FLESH AND THE DEVIL (1926)

Probably the most popular of her silent films FLESH AND THE DEVIL is about two life long friends who unknowingly fall for the same woman and all the shit that goes down between them because of this. According to rumor the first time John Gilbert ever saw Garbo in real life was during the train station scene where his character sees Garbo's character for the first time. He fell in love with her, or at least Garbo the movie star, instantly and even left his wife for her. Who knows how true that story is, but they did have a heated romance while filming this movie and it really shows. In their kissing scenes shes grabbing him with both hand like she's a vampire. Pretty hot stuff, especially for 1926!

I liked the idea for the story, but the movie is too long and the narrative too lumpy and some of the acting (by supporting characters) is way too over dramatic. None of that really matters though cause when Garbo is on the screen I'm in absolute Heaven. At this stage in her career they could have made a three hour movie about her grocery shopping and I'd be glued to the screen the entire time.

Enjoyable silent film, but mainly just to see Garbo and Gilbert gettin' steamy.

JAPANESE GIRLS AT THE HARBOR (1933)

[Update 03/08/2021: Need to redo this review completely. Fix the screenshots also.]

Two teenage school girls are best frinds until one gets involved with a wannabe gangster. He leads her on while, at the same time, he's messing around with another older woman, so the school girl gets mad and attacks the woman. Shunned by the community she is run out of town. Time passes and now the school girl is a prostitute.  Her once best friend is now married to the wannabe gangster guy who has settled down. Tons of thick melodrama follow. Shimizu is very good with the camera, but the story just cannot hold up even for 72 minutes. You could say "Hey, it's fuckin' 1933. Give this guy a break!" but in 1933 Yasujiro Ozu was already knocking out the good stuff like A STORY OF FLOATING WEEDS.