Reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

February 10, 2024
7.0
When King James VII (& II) (Sam De Grasse) decides to take revenge on one of his treacherous nobles, he visits the most abhorrent of gifts on his young son. A grin. Cut into his face so that he may always be able to laugh at the thought of his father's betrayals! Pretty swiftly, that king is deposed and the youngster grows up to be "Gwynplaine" (Conrad Veidt). He, in turn, rescues the blind young "Dea" (Mary Philbin) and together they grow up with "Ursus" (Cesare Gravina) as their protector-cum-philosophiser! Besotted, the marked man hides his visage behind a dark cloak certain this his increasing love of "Dea" can never be reciprocated. All the while, Queen Anne (Josephine Crowell) now reigns and thanks to her manipulative jester "Barkilphedro" (Brandon Hurst) - who also worked for the former king, and his puppet-master the rather malevolent "Duchess Josiana" (Olga Baclanova) "Gwynplaine" is introduced to the Stuart court. That's a viper's nest of intrigues and game-playing, presided over by the shrewd and domineering monarch - and soon he becomes embroiled in a plot that could lead to his own destruction whilst he struggles to retain his own sense of decency and, of course, the affections of his love. It's a standard historical story of betrayal and retribution, this - but the photography and direction do really help it stand out. The initial scenes with the "iron lady" - a weapon of torture whose presence prevails throughout - are effective, and Weidt and his piercing eyes (well lit, too) focus the attention well as his character comes to terms with the wrongs done in the past and his options for the future. Some of the scenes are quite intimate and almost provocatively shot, and the settings generally are perfectly matched to the increasingly Machiavellian and sometimes quite amusing plotting that still leaves room for an unfolding love story that avoids sentimentality and delivers with grit and realism a dark depiction of early 17th century British politics.

Recommendation Movies

6.9
Drama
View
6.9
Lemon Tree
Lemon Tree2008
5.6
Drama
View
5.6
The Most Beautiful
The Most Beautiful1944
5.7
Thriller
View
5.7
Nothing Underneath
Nothing Underneath1985
6.9
Comedy
View
6.9
For Heaven's Sake
For Heaven's Sake1926
5.4
Comedy
View
5.4
The Queens
The Queens1966
6.6
Horror
View
6.6
Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary
Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary2002
4.5
Drama
View
4.5
Game 6
Game 62006
6.9
Comedy
View
6.9
An Eastern Westerner
An Eastern Westerner1920
7.8
Drama
View
7.8
Moral
Moral1982
6.2
Horror
View
6.2
The Blood on Satan's Claw
The Blood on Satan's Claw1971
7.5
Drama
View
7.5
The Unknown
The Unknown1927
7
Drama
View
7
La Bête Humaine
La Bête Humaine1938
7.7
Science Fiction
View
7.7
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - The Laughing Man2005
7.8
Drama
View
7.8
The Last Laugh
The Last Laugh1924
5.7
Horror
View
5.7
Ghost House
Ghost House2017
6.5
Comedy
View
6.5
Bubba Ho-tep
Bubba Ho-tep2002
7.6
Drama
View
7.6
Au Hasard Balthazar
Au Hasard Balthazar1966
7.5
Romance
View
7.5
L'Atalante
L'Atalante1934
7.4
Horror
View
7.4
Un Chien Andalou
Un Chien Andalou1929
5.7
Thriller
View
5.7
Based on a True Story
Based on a True Story2017
© 2025 MoovieTime. All rights reserved.Made with Nuxt