Silver Screenings

If you’ve seen the 1931 drama, An American Tragedy, you’ve no doubt noticed it looks like a relic from a forgotten civilization.

First, it can be a bit stilted at times, coming as it does from early in the Hollywood Sound era.

Secondly, the 1930s’ tech and dialogue are somewhat outdated.

Thirdly, societal mores in the film are different from our own today. For example, a young unmarried woman becomes pregnant and is terrified of the ensuing Scandal.

An American Tragedy is based on the 1925 novel by Theodore Dreiser, which focuses on a self-absorbed young man (played in the film by Phillips Holmes) who begins a secret relationship with a girl at the factory where they both work.

The girl (Sylvia Sidney, in the film) becomes pregnant, but Holmes doesn’t want to marry her – or even offer much practical help.

You see, he’s met and fallen for a wealthy society girl (Frances Dee), although it’s hard to say which he loves more: Dee herself, or her monied lifestyle.

Sidney soon realizes she’s become Yesterday’s News, and we’re suddenly aware of how dowdy she is, not at all glamorous like Dee. Nevertheless, out of desperation, Sidney starts pressuring Holmes.

Holmes, convinced he Deserves More out of Life, decides there’s only one solution for his dilemma, which leads to a tragedy greater than anyone envisioned.

Having said that, though, this is a timeless film. Sadly, the plight of a young girl, pregnant and abandoned, is not an unusual one. So, too, is the story of a young man who decides he’s unable or unwilling to help.

It does not occur to Holmes that he could make a life with Sidney and raise a happy family. His raison d’être is himself and the things that please him. The moment something becomes unpleasant, he pushes it away.

Now, in the film, some of the acting is a little ham-fisted, but there are also wonderful performances. Sylvia Sidney, for example, is heartbreaking as the bewildered young girl who chases after her cherished and quickly vanishing future.

Anti-hero Holmes has good moments as the callow young man who finds himself trapped in a No-Win Situation, thanks to his ambition and selfishness.

This 1931 drama, remarkably, distills an 800-page novel into a 96-minute film, yet it doesn’t lose sight of one of Dreiser’s central questions: What happens to society when we become obsessed with ourselves?

You may recognize this story from the 1951 drama, A Place in the Sun, starring Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, another adaptation of Dreiser’s novel. As wonderful as that film is, we personally feel the 1931 version is a truer representation of the book.

Dreiser based his novel on an actual crime. In 1906, the body of a young woman named Grace Brown was found in a lake in the Adirondack Mountains. Her boyfriend, Chester Gillette, was arrested and executed by electric chair in 1908.

It’s a trial in which Dreiser was greatly interested; apparently, he saved the newspaper clippings for several years.

He sold the movie rights to Paramount Studios for $150,000, but, like many authors who’ve sold works to Hollywood, he disliked how they adapted his story. He appealed to a court to stop the film’s distribution, but was unsuccessful.

Paramount was then served with a second lawsuit. According to IMDb, the mother of Grace Brown sued the studio for libel. The case was settled out of court.

Is An American Tragedy worth watching? Yes, because it is a haunting and moving story. We recommend it, especially for Sylvia Sidney’s performance.

This post is dedicated to our pal Karen at the fabulous Satin and Shadows, who sent us this film.

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An American Tragedy starring Phillips Holmes, Sylvia Sidney, Frances Dee. Directed by Josef von Sternberg. Written by Samuel Hoffenstein & Josef von Sternberg. Paramount Pictures, 1931, B&W, 96 mins.