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7.6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Lucky Star remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
So, 'Lucky Star,' huh? If you're into those really earnest, heartfelt silent movies, the kind that wear their emotions right on their sleeve, then yeah, you should absolutely give this a look. It’s a sweet, kinda sad story about love and wartime, starring Janet Gaynor. But if you need snappy dialogue or explosions, you'll probably be bored stiff. This one takes its time.
The story itself, about Mary the farm girl and Tim, who meets her just before war breaks out, feels like something out of a storybook. It’s all very earnest, almost painfully so at times. You see Mary (Janet Gaynor) in these wide shots on the farm, and she just radiates this sort of quiet strength. She doesn’t need to say a word, of course, but her expressions, especially her eyes, they just *tell you everything*.
There’s this one bit, I think it’s early on, where Tim (Paul Fix) first comes into her life. The way the camera kinda zooms in on her reaction, just a flicker of something new in her face. It's subtle for a silent film, you know? Not all the usual wide-eyed gasps. Then the news about the war arrives, and the whole mood shifts. It’s like a cloud just passes over everything. You can almost feel the chill.
The film gets really interesting when it starts to play with the ideas of distance and waiting. Mary's world, this calm farm, feels so far removed from whatever chaos Tim is heading into. And there are these moments, just quick cuts, where you see her doing daily chores, but her gaze is always off, like she’s looking beyond the frame. It’s pretty effective without being heavy-handed.
Some of the supporting stuff, like the townsfolk reactions to the war news, feels a bit *stock*. Like, one guy practically leaps for joy, another looks utterly distraught. It’s broad, sure, but it does ground the moment in a kind of collective panic. But honestly, it's Gaynor you're watching. She holds it all together.
There's a scene, later, I can't quite place it, where she's just sitting by a window. The light is hitting her face in such a specific way, and her hand is resting on the sill. It just lingers. It feels like 20 seconds too long, and you start to wonder, *what are we supposed to feel here*? Then it clicks, and you realize it’s just the raw weight of *waiting*.
I kept thinking about how fragile everything felt in that era. The idea of war sweeping in and just _snatching_ away simple joys. The film doesn't really go deep into the politics, thank goodness. It keeps it personal. It’s all about Mary and Tim, and their small, precious bubble being threatened.
Paul Fix as Tim, he's got this earnest, kind of boyish charm. He’s not as magnetic as Gaynor, but he plays his part well. When they have their farewell, it’s not some grand, tearful affair. It’s more understated, a lot of shared glances and a certain awkwardness that feels very real. The way they just *look* at each other, trying to memorize everything. That was a nice touch.
The movie doesn’t really try to be anything more than it is. It’s a simple love story, touched by something much bigger and scarier. There’s a quiet beauty to it, even with some of the more melodramatic silent film tendencies. You can almost feel the effort to convey deep feeling without words. Sometimes it works wonderfully, sometimes it feels a bit *forced*, like the music score (which I imagine was pretty dramatic).
Honestly, the best parts are when it just lets Gaynor *be*. She doesn't need to overact. Her face does all the work. It’s a testament to her presence. You watch her and you think, "Yeah, this person is really living this." It’s a good reminder that movies used to tell stories in such a different way. A slower way.
Did I mention the farm animals? There are a few scenes with them, just kinda meandering in the background. It adds a nice, earthy touch. Not important to the plot, just *there*.
It's not a perfect film, by any stretch. Some of the intertitles are a bit clunky, spelling things out a bit too much when the visuals already got it. But for a glimpse into that kind of storytelling, and for Janet Gaynor’s performance, it’s definitely worth an evening. Maybe with a cup of tea and a quiet room. ☕
IMDb 6.3
1931
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