The Blot [DVD]

"The Blot" is quite a special and remarkable film in many ways, one of which is perhaps that it can be simply enjoyed as a domestic melodrama about two middle-class families in the early 1920s, or it can be quite an educational and enlightening lesson in social and community problems which are still relevant in today's age. And for those who like to dig deeper into the ideas and motives behind this film, there is a very good and intellectual commentary as a bonus feature on this DVD which explains many aspects of the film and its director at length. Described as "the director who lost her way in history", Lois Weber was actually one of America's pioneering filmmakers alongside D.W. Griffith and Cecil B DeMille, writing her own scripts, directing, producing, choosing her own cast and developing newly-found acting talents, but forgotten for many decades mainly because she did not keep up or fit in with the fast-changing scene of the film industry during the 1920s. Like D.W. Griffith's `social commentary' short films, Lois Weber also stood out with her often controversial and `preachy' films in the early days, and although she successfully merged these moral lessons with artistic entertainment such as in this film, "The Blot", her message is still loud and clear over 80 years later.Comparing two neighbouring families in middle-class America, "The Blot" tells the story of a university professor's family struggling to make ends meet, while their immigrant neighbour who makes shoes for a living provides for his family abundantly. Thrown into the mix is a group of young people from the very affluent end of society, and you have the predictable envy, pride, embarrassment and misunderstandings which result from perceived class distinctions based on material wealth. Ms Weber attempted to show audiences the foolishness of such thinking, and that moral character is what really matters, and she did so by great attention to detail in both characters and their emotions as well as material things like tattered rugs and upholstery in the poor home and gourmet food at the wealthy Country Club dinner. Besides making a point, these scenes are simply interesting viewing in themselves as they show what life was like in 1921, from fashion, furnishings and homes to people's behaviour and attitudes. While fashions and consumer goods have changed in nearly a century, the social problems and class distinctions are still with us in varying degrees, which makes "The Blot" surprisingly relevant and easily embraced by today's audience as well. A beautiful orchestral musical score helps the story along nicely, and the picture quality is overall very good with just a few scenes now and then showing some age. For merely a pleasant trip into the past, a learning experience in early cinema or a fine example of the work of `the Superwoman' of the silent era, "The Blot" has something for everyone and can be appreciated on different levels.

My husband had to get this movie for a film class. We watched it together, and it was pretty entertaining. I don't know much about the acting back then, but with a silent film, I suppose they had to be more animated, so some parts were a bit overly dramatic. However, this movie did hold our attention and we got invested in the characters. I probably won't watch it again and again, but it was a neat film and cool to see part of thematic history.

One of the best silent movies both for topic and for execution - by one of the few women directors early Hollywood let succeed. If you have never seen Claire Windsor then you are missing a great and stunningly beautiful actress. This movie even makes Louie Calhern look good.

Shelly Stamp really adds depth to the picture and helps the viewer gain a better understanding of both the film and the times in which in took place. Loved this movie and this copy of it. Especially for the price. Lois Weber was such an exceptional director and it really is a shame more people aren't aware of her works.

What I do not like is not the film but the very bad DVD with an horrible transfer (A VHS Tape). It arrived on time but one cannot recommend this edition. It is even difficult to read the titles

A solid and well done edition of an underseen silent gem.

I had never even heard of Lois Weber until I was introduced to her through the  Treasures III: Social Issues in American Film, 1900-1934  DVD set. Lois Weber was one of the few women directing films in the early part of the 20th century, and she tended to focus on socially conscious themes of her time. This film has to do with how society rewards educators versus other better-paid professions, even though those well-paid professionals needed the services of the educator to learn their trade in the first place. In this particular film the contrast is between a professor's family that is living on the professor's near-poverty wage and their prosperous next-door neighbors, the family of a shoe-maker. Made in 1920, it is a more realistic look at "genteel poverty" than you were likely to get at the movies at that time. In 1920 the poor were mainly shown as agrarian folk living in "Tobacco Road" style poverty or those living in crime-ridden tenements. This shows that the poor can live in middle class areas with the veneer of a middle-class lifestyle but just be lacking in funds to finance anything that comes at them that is out of the ordinary.The film focuses on the professor's daughter and her two suitors. One is an equally poverty-stricken preacher, the other played by a 26 year old Louis Calhern, is a wealthy student of the professor's. The professor's daughter becomes ill, and the doctor says that what she needs is "nourishing food". Her mother decides to do what she has never done before, go into debt. However, the grocer demands cash upfront for all purchases. The desperate mother returns home and notices that the next-door neighbor has a very tempting chicken cooling in the kitchen window. What she does next, the daughter's reaction, and the kindly gestures of Calhern's character lead up to a well-played yet predictable ending.This film reveals several interesting points about life that was true until the 1960's. One fact is that one of the most expensive commodities in life until that time was food. That is why the professor's family is less worried about calling a doctor for the daughter than they are about how they are going to afford the balanced diet their daughter requires for recovery. Another expensive commodity was furniture, as is pointed out by the professor's worn home furnishings. Today cheap and attractive furniture abounds, and it might leave some scratching their heads when they see families terrified of someone coming and taking their furniture for payment of a debt. Nobody would do that today since used furniture is practically worthless.This film is worthwhile viewing, and the accompanying commentary is pretty good. One of its best points is that it doesn't paint anyone in the film as either completely good or bad. The qualities and weaknesses of all of the players are shown realistically, and overall I recommend this film.