Street Angel (1928)

Try as I might, I can't really think of a pairing that exuded quite the degree of chemistry on screen as Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. There is quite simply a magnetism between them that I love to watch. This outing for the duo, again under the creative and stylish direction of Frank Borzage, picks up with Gaynor ("Angela") having a bit of a past, and so she takes up employment with a circus to stay one step ahead of the law. She happens upon the handsome painter "Gino" (Farrell) and all looks set fair - until, that is, she takes a tumble and hurts her ankle. What can the pair do, but head to Naples where he hopes to find work. Just as he does though, her past catches up with here, and to jail she goes. Needless to say, poor old "Gino" knew nothing of her past, nor of her incarceration so when they meet some time later things are, shall we say, awkward! This is a gorgeous film to enjoy, the story offers us hope and despair, joy and frustration as their love tries to survive just about all that can be thrown at it. If you are keen on the very best of (silent) cinema, then this is really is tough to beat - and Gaynor got one of the very first Oscars for it too...