Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

GurlyIamBeach Instant Favorite.

Mabel Munoz Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

MartinHafer Like so many other silent films, THE WICKED DARLING has degraded badly over time. That's because for decades Hollywood used nitrate-based film stock and it tended to decompose quickly--in some cases turning to dust, in others becoming slimy and bubbly and in a few cases it even exploded! By the time this film was placed on DVD, there was only one print left (again, this is not too unusual) and it was the version with Dutch subtitles--which needed to be translated. Additionally, the film is a mess in many spots--with lots of Swiss cheese-like holes in the print. None of this makes the film impossible to watch--just don't expect a pristine looking film.The film begins with a nice guy, Kent (Wellington A. Playter) being dumped by his shallow rich fiancée. Why? Because he's no longer rich! Nice lady, huh?! A bit later, he meets up with Mary (Priscilla Dean) who is running from the law. This is because she's a thief. However, she is able to convince Kent that she is a nice girl. However, Mary is so taken by the very decent Kent that she really does want to be this nice girl, so she gives up her wicked ways and gets a real job. The problem is that her old cronies (including Lon Chaney in an early role) don't want her to go straight and will stop at almost nothing to keep her on the side of evil. Will she succumb to niceness or rottenness? Tune in for yourself and see.Wile this is far from a great melodrama, for 1919 it's awfully spiffy. Sure, it's a bit obvious here and there and the idea of a career criminal turning a new lead so quickly and with such small provocation is silly, but it is very entertaining and well-acted for the day. Not a great film but it sure is better than average and worth seeing--lousy print and all.

FerdinandVonGalitzien Human curiosity is one of those primal feelings that the aristocracy share with coarse people; the more bizarre and obscure the subject, the more interested are the aristocrats. Strange places are especially fascinating even if such locales are the slums, the very opposite of aristocratic neighbourhoods. But to travel to the slums is a dangerous outing so in order to satisfy aristocratic curiosity about these nether regions (while not overlooking the need for protection on these peculiar journeys) aristocrats need an expert guide to be able to take a safe walk on the wild side ( as an old German proverb says) so how can one do better than turning to Herr Tod Browning?Thanks to Herr Browning's expertise, this Herr Von recently watched (from a safe distance) slum specimens like unscrupulous pawnbrokers, greedy landladies, violent waiters, hardened criminals, ruined men and working girls, all bizarre and curious fauna for an aristocrat ( especially the working girls) that are depicted carefully in the film "The Wicked Darling" (1919).It is well-known that Herr Browning had a special likeness for those underprivileged persons who were the main characters of many of his films, works that could be great or obscure but were always astounding and unique. "The Wicked Darling" is one of his early silent films that is also one of Herr Browning's many collaborations with Herr Lon Chaney; they were a perfect team.The film is characteristic of many of Herr Browning films and also displays a sarcastic sense of humour that this Herr Graf likes specially (Surely the ending is meant as a joke with our gutter heroes finding a new and peaceful life as farmers, surrounded by impassive cows rather than dangerous criminals.And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must return to the peaceful isolation ward at the Schloss.Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/

kidboots "The Wicked Darling" is remembered today because it is an early Lon Chaney film but when it was made people went to see it because Priscilla Dean was the star. During 1918-19 she was being groomed as Universal's top female star. "The Wicked Darling" was a typical role. She was often cast as an adventuress, a burglar, in "The Exquisite Thief" she played "Blue Jean Billie" whom "you adored even when she robbed you blind". She made 9 features with Tod Browning as director - he knew how to showcase her to advantage.In "The Wicked Darling" she plays Mary Stevens - "the Gutter Rose" - who is forced to become a pick pocket. One night she is told by "Stoop" (Lon Chaney) to go to the Davenport reception and mingle. While there she steals some pearls that have been accidentally dropped. Adele Hoyt (Gertrude Astor, who was one of stars in "The Cat and the Canary" (1927))learns that her fiancé, Kent Mortimer is now penniless and breaks off their engagement. Adele doesn't return his pearls but loses them when she is leaving.Running from the police Mary takes refuge in Mortimer's house. His trust in her makes her want to change her ways and she is working as a waitress when she meets him again. I think that Martha Mattox (the creepy housekeeper from "The Cat and the Canary") plays the head waitress. A friendship develops (Mary has not confessed to having the pearls). When Stoop finds her again a scuffle ensues and Mortimer is shot. Even though Mary nurses him back to health, when he learns of her old associations he banishes her back to the gutter.Lon Chaney is really threatening as "Stoop". He is not above hurting Mary to get what he wants and it is only the presence of the burly bartender (Kalla Pasha) that protects Mary.The film has a realness about it due to Tod Browning's gritty direction. Some of the night scenes were actually filmed at night (unusual at that time) and real locations were used.The DVD I have is copied from the sole surviving print preserved by the Netherlands Filmmuseum. It shows damage and mold and there are some missing scenes. The score, which I liked, was arranged from popular songs of the period. I enjoyed it very much and can recommend it.

psteier At its heart a cheap melodrama of the time. Lon Chaney as the thief forcing the poor heroine Priscilla Dean into crime is very Lon Chaney.The reconstructed print was made from material in fair to poor condition and is missing perhaps 15 percent of the original.