Souls for Sale: Rupert Hughes

One of the great tragedies of the movie industry are the countless films that have been lost to the ages.  But every so often, a miracle occurs, and a lost film is rediscovered and restored to its former glory.  Souls for Sale is one of those reclaimed treasures.  Originally thought lost, it was rediscovered and restored by MGM and released on video.  The film is a remarkable snapshot of Hollywood in the early 20s.  It follows Remember "Mem" Steddon as she flees a murderous husband and is rescued by a Hollywood actor while on a film shoot.  From there, she works her way up through the film industry, starting as an extra but becoming a leading lady.  She is introduced to a whole who's who of early Hollywood, even visiting Erich von Stroheim on the set of Greed and Charlie Chaplin as he tries to direct his latest crowd-pleaser.  Of course, the husband tracks her down and tries to claim her, and her new-found wealth, for his own.  A struggle ensues, true love wins out, everyone lives happily ever after.  In truth, it is incredibly formulaic in presentation.  But Souls for Sale is nevertheless a crucial piece of early Hollywood history.  It can be classified as one of the very first films about the film industry.  It exudes a wry cynicism in its evaluation of Hollywood and its stars.  Indeed, it seems to be one of the first films that demonstrated a certain self-awareness concerning Hollywood and the film industry, making careful mention of how pretty faces sell tickets, how scandals end careers, and how expendable actors can be.  In one scene, a sudden storm causes a circus set to catch fire and burn down.  Instead of fleeing, the director forces his cameramen to continue shooting, as they might be able to use the footage.  But this is still a delightful film.  Watching it makes one wonder how many other lost classics may still be out there in the world, just waiting to be rediscovered...

 8/10