} Crítica Retrô: A ascensão e queda de Clara Bow / The rise and fall of Clara Bow

Tradutor / Translator / Traductor / Übersetzer / Traduttore / Traducteur / 翻訳者 / переводчик

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

A ascensão e queda de Clara Bow / The rise and fall of Clara Bow

 

A vida de Clara Bow durou 60 anos. Sua carreira meteórica, 11 anos e 58 filmes. Ela teve em 1927 seu melhor ano, quando participou de dois clássicos: o primeiro ganhador do Oscar de Melhor Filme “Asas” e o icônico “It”, que definiu uma geração. Podemos aprender muito com o primeiro e o último filme que uma estrela do cinema fez. E é isso que faremos hoje.   

 

Clara Bow’s life lasted 60 years. Her meteoric career, eleven years and 58 movies. She had in 1927 her best year, when she appeared in two classics: the first Best Picture Oscar winner “Wings” and the iconic “It”, that defined a generation. We can learn a lot from looking at the first and the last film a star made. And that’s it we’re doing today.

Todas as cenas com ela no primeiro filme que fez, “Beyond the Rainbow” (1922), foram cortadas, mas adicionadas novamente quando ela se tornou uma superestrela e o filme voltou a circular. Este filme hoje não está disponível, mas sua estreia para valer está. Ela já prevê as personagens modernas que marcariam a carreira de Clara Bow até seu último filme, no qual interpreta uma personagem corajosa.

 

All her scenes from her debut film, “Beyond the Rainbow”, (1922) were cut, but put together again after she became a superstar and the film was re-released. This movie isn’t available, but her real debut is. It already predicts her modern characters from later in her career and even in her last hurrah she was portraying a bold character.


Nasce uma estrela: Rumo ao Mar (1922)
A star is born: Down to the Sea in Ships (1922)

 

Os créditos nos contam que o filme foi “produzido em New Bedford, Massachusets, pela Companhia Baleeira de Cinema”. É um filme sobre caçar baleias, afinal de contas. O protagonista, William Morgan (William Walcott), é um baleeiro que só quer que sua filha Patience (Marguerite Courtot) se case com outro baleeiro. O garoto da casa ao lado, Allan (Raymond McKee), ama tanto Patience que abandona seu trabalho numa fábrica de algodão para ir para o mar. A neta de Morgan, Dot (Clara Bow), também embarca no navio, disfarçada usando roupas masculinas.


The credits tell us that the film was “produced in New Bedford, Massachusetts, by the Whaling Film Company”. It’s a film about hunting whales, after all. The lead, William Morgan (William Walcott), is a whaleman who only wants his daughter Patience (Marguerite Courtot) to marry another whaleman. The boy next door, Allan (Raymond McKee), loves Patience so much that he abandons his job at a cotton mill to go down to the sea. Morgan’s granddaughter Dot (Clara Bow) is also on the ship, disguised as a man.

Também interessado em Patience – e na frota de navios de Morgan – está Samuel Siggs (Jack Baston), que contrata um homem chamado Finner (Pat Hartigan) para dar um fim em Allan no meio do mar. Na cidade, o povo pensa que Dot e Allan fugiram juntos para o Oeste. Finner encontra Dot escondida no navio e ameaça machucá-la se ela não ficar com ele. Entra aí o salvador dela, Jimmy (James Turfler). Depois de um motim, Allan precisa demonstrar sua bravura caçando uma baleia.

 

Also interested in Patience - and in Morgan’s fleet of ships - there is Samuel Siggs (Jack Baston), who pays a man named Finner (Pat Hartigan) to get rid of Allan in the sea. In the town, people believe Allan and Dot ran away together to the west. Finner finds Dot hiding in the ship and threatens to harm her if she doesn’t stay with him. Enters her savior, Jimmy (James Turfler). After a mutiny, Allan has to demonstrate his bravery hunting a whale.

Este filme foi “pessoalmente filmado” por Elmer Clifton. Nascido em Chicago em 1890, ele começou a atuar nos palcos em 1907 e estreou nos cinemas em 1912, dirigindo seu primeiro filme em 1915. Ele é mais lembrado hoje porque estava dirigindo “Mãe Solteira” (1949) quando adoeceu e Ida Lupino tomou seu lugar na direção.

 

The movie was “personally filmed” by Elmer Clifton. Born in Chicago in 1890, he started acting on stage in 1907 and debuted at the movies in 1912, directing his first movie in 1915. He is best remembered today because he was directing “Not Wanted” (1949) when he fell ill, and Ida Lupino took over the direction.

As cartelas de texto são quase todas muito longas, algumas até com citações de “Moby Dick”, de onde vem o próprio título. Há também um reflexo do ódio aos asiáticos que existia no período, com o vilão sendo “amarelo”. Elmer Clifton com certeza estava imitando Griffith – aliás, ele foi ator em “O Nascimento de uma Nação” (1915) e “Intolerância” (1916) – e a história de amor empalidece se comparada às sequências de caça.

 

The title cards are often very long, some even quoting “Moby Dick”, where the title itself comes from. There is also a reflection of the Asian hate from the period, with the villain being “yellow”. Elmer Clifton was for sure emulating Griffith - by the way, he was an actor in both “The Birth of a Nation” (1915) and “Intolerance” (1916) - and the love story is pale compared to the whale hunting sequences.

Clara Bow tinha apenas 17 anos quando “Rumo ao Mar” estreou e é simplesmente adorável. Enquanto todos os outros personagens tinham aspecto Vitoriano, ela parece moderna e moleca, mesmo com o figurino antiquado. Ela não tem muito tempo na tela, mas quando aparece simplesmente não conseguimos desviar o olhar de sua doce figura.

 

Clara Bow was only 17 when “Down to the Sea in Ships” was released and is simply adorable. While all the other characters looked Victorian, she looks modern and tomboyish, even with old-fashioned clothes. She isn’t given a lot of screen time, but whenever she is on screen we simply cannot take our eyes off her.



Uma estrela se apaga: Lábios de Fogo (1933)
A star fades: Hoopla (1933)


Um jovem chamado Chris (Richard Cromwell) chega a um espetáculo itinerante procurando por seu pai, Nifty (Preston Foster), que administra o local. Ele quer um trabalho com o espetáculo e logo é contratado. Na sua primeira noite viajando com a turma, ele se embebeda junto às dançarinas Lou (Clara Bow) e Carrie (Mina Gombell), que era amante de Nifty mas é deixada por ele naquela mesma noite. Carrie então paga Lou para seduzir Chris.


A young man named Chris (Richard Cromwell) arrives at a carnival looking for his father, Nifty (Preston Foster), who manages the place. He wants a job with the show and gets it. In his first night traveling with the carnival, he gets drunk alongside dancers Lou (Clara Bow) and Carrie (Minna Gombell), who was Nifty’s lover but is ditched by him that same night. Carrie then pays Lou to seduce Chris.

Podemos desmistificar uma mentira vendo “Lábios de Fogo”: Clara Bow tinha uma voz agradável, charmosa e brincalhona. Ela teve sucesso com seus primeiros filmes falados, permanecendo como uma das atrizes favoritas do público em 1929, 1930 e 1931. Um escândalo envolvendo Clara e uma empregada, que tornou públicas algumas correspondências privadas da atriz, fez com a Paramount terminasse o contrato com ela. Ela fez seus dois últimos filmes pela Fox.


We can bust a myth watching “Hoopla”: in reality, Clara Bow had a pleasant, charming, playful voice. She was successful in her first talkies, remaining one of the favorite actresses of the public in 1929, 1930 and 1931. A scandal involving Clara and her maid, who shared part of the actress’ private correspondence, made Paramount release her from her contract. She did her final two films for Fox.

Há alguns momentos que seriam impossíveis de encontrar num filme feito após a adoção do Código Hays: uma câmera foca no rosto de Clara enquanto ela tira a roupa e coloca uma camisola. Depois disso ela divide uma cama com outra mulher, nada nua num lago e ainda dança com roupas minúsculas.

 

There are a few moments that wouldn’t be possible in a movie made under the Hays Code: a camera focuses on Clara’s face while she undresses to put on her nightgown. Afterwards she shares a bed with another woman, then she goes swimming naked in a lake and later dances in minimal clothes.

“Lábios de Fogo” é um destes curiosos filmes que mostram o romance de uma mulher mais velha com um homem mais novo. Richard Cromwell era cinco anos mais novo que Clara Bow, o que não é muito – Bow tinha apenas 28 anos quando fez este último filme. A carreira de Cromwell durou de 1930 a 1948, quando se aposentou. Ele foi o primeiro marido de Angela Lansbury.

 

“Hoopla” is a curious case of a movie depicting romance between a young man and an older woman. Richard Cromwell was five years younger than Clara Bow, which was not much – Bow was only 28 at the time she filmed this swan song. Cromwell’s career lasted from 1930 to 1948, when he retired. He was Angela Lansbury’s first husband.


Aos 28, Clara Bow se aposentou das telas e teve dois filhos que adorava. A felicidade não foi uma constante em sua vida, mas de Hollywood ela estava farta. Para nós, que nunca estamos fartos de Clara Bow, alguns de seus filmes ainda existem e mostram a superestrela em sua melhor forma.


At 28, Clara Bow retired from screen and would go on to have two sons who she adored. Happiness wasn’t a constant in her later life, but she had had enough of Hollywood. For us, who never have enough of Clara Bow, some of her films still exist and show the superstar in great shape.

 

This is my contribution to the Screen Debuts and Last Hurrahs blogathon, hosted by the Classic Movie Blog Association.

9 comments:

FlickChick said...

I love this woman. I pray someday David Stenn's "Running Wild" will be filmed and Clara will get the respect she deserves. Wonderful post. I just saw "The Pill Pounder" and "Get Your Man" and convinced a younger person to go with me because Taylor Swift uses her name in a song.

Realweegiemidget Reviews said...

Heard of this actress so a lovely introduction, thanks Le for this great read.

Lea S. said...

Nice piece on our Clara! And timely, considering how her name's been in the news thanks to Taylor Swift's new album (Taylor's even infiltrating the silent film world, lol!).

Shawn Hall said...

I hear that the UCLA archive has a copy of Beyond the Rainbow with Clara’s scenes intact but like you mentioned it doesn’t seem like she was given a ton to do in it.

I agree that Clara is such a breath of fresh air in Down to the Sea in Ships. I really enjoy when Hollywood lets young actors play their age instead of aging them up to be the lead adult love interest and even in a such a small part her star power is readily apparent.

Marianne said...

My grandfather was a huge Clara Bow fan. I haven't seen any of her films, but that memory of my grandfather and your review has inspired me to change that!

Citizen Screen said...

Great choice, Le! What would this blogathon have been without the vibrant Clara Bow?! I've only seen a few of her more popular films.

Aurora

Jocelyn said...

Great post! It's amazing what can change in 11 years! I recently visited the New Bedford Whaling Museum (I live in Massachusetts), and I think I recall seeing a brief exhibit about this movie there. I need to check it out!

I'm so glad that, despite here career troubles, Clara Bow will be forever remembered for her contributions and unique persona.


Silver Screenings said...

These both sound like terrific films, and I've added them to my Must Watch list. Interesting to read that Clara Bow's charisma was evident even in her debut, but it's hardly surprising. There was no way she wasn't going to be a Star, right?

Rebecca Deniston said...

Very nice piece! Good on Clara for knowing when enough was enough and making a new life outside of Hollywood.

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