COQUETTE (United Artists, 1929), subtitled "a drama of the American south," produced and directed by Sam Taylor, goes on record as the movie where movie audiences got to hear Mary Pickford's voice for the first time. A legend of the silent screen for many years, and living up to her stigma of "America's Sweetheart," Pickford had come a long way since 1914. Like many other silent screen performers of that time, she attempted the new medium of what was classified as "the talkies." While Pickford could have selected any one of her previous silent screen efforts to remake as her talking debut such as SPARROWS (1926), a Pickford favorite of many, the selection for her talking introduction was taken from a 1927-28 play, "Coquette," that starred Helen Hayes. No longer playing the little girl with the "golden curls," as in SPARROWS, Pickford, currently a woman in her thirties, was now doing adult movie roles, a role that named Pickford the second actress to win the Academy Award. While the success might have lead to a new wave of sound movies through the next decade or beyond, if at all possible, Pickford's career in talkies was however short-lived (1929-1933). At least her attempt in the new medium proved that she was as good as she ever was, even for only a brief span.
Set in the south where location is not disclosed, the story opens the evening of June 6, 1928, where Norma Besant (Mary Pickford) is to be escorted to an upcoming dance at the Sunnydale Country Club. Though she is loved by the ever-loyal Stanley Wentworth (Matt Moore), her heart and soul goes towards Mike Jeffrey (John Mack Brown), a young southern gentleman. Upon Jeffrey's arrival, Stanley leaves saddened, knowing he'll never have a chance in becoming her husband. Caught together in the darkened parlor by Mary's stern father, Doctor John M. Besant (John St. Polis), he makes it clear of his disapproval towards Norma's relations with a man who has never had a steady job, demanding Jeffreys leave and never see his daughter again. To prove himself worthy of Norma's hand in marriage, Jeffrey promises to make good by acquiring employment and coming back later to claim her. Three months later, September 18, 1928, Norma, attending an autumn dance at Sunnydale Country Club with Stanley, meets with Jeffrey outside the garden. The couple leave the party, disappearing into the secluded cabin that once belonged to Norma's late mother. When Besant hears someone returning home at 4 a.m., he assumes it to be his younger son, Jimmy (William Janney), but once Besant catches Norma and Mike together again, he learns it was Norma who returned home at that late hour after being alone with Jeffreys in the cabin. Besant retreats his revolver and shoots him. Because of his half-crazed actions, Norma hates her father and wants nothing more to do with him. Later, it is Norma who is asked to do an impossible task by Robert Wentworth (George Irving), Besant's attorney, to testify on her father's behalf at the trial to prevent his being executed for murder.
Overlooking the fact that COQUETTE is an early talkie, handicapped by echoing sound recording and voices coming in and out from audio, the "drama of the American South," or better yet, "the drama of a Southern family," does have its advantages in acting range and story. Mary Pickford speaks with Southern accent, which is expected, but fortunately restrains from overacting. John Mack Brown, a Southerner by birth, is naturally cast, making his character believable and acceptable.
Had COQUETTE been filmed in silent film tradition, or even a few years later into the mid 1930s where sound technology was greatly improved, COQUETTE would have succeeded, especially the near decade end of Southern themes as JEZEBEL (1938) and GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) where these productions won its lead actresses (Bette Davis and Vivien Leigh respectively) Academy Awards for playing Southern belles. The scene where I feel Pickford might have been responsible for the academy for selecting her as the year's best actress was for her courtroom testimony. Other than that, the duration of her performance was good but nothing substantial. Pickford does have another memorable scene where she tells her troubles while sitting on the lap of her black maid, Julia (Louise Beavers). One debit is Henry Kolker's acting as the district attorney where he seems to be singing some of his wording while questioning the defendant on the witness stand.
While COQUETTE (meaning "flirt") might seem stiff for contemporary audiences expecting fast-paced action, it has fortunately survived intact (76 minutes). Out of circulation for decades, COQUETTE was restored and distributed to video cassette in 1993, and later broadcast occasionally on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: March 3, 1995), where this and other Pickford silent (and final talkie of 1933s SECRETS) are occasionally shown or rediscovery and film study to the Mary Pickford legend. (***)
Set in the south where location is not disclosed, the story opens the evening of June 6, 1928, where Norma Besant (Mary Pickford) is to be escorted to an upcoming dance at the Sunnydale Country Club. Though she is loved by the ever-loyal Stanley Wentworth (Matt Moore), her heart and soul goes towards Mike Jeffrey (John Mack Brown), a young southern gentleman. Upon Jeffrey's arrival, Stanley leaves saddened, knowing he'll never have a chance in becoming her husband. Caught together in the darkened parlor by Mary's stern father, Doctor John M. Besant (John St. Polis), he makes it clear of his disapproval towards Norma's relations with a man who has never had a steady job, demanding Jeffreys leave and never see his daughter again. To prove himself worthy of Norma's hand in marriage, Jeffrey promises to make good by acquiring employment and coming back later to claim her. Three months later, September 18, 1928, Norma, attending an autumn dance at Sunnydale Country Club with Stanley, meets with Jeffrey outside the garden. The couple leave the party, disappearing into the secluded cabin that once belonged to Norma's late mother. When Besant hears someone returning home at 4 a.m., he assumes it to be his younger son, Jimmy (William Janney), but once Besant catches Norma and Mike together again, he learns it was Norma who returned home at that late hour after being alone with Jeffreys in the cabin. Besant retreats his revolver and shoots him. Because of his half-crazed actions, Norma hates her father and wants nothing more to do with him. Later, it is Norma who is asked to do an impossible task by Robert Wentworth (George Irving), Besant's attorney, to testify on her father's behalf at the trial to prevent his being executed for murder.
Overlooking the fact that COQUETTE is an early talkie, handicapped by echoing sound recording and voices coming in and out from audio, the "drama of the American South," or better yet, "the drama of a Southern family," does have its advantages in acting range and story. Mary Pickford speaks with Southern accent, which is expected, but fortunately restrains from overacting. John Mack Brown, a Southerner by birth, is naturally cast, making his character believable and acceptable.
Had COQUETTE been filmed in silent film tradition, or even a few years later into the mid 1930s where sound technology was greatly improved, COQUETTE would have succeeded, especially the near decade end of Southern themes as JEZEBEL (1938) and GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) where these productions won its lead actresses (Bette Davis and Vivien Leigh respectively) Academy Awards for playing Southern belles. The scene where I feel Pickford might have been responsible for the academy for selecting her as the year's best actress was for her courtroom testimony. Other than that, the duration of her performance was good but nothing substantial. Pickford does have another memorable scene where she tells her troubles while sitting on the lap of her black maid, Julia (Louise Beavers). One debit is Henry Kolker's acting as the district attorney where he seems to be singing some of his wording while questioning the defendant on the witness stand.
While COQUETTE (meaning "flirt") might seem stiff for contemporary audiences expecting fast-paced action, it has fortunately survived intact (76 minutes). Out of circulation for decades, COQUETTE was restored and distributed to video cassette in 1993, and later broadcast occasionally on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: March 3, 1995), where this and other Pickford silent (and final talkie of 1933s SECRETS) are occasionally shown or rediscovery and film study to the Mary Pickford legend. (***)