WILD ORANGES (1924) tells the story of John Woolfolk, a seafaring loner who turns his back on the world after the sudden death of his wife. In his travels he meets Millie Stopes and her grandfather, who live in isolation from the world due to the grandfather's nervous fear. The two meet by chance and a love blossoms between them – but will love conquer fear of the unknown? I found the movie very moving in many ways. The story had melodramatic elements and was quite simple and effective, generally quite low-key. Virginia Valli and Frank Mayo, as Millie and John, touchingly and convincingly convey their characters' isolation from the world and their yearning to break free from the chains of fear. Charles A Post is also effectively menacing and loathsome as Iscah Nicholas, a brutish bully who threatens the happiness of the prospective couple. The camera-work is beautifully evocative and expressive, with tint used as an indicator of time of day and mood. The editing is well paced and there are also some beautiful title cards. This is a wonderful little gem of a movie and an artistic success for King Vidor. I would definitely watch this again. The version I saw comes with an evocative and moving score by composer Vivek Maddala. SCORE: 9/10
Review of Wild Oranges
