The Crowd (1928)
April 2015: Between the Wars

Directed by King Vidor
James Murray, Eleanor Boardman

John 'Johnny' Sims: Look at that crowd! The poor slobs... all in the same rut!

There are no great acts of heroism or world-shaking disasters in this film. The joys and tragedies of Johnny Sims are the joys and tragedies of many 20^th century people – and that is what gives this film much of its power. The uncompromising storytelling by director King Vidor, and a once-in-a-lifetime performance by James Murray as Johnny Sims, result in moments of piercing happiness and heartbreak, and one of the landmark films of the 20^th century. The Crowd might be a silent film, but it has a voice that thunders across the decades.

Co-sponsored with Humanities West.