I saw this film at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival last summer and it was simply great. The print was clear and bright and the live piano accompaniment by Steven Horne was wonderful! Louise Dresser and Jack Pickford are both at the top of their games and this early glimpse of Constance Bennett is delightful; she's a great beauty. I decided to watch the movie again. I ordered it from Netflix which leads me to this writing. This particular release was by an outfit called Televista. The print was horrible and the music was so distracting I actually hit the mute button. I hope that a new DVD version of the restored print is released soon as this film is worthy of inclusion in any silent film collection. It is also worth noting that when The Goose Woman was screened at the SFSFF, Kevin Brownlow told the audience that this was the first silent film he discovered in a junk store as a youth and after watching it he said he thought that if there were other American films of this quality out there, it wouldn't be too much a task to dedicate one's life to finding them - which, of course, is what he's done. He also said that he used this film as an entrée to meeting Mary Pickford because she expressed an interest in seeing her brother Jack again. And subsequently we have Mr. Brownlow to thank for many fine works about Ms. Pickford. I would add one goof of interest to the antique car set. A title card tells us that Gerald Holmes (Jack Pickford) has just made the first payment on a new car (a Model T Ford laden with accessories). He displays a folder entitled "The Ford Weekly Payment Plan." This plan was actually a savings plan, not a time-installment plan. Delivery of the car was not made until all payments had been made. Not a big deal, but interesting that they got that wrong. Or maybe I'm just showing off a bit! Find a good print of The Goose Woman and you'll certainly enjoy it.
Review of The Goose Woman
