Movie Monday: Desert Nights (1929)

It has been far too long since we have reviewed a silent film! So today is the day I change that! For this “Movie Monday”, I am discussing one of my favorite silent films (with one of my favorite silent film actors) Desert Nights.

Desert Nights premiered the same year that another career changing film dubbed for John Gilbert. This was the same year that MGM (the movie studio that Gilbert was signed with at the time) would advertise what would become the “talkies”. Although this was a huge technological advancement for cinema, it ruined Gilbert’s career.

Audiences considered his voice to be too feminine and high-pitched. Looking back now we all know that his voice was completely average, but to movie goers at that time it just didn’t sound right. So after films started focusing all of their attention around the dialogue of the movie, Gilbert’s star began to fade away.

Honestly, the first time I saw Desert Nights I didn’t even know John Gilbert (hands down one of my favorite silent film actors) was even in this movie. But it is not just him that makes this film all encompassing. His co-star Mary Nolan does a fantastic job playing what you can only assume (at first) what is an innocent damsel-in-destress. However, we soon see all of that change once they get into the desert and inevitably wonder around with no direction.

The way Nolan plays her character in this film is very foreshadowing of what would become the “Femme Fatale” character arc. She is alluring, sweet, and downright irresistible to the leading man, however, he has yet to uncover the other side of her. Little does our protagonist know just what this lady is capable of. In some respects I suppose Desert Nights was a precursor to the Noir genre.

If you haven’t seen Desert Nights before, I would highly recommend giving it a try. It is especially a good film to watch if you like silent movies!

Much Love,

Sarah