The Bells

1/19/2020

"Hear the sledges with the bells, silver bells!" Plot in a nutshell: Mathias, a kindhearted Alsatian innkeeper, murders and robs a rich Polish merchant. The dead man's spirit will not let him rest, however, and Mathias is nearly driven insane with guilt...and the sound of sleigh bells. Comments: An interesting little relic from the Silent Era, this is an intriguing film. It's not high art, but it boasts a good, emotional performance from a young(ish) Lionel Barrymore; as a bonus, we also have an almost unrecognizable Boris Karloff, who really goes all out for the creepy effect. It's certainly not the greatest silent film I've seen, but it would be of interest to those who are into the period, or are fans of Barrymore or Karloff.