Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927, F. W. Murnau)
A Retrospective Review by David M. Arnold
"Sunrise" has to be the most romantic silent film ever made. It concerns a man (played by George O'Brien) and his wife (Janet Gaynor) who are nameless (although we learn from the original photoplay that they are named Ansass and Indre). It's better that the film doesn't name them -- they become archetypes for all couples. They appear to be peasants living in a vaguely Eastern European village, one in which the residents make a little extra money by renting out extra rooms to summer vacationers. Ansass is smitten by a Woman From the City boarding at a neighboring farm (Margaret Livingston, called "the Vamp" in the photoplay, using the 1920's argot), who convinces him to murder Indre, sell the farm and move to the City. He agrees to stage a boating accident and to leave Indre to drown.
When the moment comes, Ansass is unable to commit the crime. He rows to shore and Indre, in a panic, runs and catches a tram into town. Ansass jumps onto the tram and tries to comfort her. During an impromptu adventure in the City, he quells her fear and rekindles the love between them. They renew their marriage vows, they have their photograph taken, and they spend an evening in some kind of amusement park that appears to be a cross between a state fair midway and the Rainbow Room.
Then, after they have revitalized their relationship, the pair are confronted with an ironic final crisis.
F. W. Murnau, along with Fritz Lang, were the two directors to emerge from the post-WWI German Expressionist movement who revealed any enduring talent. I believe Murnau to have been the better of the two: Unfortunately his career was cut short by an untimely automobile accident, leaving only Lang to develop a significant canon of work.
Released in 1927, "Sunrise" was on the cusp between the true silents and the talkies. Fox had already developed their "Movietone" system, an optical sound-on-film technique that they used for their newsreels. "Sunrise" was distributed with a Movitone sountrack that included a musical score and some sound effects but no dialogue. Dialogue was presented using the tried-and-true silent film technique of intertitles. It would still be a few years before sound technology would be fully shaken out, and before both filmmakers and their audiences had adapted to the new medium.
"Sunrise" premiered at the Roxy Theatre in New York, accompanied by the Roxy Orchestra conducted by Hugo Riesenfeld. Microphones picked up the score and the signals were transmitted via telephone wires to the Western Electric labs where they were recorded and converted into a Movietone soundtrack. We are fortunate that the Movitone soundtrack survived, even if the reproduction is crude by today's standards (although I think the audio sounds better than many surviving late '20's vintage phonograph records).
The Fox laserdisc of "Sunrise" offers two soundtracks: The digital track is a modern score for orchestra composed and conducted by silent film accompianist Timothy Brock, and the analog track is the original Movietone soundtrack. Watching the laserdisc on home theatre equipment featuring a big screen, and listening to Brock's score in high fidelity stereo gives the viewer a taste of what a silent film experience must have been like in a large, urban film palace with a live orchestra.
However, The true power of the film comes through when experienced with Riesenfeld's original Movietone sound track. As good as Brock is at creating silent accompaniaments (I admire his work featured on the "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" laserdisc and DVD), Riesenfeld is the true pro. Riesenfeld's score truly enhances the moods and emotions of the visuals. The difference between the two scores is most dramatic at the close of the film, Riesenfelds's rising to a crescendo to drive home the theme of Love Victorious. Brock's score evokes the original silent film experience; Riesenfeld's score drives one to tears.
William Fox brought Murnau over from Germany after he made his film "The Last Laugh", famous for not requiring a single title card. Fox wanted "Sunrise" to be a showcase for his studio's abilities. This film has it All: Huge sets built in forced perspective and using children and midgets as extras to provide the illusion of great depth; a tram track laid for the long, lyrical ride from the country to the city; process shots (including Schuefftan effects and travelling mattes); deep focus.
Murnau was a master at fluid camera movement. A scene in which Ansass trudges through a marsh on his way to his assignation with The Vamp was done in a single shot involving complex camera tracking; the effect is breathtaking. Shots are taken while riding the tram and on board boats. Murnau was also a master of open form, suggesting space outside the slightly claustrophobic, narrowed Movietone frame by having action move in from the sides of the screen.
He also exploited multiple images in "Sunrise". Some of the stuff might seem a bit corny to modern viewers, but the World saw a lot of it here first. The only shot that doesn't work for me is the one at the end of Ansass's and Indre's night on the town when they embrace and the shot dissolves to them embracing as cherubs circle over them looking like they were suspended from the blades of a spinning Casablanca-style ceiling fan.
Janet Gaynor won the first ever Academy Award for Best Actress for her work in "Sunrise", along with "Seventh Heaven" and "Street Angels". Margaret Livingston is absolutely believable as the lascivious, amoral, goldigging home wrecker.
One of the requirements that a film must satisfy before I consider it to be a great film that it bear watching over and over again without losing its freshness or appeal (it's funny, but silent films seem to have an easier time satisfying this requirement). "Sunrise" not only bears repeated viewings, it deserves them.
"Sunrise" is available on VHS tape from Critics Choice Video. This version features the original Movietone soundtrack. The Fox laserdisc features a much cleaner print, and includes Timothy Brock's modern score, along with the Movietone soundtrack, plus some supplementary production material.
Essay copyright (C) 1999 David M. Arnold. All rights reserved.
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