall apart as the group tries to survive and Lady Mary falls in love. DeMille, not content with showing Swanson swimming half-naked, contrives one of his celebrated flashbacks where Crichton becomes the King of Babylon and Swanson is the Christian slave girl that he must tame. I always thought that Babylon was long gone by the time of Christianity, but who am I to argue with DeMille? The pagan spectacle is diverting, especially the bit with the peacock headdress. What amazes me is how DeMille ties it into the present day narrative: because the King tames the slave girl she curses him so that in future lives he will be her servant. However, when they achieve equality in the "present," the two lovers are shown at the end in their ancient bodies, with Swanson sitting content at the throne of her man. I am sure we have all seen some variation on this storyline at some point, but with "Male and Female" we must have the oldest version of the tale still preserved on film. This is one of those silent classics where night scenes are tinted blue and the flashbacks appear golden. This is the film that made Gloria Swanson a star and you can certainly see why. Every time I see "Sunset Blvd." from now on, when DeMille talks about when Norma Desmond was a star, this is the film I will recall in my mind's eye.
Rating: 
Summary: Way more than expected
Review: I had read some of the reviews on this film, and although they do a good job of revealing the basic plot synopsis, they don't fully do it justice.
first of all, when the DVD cover says "lavishly staged", that was really an understatement. sure, i knew about the legendary "King of Babylon" scene and was expecting a lavish DeMille set for that segment, but this statement also applies to the rest of the film as well. for example, i was shocked by the scene of the ship crashing and sinking, with both an external ship torn up on the rocks, as well as amazing internal shots of the rock breaching the hull and Gloria trapped in the flooding water below deck.
the scenes on the island were always beautiful, although one thing that seems to be absent from other reviews is the point of ridiculousness that the castoways nearly descend to. to be frank, i wasn't expecting a depiction of shipwreck that so closely resembeled Gilligan's Island, but when you look at it, there are similarities between the cast: the millionaire, the movie star (Gloria Swanson), the girl next door, even a cowardly comic relief Gilliganesque character, not to mention the admirable Chrichton, whose outlandish inventions put him in the position of the professor. to modern audiences, it is a little absurd to see the grass hut mansion complete with modern furniture and other luxuries, but it isn't any less entertaining.
although the basic premise of the movie is well known, it has probably never been conveyed as well as it was in this film (reference the similar theme in the Madonna film, Swept Away). mostly, that credit goes to amazing direction and a stunning cast. one can easily see why Gloria Swanson was one of the world's biggest sensations, because she can evoke sympathy from the audience for even the most undesirable characters like Lady Mary. the cast deserves a standing ovation for their performance, which otherwise could have been just a silly melodrama. instead, we actually do care about the unjust caste system and how it affects the lovers on both sides of the spectrum.
Rating:
Summary: This is a silent movie, and so it has no soundtrack.
Review: I have not seen this movie, although one of my video books gives it 3 stars out of a possible 5. Generally all DeMille films of whatever era (from 1914-1956) are entertaining in an over the top way. Male and Female was made in 1919, almost ten years before sound movies were commonly made, and so the earlier reviewers comments about the faulty soundtrack are incorrect.
Rating:
Summary: The SoundTrack is Screwy
Review: I liked this movie, except that the Soundtrack is missing, I went three copies, and finally gave up, I wanted to see this movie for a class assignment, but I flunked because there was no sound to it. Yet another example of the school system failing our kids because of a technocrat's blunder.
Rating:
Summary: The Admirable De Mille
Review: It is really hard to see why De Mille has such a relatively poor reputation, when one sees a film like Male and Female. He is often lambasted and compared unfavourably with other silent directors, but De Mille outlasted most of them, not least because he was a great storyteller. The story of Male and Female, adapted from J.M. Barrie's The Admirable Crichton, is amusing and an interesting comment on class difference. The performances are naturalistic and subtle showing silent acting at its best. This film offers an especially welcome opportunity to see a very young Gloria Swanson. Her famous bath scene is much less modest than one would expect in a post production-code film, though its hardly shocking by today's standards. Her descent into a Babylonian lion's den is quite startling and not at all gratuitous (as the DVD box would have it) for the film has a number of plot points which build up to this 'dream' sequence. This DVD is really top notch, for the print is first class with very little deterioration. It is well tinted, with appropriate colours and greys. The music adds to the viewing experience, fitting in well with the mood and the pace of the film. I have only seen two of De Mille's silent films and only a few of his talkies, this film made me wish to see many more.
Rating:
Summary: better than most newer movies
Review: Saw it first on AMC Silent Sundays and loved it. An interesting look at a simpler and slower time. Interesting commentary on class and man's nature. At times, it got a little slow but the great thing about silent films is that in those days the director's challenge was to evoke emotion from the audience through action: the protanganist reacting to note just handed to him, the spying over the shoulder or the reactions to other actors. "I was a King of Bablyon and you were a Christian slave." I own it.
Rating:
Summary: better than most newer movies
Review: Saw it first on AMC Silent Sundays and loved it. An interesting look at a simpler and slower time. Interesting commentary on class and man's nature. At times, it got a little slow but the great thing about silent films is that in those days the director's challenge was to evoke emotion from the audience through action: the protanganist reacting to note just handed to him, the spying over the shoulder or the reactions to other actors. "I was a King of Bablyon and you were a Christian slave." I own it.
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