American Film: Style and Technology to 1930:
The Crowd (King Vidor, 1928
Directed by King Vidor
Written by King Vidor, John V.A. Weaver, Harry Behn &
Joseph Farnham (titles)
Produced by Irving Thalberg
Cinematography by Henry Sharp
Film Editing by Hugh Wynn
Production & Distribution Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
Cast
Eleanor Boardman…Mary
James Murray…John
Bert Roach…Bert
Estelle Clark…Jane
Daniel G. Tomlinson…Jim
Dell Henderson…Dick
Lucy Beaumont…Mother
Freddie Burke Frederick…Junior
Alice Mildred Puter…Daughter
1. In what ways can we see the influence of the roots of American cinema in The
Crowd? What is the audience that it seems to be addressing?
2. In what ways is the narrative typical of the classical Hollywood cinema? Does
it have all the necessary narrative conventions of the CHC? Any deviations?
3. Is the cinematography of the film typical of the other silent films we have
seen? How may we explain some of the differences?
4. King Vidor is generally regarded as one of earlier “auteurs” of American
cinema. Is it possible to see consistencies between The Big Parade and The
Crowd? How may we account for any consistencies, given the rigid studio
system in which the films were made?