Roger Ebert rightly includes this film in his list of "Great Movies" for its camera movement, special effects and other achievements of cinematography. It's not so much the simple story of a man and his wife falling in love again that impresses, but the way the camera tells the story. Ebert talks about audio commentary on the yet-to-be released DVD of the film, facts that illuminate the otherwise hard-to-believe effects on the screen, considering the film was made in 1928, well before optical printers and other contemporary methods of special effects.
Watching the film, one sort of special effect or camera trick comes after another, but none are superfluous; each helps to tell the story and illuminate the psychological struggles of the characters, especially the man. Images are layered on top of each other in various ways, the camera glides in ways it never could before, even the titles (very few overall) contribute visually, particularly when the word drown seems to run like water.
It's one of the most visually stunning movies I've ever seen, even though it's not as technically fluid as today's big-budget movies. I highly recommend seeing the digitally remastered version at Music Box if you have the chance.
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