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Above, L–R: 0YM AND &REDDIE CHALLENGE !MERICAN COMPETITOR 0ALMER 2OD 4AYLOR WHILE PIANIST ,OU 'ARRY -C$ONALD WATCHES ON 0YM -ADAME #AVALLI AND &REDDIE

its evocative rendering of the past, its capturing of particular inci to be instantly cherishable.’ These two responses suggest
dents, the expressive commitment of its often broad but colourful WKH YHU\ GLIIHUHQW FRQWH[WV IRU WKH ĺOPpV UHFHSWLRQ LQ $XVWUDOLD
characterisations (particularly those portrayed by the almost always DQG RYHUVHDV
UHOLDEOH (ZDUW DQG 0HLOORQ DQG LWV FOHDU H\HG EXW QRVWDOJLF SRUWUDLW
RI D ODUJHO\ IRUJRWWHQ ZD\ RI OLIH 3RZHUpV ĺOP VXUYLYHV DV D UHPQDQW Openings and closings
of a very different screen industry, one that has been transformed
almost as radically in the last forty years as it was between the time The opening sequence of 3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@M emphasises
of 3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@M’s production and its setting in the 1920s. WKHVH GLIIHUHQW RU VKLIWLQJ QRWLRQV RI WLPH 7KH ĺOP FRPPHQFHV
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the cinema, mostly within local halls rigged up for the screenings, WKH 1HZ 6RXWK :DOHV FRXQWU\VLGH 2Q WKH VRXQGWUDFN t WKDQN
LW LVQpW WKDW LQWHUHVWHG LQ WKH PHFKDQLFV RI ĺOP H[KLELWLRQ EH\RQG fully, for just about the last time – is heard the theme song meant
WKH ZRQGHU DQG GDQJHU RI OLPHOLJKW WKH GLIĺFXOWLHV RI FUHDWLQJ D to evoke the spirit and sound of the 1920s, but more accurately
complete entertainment package (with live performers and piano reminiscent of any number of anachronistic novelty songs of the

DFFRPSDQLPHQW WKH ODWWHU D PXFK LQ GHPDQG 1970s. Immediately following the credits, the
FRPPRGLW\ DQG WKH SUHFDULRXVQHVV RI KDQG Power’s film survives as a camera cuts to a closer shot of the carriage and
cranked projection. This is both a strength and establishes the isolation of its occupants within
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opportunity to provide a more layered ‘lesson’ screen industry, one that has PHQW 5HYHDOLQJO\ 3\P )UHGGLH DQG SLDQR SOD\HU

LQ ĺOP KLVWRU\ %XW 3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@M is been transformed almost /RX *DUU\ 0F'RQDOG ) become immediately and
more concerned with giving its audience a sense as radically in the last forty OLWHUDOO\ ERJJHG GRZQ WKHLU ROG IDVKLRQHG PRGH
of being in a particular time and place, one in yearsasitwasbetweenthe of transport waylaid by the mud cloying around
keeping with the highly situated and peculiarly time of The Picture Show the wheels of their carriage. From this moment
KHLJKWHQHG H[SHULHQFHV RI WKH UXUDO SLFWXUH onwards, we are attuned to the struggle of these
show audiences of the 1920s. Of course, this Man’s production and FKDUDFWHUV ZKR FRQWLQXH WR SUDFWLVH WKHLU ROG
preoccupation with the ‘texture’ and peculiar its setting in the 1920s. fashioned way of life in the increasingly modern
temporality of the past is a key characteristic ised world that surrounds them.
RI WKH $XVWUDOLDQ SHULRG ĺOP RI WKH V DQG HDUO\ V 6XFK D In 3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@M, the cinema appears less as a force
IRFXV RQ WKH VOXJJLVK SDVVDJH RI WLPH RI D ORQJ SDVW PRPHQW LV RI PRGHUQLW\ WKDQ D FRQWLQXDWLRQ RI QLQHWHHQWK FHQWXU\ IRUPV RI
HTXDOO\ FKDUDFWHULVWLF RI ORZ NH\ ĺOPV VXFK DV "@CCHD, Between PL[HG PRGH HQWHUWDLQPHQW 7KLV LV SDUWLFXODUO\ WUXH RI WKH FLQ
Wars (Michael Thornhill, 1974), !QD@J NE #@X .HQ +DQQDP HPDWLF H[SHULHQFH QRVWDOJLFDOO\ IDYRXUHG E\ 3RZHUpV ĺOP WKH
3GD (QHRGL@M 'RQDOG &URPELH 6D NE SGD -DUDQ -DUDQ (Igor oRXW RI WLPH QHVVp RI LWV FHQWUDO FKDUDFWHUV DQG WKHLU SXUVXLWV DUH
Auzins, 1982), 4MCDQBNUDQ 'DYLG 6WHYHQV DQG WKH PRUH O\UL immediately reinforced by the appearance of a rival, the American
cal passages of /HBMHB @S '@MFHMF 1NBJ. 29 SLFWXUH VKRZ RSHUDWRU 3DOPHU 7KH ODWWHU PRYHV PXFK PRUH IUHHO\
,Q PRVW RI WKHVH ĺOPV WKH SDVW LV SUHVHQWHG DV oDQRWKHU FRXQ DQG TXLFNO\ WKURXJK WKH ODQGVFDSH LV SODLQO\ SHGGOLQJ D PRUH XS
try’ – a connected but distanced ‘physical’ space carved from a WR GDWH SURGXFW t LQGLFDWHG IRU LQVWDQFH E\ WKH ĻDVKLHU DQG PRUH
very different temporality. This particular emphasis in 3GD /HBSTQD polished advertising that adorns his carriage – and immediately

2GNV ,@M was met with both praise and criticism. For example, VWHDOV WKH GLVJUXQWOHG /RX IURP 3\PpV VKRZ (YHQ WKRXJK KH SUH

0F)DUODQH GHVFULEHG WKH ĺOP DV oVHOI LQGXOJHQWp and elsewhere ĺJXUHV WKH LQHYLWDEOH VXFFHVV DQG GRPLQDQFH RI $PHULFDQ LQWHUHVWV
suggested that ‘3GD /HBSTQD 2GNV ,@M’s faults are almost wholly LQ WKH $XVWUDOLDQ ĺOP LQGXVWU\ 3DOPHUpV FRQQHFWLRQ WR SODFH LV PXFK
derived from a screenplay that moves at a snail’s pace, as if pace OHVV JURXQGHG DQG ĺ[HG WKDQ WKDW RI 3\P DQG KLV JDQJ
or energy were vulgar’. ,Q FRQWUDVW %ULWLVK FULWLF 'HUHN 0DOFROP This was also true of the actors themselves. Both Meillon and

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for a good mood. And that’s a rare enough thing in movies today VLJQLĺFDQW LQURDGV LQWR LQWHUQDWLRQDO SURGXFWLRQ ZKLOH 7D\ORU PRYHG

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