This is the third sound remake I have seen of this film. It already has been filmed as Broncho Billy and the Baby (1915), The Three Godfathers (1916), Marked Men (1919), Three Godfathers (1936), 3 Godfathers (1948) and The Godchild (1974) according to IMDb. I think it's time they stopped remaking this film--and fortunately, this has been the case for the past 35 years. While I am a fan of John Wayne, I really think his 1948 version is far from the best.
One of the first things you may notice about this 1930 version is its absence of incidental music. Like all the films from 1929-1931 (give or take), they still hadn't perfected how to do this. In many of these films, to have this music meant having an orchestra just off camera! And, since this is an outdoor film AND most of these early films only used music sparingly, you will notice how quiet the film is. However, it is fortunate that otherwise the sound is very good--and it's easy to understand the voices in the film--something that isn't always the case.
The plot is pretty much the same as the other films. Three bandits rob a bank and make a getaway. On their trek across the desert, they stumble upon a lone wagon without an animal to pull it. Inside is a pregnant lady about to give birth. These desperate criminals find it within themselves to help the lady and even take the child with them back to civilization after she dies. This is even at the possible cost of being caught and having to share what little water they have to get the kid to safety. Their selflessness is a sharp contrast to who they were when the film began and the story is all about hope and redemption.
Overall, it's a very good story and of the three versions I have seen, I still think the 1936 version with Lewis Stone is the best and the 1930 version comes next. The 1936 film lacks the sappy sentimentality of the later John Wayne version and the acting is simply better than this 1930 version. I think because sound was such a new medium, the actors in the 1930 film tended to over-annunciate their lines and tended to sound a bit fake. This stiffness undoes some of the impact of the movie. My choice for the best of these is pretty funny, actually, considering that two great directors made the versions I liked less--John Ford (1919 and 1948) and William Wyler (1930). Lowly Richard Boleslawski made the 1936 remake! Go figure.
So, if you are a film nut like me, try seeing them all! But, if you are a normal and well-adjusted person, you'll probably only want to see one--make it the '36 film. It has a great cast and delivers the best punch.
One of the first things you may notice about this 1930 version is its absence of incidental music. Like all the films from 1929-1931 (give or take), they still hadn't perfected how to do this. In many of these films, to have this music meant having an orchestra just off camera! And, since this is an outdoor film AND most of these early films only used music sparingly, you will notice how quiet the film is. However, it is fortunate that otherwise the sound is very good--and it's easy to understand the voices in the film--something that isn't always the case.
The plot is pretty much the same as the other films. Three bandits rob a bank and make a getaway. On their trek across the desert, they stumble upon a lone wagon without an animal to pull it. Inside is a pregnant lady about to give birth. These desperate criminals find it within themselves to help the lady and even take the child with them back to civilization after she dies. This is even at the possible cost of being caught and having to share what little water they have to get the kid to safety. Their selflessness is a sharp contrast to who they were when the film began and the story is all about hope and redemption.
Overall, it's a very good story and of the three versions I have seen, I still think the 1936 version with Lewis Stone is the best and the 1930 version comes next. The 1936 film lacks the sappy sentimentality of the later John Wayne version and the acting is simply better than this 1930 version. I think because sound was such a new medium, the actors in the 1930 film tended to over-annunciate their lines and tended to sound a bit fake. This stiffness undoes some of the impact of the movie. My choice for the best of these is pretty funny, actually, considering that two great directors made the versions I liked less--John Ford (1919 and 1948) and William Wyler (1930). Lowly Richard Boleslawski made the 1936 remake! Go figure.
So, if you are a film nut like me, try seeing them all! But, if you are a normal and well-adjusted person, you'll probably only want to see one--make it the '36 film. It has a great cast and delivers the best punch.