THE BELLS
US, 1926, 68 minutes, Black and white/Tinted.
Lionel Barrymore, Boris Karloff, Caroline Frances Cooke, Gustav von Seyffertitz.
Directed by James Young.
The Bells is based on a play by Alexandre Chatrian and Emile Erckmann, adapted for the stage by Leopold Lewis. It relates very strongly to various stories from central Europe with relationship between the Jewish community and the Christian community. This film is set outside Strasbourg.
The film is interesting for perceptions on the relationship between Jews and Christians, and anti-Semitism in the 19th century. The Christian community in this film seems to be Catholic.
Lionel Barrymore plays an ambitious inn owner in Strasbourg who wants to be the mayor of the town. He is a genial kind of person, contrasting with his wife who is something of a harridan in the inn. Boris Karloff appears as a touring mesmerist, who has an important role in the final court case. A visiting Jew from Warsaw comes to the inn at Christmas time (with evocations about the Christian tradition and Christmas). He has a great deal of money and this is a temptation for the innkeeper who kills the Jew, robbing him and disposing of his body in a kiln (an anticipation, unwittingly, of the fate of so many Jews in the concentration camps).
The innkeeper has nightmares, filled with guilt about what he has done. The Jew appears to him – and, ultimately, with a background of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, blesses him, offers him shalom and forgives him.
The film is one of the last from the silent era. The performance by Lionel Barrymore is quite dramatic and Boris Karloff shows that he could portray sinister characters well before his Frankenstein monster.
The film is significant in the continuing portrait of Jewish themes on the American screen. While most of the movie moguls were Jewish, they had reticence in portraying Jewish themes at the time. However, the next year, one of the most significant Jewish films with Jewish themes and characters, The Jazz Singer, inaugurated the sound era.
1. The impact of the film as a silent film, plot, captions, performances and styles, lavish sets, tint, musical score?
2. The origins of the film, the 19th century play, for 20th century audiences and later? The theme of the Wandering Jew? Variations on the theme? The European play adapted for the UK and the US? Performances, drama? The variety of films made of the plot, their being lost? The late 20th century opera?
3. Jewish themes, Hollywood, the moguls, American anti-Semitism?
4. The Christian, Catholic background? Catholics and Jews, the 19th century, Alsace, the history of clash, oppression, suspicions of wealth? Stealing from the Jews, murder, destroying the evidence? The Christian being haunted, guilty conscience, the possibility of repentance, punishment, atonement?
5. The visuals, the Jewish garb and look, the Catholic iconography?
6. The blend of the real and the surreal, the images, especially in the dreams and the haunting?
7. Mathias, Lionel Barrymore’s performance, from Alsace, the 19th century, his inn, genial with the guests, his wife and her severity, Frantz and the issue of the debt, Mathias’s ambitions, to be mayor, free drinks for all, buying votes? His being deceptive for the audience because of his being genial?
8. Frantz, seemingly sinister, the debt, the clashes, his wanting to take over, wanting to marry Mathias’s daughter, the forbidding of the marriage? His ultimately being paid back? His not being the villain as expected?
9. Mathias’s daughter, the prospect of marriage, Christian and the police, the arrival, Christian in charge, in love with the daughter, the proposal, the wedding ceremony?
10. The Christmas setting, the Catholic traditions, the visit of the Wandering Jew, shalom, peace be with you? Hospitality? The Jew from Warsaw, Mathias and the drink, the discussions, the belt of money, Mathias trying it on?
11. The Jew and his receiving hospitality, the departure, Mathias, the motivations, taking the axe, the brutal murder?
12. The use of the money, his alleging it came from his uncle, paying of his debt to Frantz, the dowry for the wedding?
13. The background of the fair, the liveliness of the town, the fortune teller and the interview with Mathias, her fear and refusal? The mesmerist? His challenge, evidence of his talent?
14. The mesmerist returning, with the Jew’s brother, the threats to find the truth, Mathias’s attitude, Mathias saying the mesmerist was the Devil? The brother and the search?
15. The police, the captain, the fact that there was no body, going to Mathias, his reaction, the benign interpretation by Christian? Thinking Mathias non-violent? Mathias trying to thwart the investigation?
16. Mathias elected mayor, the celebrations?
17. The curse, his imagination, being haunted, his dreams?
18. The dreams, the mesmerist, the court case, the judge, the re-enactment of the crime, late in the film? The pottery, the kiln, the disposal of the body?
19. The Jew appearing, Mathias’s repentance, the peace, the blessing, the statue of Mary? Mathias and his atonement?
