Organ Symphony of Cinema/“Man of the Crowd”/John and Mary... Good morning, America

After the first few scenes of King Vidor's film, the awareness that we are watching a silent cinema disappears... A symphony of a large, modern city unfolds on the screen. A new wonderful world where skyscrapers climb into the sky, hundreds of boats and barges sail along the Hudson River, and life is a rush, impetus, youth. The Promised Land and the American Dream are right at your fingertips. When the hands of the clocks are set at the right time, a human river flows from the offices and offices of New York City, the young, the beautiful, the laughing, the well-dressed. Among them is John. As he and his newly-met, charming Mary go out to celebrate a night together, a clown is juggling balls in a stream of cars. In a funny costume, from which a street advertisement screams. “Poor man, I bet his father planned a career as president for him,” John tells Mary. This theme will return ominously at the end of the film. However, before that we rush through the city of neon lights, rollercoasters carrying laughing crowds straight to the promise of success...

In his 1928 film, King Vidor masterfully, at times with documentary flair, portrays the America of the 1920s. However, he listens to the murmur of the Great Depression, which will appear in a moment, in 1929. The image of an alienated individual among an indifferent world has a prophetic tone. John and Mary first run, later they wander more and more painstakingly through life together, hope for a beautiful future seems to dry up, love also, equipment breaks down, close people die, loneliness among the crowd comes noiseless and invisible to others... Fortunately, feelings and a friendly, full of common emotions and laughter remain a cinema hall that relieves worries and Brings consolation.

Anita Skwara

Language: boards in English
Subtitles: polskie

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Performers: Karol Mossakowski — organ; Adam Suprynowicz, Mariusz Gradowski — conducting

Program: Man of the Crowd (1928), directed by King Vidor