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Rating: 5 out of 5
Silent films hit hard and are the best to watch. Every time I watch a silent film, I am amazed. Silent films hit hard, and watching the 1927 film 7th Heaven starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell was equally entertaining. Directed by Frank Borzage and based on the 1922 play Seventh Heaven by Austin Strong, adapted for the screen by Benjamin Glazer, 7th Heaven is a film that everyone should watch and enjoy.
7th Heaven begins in the lovely streets of Paris in the early 1910s. Chico (Farrell) works in the sewers of Paris, dreaming of becoming a street sweeper and working among the beautiful sky and sun. Chico hits up the nearby church every day to light candles. One day, he meets the church’s priest, who gives him the recommendation he needs to get his dream job.
On the other side of the city, Diana (Gaynor) is a beautiful, young woman who works as a prostitute while living with her abusive sister, Nana (Brockwell). Nana is straight-up ruthless toward her sister and beats her at every opportunity. When Nana hears news that their rich uncle and aunt are returning with a massive fortune, Nana comes up with a plan that they can move in and live off them. Things seem to go well until their uncle asks Diana if the pair haven’t been spreading their love juice around the streets. Nana tries her best by twisting Diana’s arm, but Diana reveals the truth, only to make their uncle throw up the deuces and refuse to take them with him. Nana loses her mind and straight-up beats Diana. Diana tries to escape on the street, and Chico saves her by holding Nana over the sewer, daring to drop her ass.
The love story begins in this film after Chico saves Diana. They do a little flirting and seem to have a little bit of chemistry, but Nana trifling ass comes with the police with the intention to arrest Diana. Honestly why? Chico, once again, saves Diana and says she is not a prostitute and that she is his wife. Diana is skeptical at first, but goes with it because she isn’t trying to go to jail. The police issued a warning and said they would investigate Chico’s address to make sure. Chico starts panicking, fearing he’ll lose his dream job. To make sure nothing happens, he asks Diana to live with him to have an alibi. Let me tell you that Chico lives on the sixth floor and has the perfect view of Paris. When the police come and clear both, Diana thinks she must be thrown out on the streets, but Chico offers to let her stay. The pair spend more time together and fall in love.
You might think this will be a happy story, but we all know that things happen in love stories. Chico and Diana’s love is put to the test with World War I coming to the lands of France. Chico is recruited, and Diana’s life is put to the test with the return of her evil sister, who once again tries to assault her, but Diana, having confidence, fights back and tells Nana to get her ass out of her life. Chico is going through hell when he fights in a battle and becomes blind. Chico makes it home to Diana and declares his love.
The story was great because it was extremely simple, straightforward, and beautifully written and well done. The more silent films I have watched, the more entertained I have been with them. Many will watch this film and say that the story is standard to what they see now. Let’s look at it this way: this film was made in 1927 and is an OG Academy Award Winner. The story shows both characters looking for more in life. Chico wants to be a street sweeper, while Diana wants to leave her life as a prostitute behind, along with her abusive sister. By chance, they run into each other and at first help each other out, but soon fall in love with each other. I love how the scenes show love during the war. They seemed to have a sixth sense for each other and for danger, and they prayed for safety. The one scene is when Chico is attacked, and Diana seems to sense it. She prays in the ammunition factory, and he makes it out.
What is also great about this film is that there are numerous funny moments that lighten the mood. The scene with Chico and the sweet sweeper is the highlight of the film’s lighthearted moments. Chico and the street sweeper start doing this bowing thing, where Chico would bow, and his mentor would bow. They do this for a couple of bows before moving on. In another scene, Chico finally gets to use the hose on the first day as a street sweeper. His excitement leads him to repeatedly spray his mentor with water.
I want to touch upon the music for this film. I LOVE jazz music, and it was on point with the piano music playing throughout the entire film. It was lively and fun to listen to. It added a sense of love and excitement to the film. What was bad about the music was that it was the same song loop for the entire film. Battle scene, same song. Running through the streets, same song. It would’ve been nice for the film to change the song for the scene rather than having the same thing. It would’ve been nice to change it up.
The acting in this film was phenomenal. Silent movies hit differently because it is all about facial expressions. Janet Gaynor as Diane was amazing, and this was one of the three roles that helped her win the first-ever Oscar for Best Actress. I love the development she showed as Diana, as she went from being forced into prostitution to standing on her own feet and finding love.
Charles Farrell as Chico was equally great. I loved his passion as Chico, a man who wanted to be a street cleaner because it was above ground. The love Chico showed Diana is what every man should show his girl. Farrell did an amazing job of doing it, especially at the end, when he ended up blind. He showed the raw emotions of a person trying to get back home to his love.
7th Heaven hits hard as a simple yet powerful film about love and its strength. A film about two people who end up together and live high above the cityscape of Paris. A film driven by its two main stars, both with dreams of a better life.
