It’s an unintentionally
humorous portrayal of infidelity, perhaps because of how horrible
the deed is – as the man embraces the city woman on a moonlit
grassy field, the wife is at home, distraught and caring for her
baby. With so few words (or almost nonexistent title cards), the
imagery is spectacular: A silent ride on a trolley to reconcile
a nearly irreparable fear of her husband after an attempted attack;
an offering of food and flowers not quite doing the trick; the witnessing
of a quaint wedding; and showy dancing at an energetic party. The
expressions and actions speak more loudly than words as the couple
is welcomed by further temptations – of the comically romantic
sort.
There’s slapstick and plenty of laughs, including a pig
getting tipsy on wine, but not all of the sight gags are effective.
Rediscovering true love with a day in the city isn’t nearly
as moving as the return journey home in which tragedy strikes
and Gaynor is swept overboard. The similarities to A Place in
the Sun (made years later, based on a novel by Theodore Dreiser
instead of a theme by Hermann Sudermann) are unmistakable, although
Sunrise focuses more on reform than the murder setup. With lots
of creative cinematography, superimposed shots and special effects
(as well as flashbacks before they became stale in cinema), and
outstanding music that elegantly narrates the character’s
thoughts and emotions, this partly expressionistic 1927 masterwork
is often considered one of the greatest of all silent films.
- Mike Massie
