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Director's Spotlight
Senior Film Conservator
Director's Spotlight: United States
A Deep Dive into the 1921 Vision of Edward José
To understand the modern evolution of United States film, one must first look at What Women Will Do and the collaborative alchemy between Edward José and the 1921 creative team. Subverting the expectations of the typical 1921 audience, it remains a vital reference point for anyone studying the evolution of Edward José.
In What Women Will Do, Edward José pushes the boundaries of conventional narrative. The film's unique approach to its subject matter has sparked endless debates and interpretations among cinephiles and critics alike.
| Cinematography | Handheld |
| Soundtrack | Orchestral |
| Editing | Slow-Burn |
| Art Direction | Brutalist |
Visualizing the convergence of Edward José's style and the core Drama narrative.
Lily Gibbs gets involved with two crooks--Dr. Joe Parmenter and Jim Corling, her lover. They pass the girl off as the daughter-in-law of wealthy Mrs. Wade, whose son is dead. At a seance Mrs. Wade is made to believe that Lily is the girl her son married, and takes her into her home and lavishes riches upon her. Lily then falls in love with Arthur Brent, who treats her with a kindness she has never known. Experiencing this new emotion, she wishes to break with her criminal crowd and does so when she discovers that Dr. Joe killed Mrs. Wade's son. When both Dr. Joe and Corling meet their deaths, and after receiving Mrs. Wade's forgiveness for her deception, Lily marries Brent.
Decades after its release, What Women Will Do remains a vital piece of the cinematic puzzle. Its influence can be seen in countless modern works, solidifying Edward José's status as a master of the craft in United States and beyond.