268 of 1001 Movies: The Docks of New York (1928)

Somehow I missed that The Docks of New York was a silent movie when I rented it. It's probably one of the better silent movies I've seen though, directed by Josef Von Sternberg. The movie is visually well shot even for what they were using at the time, but most impressive of all is how the setting of this movie captures the 20's so well. You aren't watching a movie about the 20's, you're watching a movie shot in that time, and in that time. It makes it that much more interesting, especially with leads like Betty Compson.

Summary: Bill Roberts is a worker on the docks who finds a woman, Mae, trying to commit suicide. He rushes in to save her from drowning, but not only does he save a woman, but he also finds that his life is about to change. It makes it that much harder to go back to work when he knows that he now has Mae, but when circumstances threaten to take her away from him again he might be willing to give it all up to be with her.

121 of 1001 Movies: The Blue Angel (1930)

I think The Blue Angel might be one of the saddest movies I've seen. This German movie, directed by Josef Von Sternberg, is from 1930 and is one of the most emotionally riveting movies I've seen that far back. Maybe it's because of the timeless message behind the movie that keeps it appealing, but there was something about it that felt like you could relate to it, and on top of that the acting is quite strong as all of them feel like their characters.

Immanuel Roth is an elderly professor who teaches English at the local college, but his unruly class and loneliness have driven him into being unsettled with his life. When he follows his students to the local nightclub to catch them in the act of being there when they shouldn't he meets Lola Lola, one of the performers. Believing that she loves him, he leaves his profession and begins touring with her, but as his life begins spiraling out of control he reconsiders the choice he has made, but it may be too late to change as well.