The Goose Woman 1925

Film Review and Rating / Synopsis

• The Goose Woman (1925) - Plot Summary - Silent melodrama starring Louise Dresser as once world-famous Opera soprano, Marie de Nardi, now living on a dirty, extremely rundown goose farm under the name Mary Holmes. Slovenly, bitter, and drunken, she pours over old scrapbooks and photos of herself during her triumphant years, while listening to an old recording of her voice. Having given up her career for motherhood, she is resentful and full of hatred towards her only son, Gerald (Jack Pickford), who arrives one evening to visit and is given her usual wrath and unkind words. Gerald goes to visit local stage actress Hazel Woods (Constance Bennett), who he is crazy about, and she accepts his engagement ring. The next day, Mary's neighbor - a prominent citizen and rival for the attentions of Hazel - is found murdered. Mary refuses to talk to reporters about the murder after they print a story referring to her as a "drunken, irresponsible Goose Woman", but when detectives arrive at her door and promise she'll be a "head-liner" if she can give them any big scoop regarding the crime - she badly wants the publicity and her name in print again, so makes up a lie that, unfortunately, ends up leading to Gerald being marked as prime suspect for the murder! As she is bathed and given a full makeover ala Eliza Doolittle, then set before the press as star witness and once famous Marie de Nardi, poor Gerald is being questioned under the police bright lights. What will be his fate?!

  Review - This is quite a good film - it could really use a restoration (if it hasn't already), it's quite worthwhile and well done. The print I saw was a Televista release DVD with a mediocre print (it looked better in some spots than others, with some fading and bad scratching and splotches in places). The music score is a mix of vintage tunes, some matched the action well - some didn't. The performance of Louise Dresser is a standout, but cute Jack Pickford certainly holds his own here, as the sensitive son, trying to cope with a mother who doesn't give him her love. Really enjoyed this one. Rating - * 9/10 stars *

  Film Runtime: 80 minutes

Links / Resources

• IMDb film listing for The Goose Woman (1925), cast and crew
• AFI Catalog Listing, cast, summary, tech details

RATINGS KEY:

10 = Absolutely Fabulous/Superb
9 = Really Good/Excellent
8 = Good
7 = Fairly Good/Decent
6 = So-so, some flaws
5 = Mediocre
4 = Not that good, many flaws
3 = Poor
2 = Very Poor/Stinker
1 = One of the worst BOMBS ever filmed