my favorite movie of 1929:
[German: Die Büchse der Pandora]
(Louise Brooks, Fritz Körtner, Francis Lederer, Alice Roberts. Directed by G.W. Pabst.)
Even if you generally avoid spoilers, I recommend reading Ebert’s review (or Wikipedia’s plot summary) before watching Pandora’s Box for the first time, so you won’t be distracted by the rather silly story and can instead focus on the movie’s overall atmosphere. Ebert said the plot “could apply equally to a great or a laughable film,” but Louise Brooks “makes it a great one.” Ebert explained:
She seems to stand outside “Pandora’s Box.” She looks modern: She doesn’t have the dated makeup of many silent stars, but could be a Demi Moore or Winona Ryder, electronically inserted into old scenes by computer. As she careens from one man to another, the only constant factor is her will: She wants to party, she wants to make love, she wants to drink, she wants to tell men what she wants. … There is no other motive than her desire: Not money, not sex, just selfishness.
The book The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies by Vito Russo (1981) said Pandora’s Box includes “probably the first explicitly drawn lesbian character” in movie history.
You can stream Pandora’s Box on the Criterion Channel (with extras including commentary), HBO Max, or Kanopy. If you don’t subscribe to the Criterion Channel, try a free 14-day trial.
Click here for the full list of my favorite movie(s) of each year from 1920 to 2020.
Brilliant Film. There should be a Louise Brooks bio-pic.
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