1922/USA 143m Dir: Erich Von Stroheim
Original Screenplay
I think we view studio manipulation of films as a modern trouble but it's always been the case. Foolish Wives lost about a third of it's run time when it was re-edited but more recent restoration work has brought back some of what was cut and is more in line with director Erich von Stroheim's vision.
Stroheim himself plays 'Count' Karamzin whose goal is to seduce the wife of the new US ambassador to Monaco in Monte Carlo. Karamzin is a wonderful character- to those who meet him he comes across as a charming gentleman but behind that mask he's a scheming manipulator, a serial womaniser and as it turns out a complete coward. Stroheim plays the role excellently, charming his way through the film but revealing his true nature every time there are no eyes watching him.
In many ways Karamzin is the classical male figure out to seduce as many women as possible that fiction was so keen on for a long time but has finally begun to fall out of favour, quite rightfully. There's another element to him though feels a bit more modern, bringing to mind the likes of 'Parasite' to me, as he is pretending to me an aristocrat and fake his way up in the world. I suppose that this film is a light critique on the elite classes and even though Karamzin is in many ways a terrible person it's him that you end up routing for.
What's fascinating is the fact that Karamzin is far more interesting than the ambassador's wife , the ambassador or any of the elite circle they hang out with. They are all very bland who waddle between one glamourous event to the next and Karamzin is constantly the centre of attention because they too think he's the most interesting person in the room. This effect is doubled behind the scenes as the American characters are largely shot with dull backgrounds to reflect their personalities.
Some films to a great job of making the setting almost feel like a character and this is the earliest example I've seen. Monte Carlo looks shiny and bustling in every scene and there's always large numbers of extras which really help to make the city feel alive. There are quite a few on location shots in the film too which show off this elite city at the beginning of the roaring twenties.
I can see why it was re-edited originally because the plot could certainly have been done more tightly but then again the gradual, rush-free way it tells the story reflects the atmosphere of Monte Carlo. The thing that stands out above everything else though is the wonderful character of Karamzin and the excellent performance by Stroheim in playing him.
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