Blind Husbands

I haven't seen enough films from the era to talk about this one with any sense of authority. It mostly held my attention, it was super creepy about women, and it had a couple good effects shots. Apparently, the tradition of men making movies for men and about men, with women existing only in relation to those men, goes back at least a century; it was as boring then as it is now.

A solidly constructed drama with nice comedic undercurrents and a suspenseful ending. Von Stroheim takes to the whole writer/director thing with flair. The visual appeal here isn't so much about camera work or editing (which are adequate) as it is a matter of a great use of the setting, and some very good lighting. The performances are all very good, with von Stroheim's own the most memorable.