PROUD FLESH

US, 1925, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Eleanor Boardman, Pat O'Malley, Harrison Ford, Joan Crawford.
Directed by King Vidor.

Proud Flesh is a minor King Vidor film and a starring vehicle for Eleanor Boardman (who appeared in The Crowd). It has a silent version re-creation of the San Francisco earthquake and then moves into the '20s in Spain and in America. It is conventional material - but quite entertaining in its way.

1.The silent film style, fixed camera, angles and editing? The work of King Vidor? The cast? Black and white photography, studio and locations?

2.The San Francisco earthquake and its aftermath? The special effects work?

3.Fernanda and her survival, going to Spain, growing up in Spain, her arrogance? Don Diego and his attentions? Her decision to go to America? Her life in America, her arrogance, her maid? Diego being in America? The encounter with Pat, his mother? The romance, her decisions, leaving Pat? The influence of Diego? The final decision and her remaining with Pat?

4.Diego, the stereotyped European cad? In Spain, in America, attentions to Fernanda? Rivalry with Pat? His self-sacrifice - and his black book with another address?

5.Pat, the mining background, devotion to his mother, the sturdy American hero? The encounters with Fernanda? Proposal, her decision to leave him? The return and his happiness?

6.Familiar ingredients for many romances, comedies and melodramas of the future? The significance of the title? The humour and irony in the captions?