Interference

Plot

In this early sound drama, Deborah Kane (Evelyn Brent) is a scheming woman who discovers that Sir John Marlay (Clive Brook), a prominent physician, is having an affair with her sister. Using this information as leverage, Deborah sets out to blackmail Faith Marley (Doris Kenyon), Sir John's virtuous wife. The plot thickens when Sir John's colleague Dr. David Trent (William Powell) becomes involved, attempting to protect the Marlay family from Deborah's malicious schemes. As the blackmail plot unfolds, it leads to murder accusations and a tense courtroom drama where the truth must finally emerge. The film explores themes of betrayal, honor, and redemption as the characters navigate the consequences of their actions in this tale of moral corruption and ultimate justice.

Historical Background

Interference was produced during one of the most revolutionary periods in cinema history - the transition from silent to sound films. The Jazz Singer (1927) had just proven that talking pictures were commercially viable, and studios were racing to convert their productions to sound. By 1928, the film industry was in chaos as theaters scrambled to install sound equipment and studios retrained their personnel. Paramount, one of the major studios, invested heavily in sound technology and needed to demonstrate their commitment to the new medium. Interference served as this showcase, representing not just a single film but the studio's entire future in the sound era. The film's production coincided with the stock market boom of the late 1920s, just before the Great Depression would dramatically impact the film industry. This period also saw the end of many silent film careers and the rise of new stars who could successfully adapt to sound.

Making Of

The production of Interference was fraught with the typical challenges of early sound filmmaking. The sound recording equipment was bulky and restrictive, forcing actors to remain relatively stationary during scenes. Microphones had to be hidden in props or set pieces, limiting camera movement. Director Roy Pomeroy, despite his technical expertise with sound equipment, struggled with directing actors in the new medium, reportedly giving too much attention to technical aspects while neglecting dramatic performances. This led to tensions on set and ultimately to his replacement by Lothar Mendes, who had more experience with dramatic direction. The cast had to undergo voice coaching to adapt their stage-trained projection to the more intimate requirements of microphone recording. Many scenes had to be reshot multiple times due to technical glitches, unwanted background noise, or actors' voices not recording properly. The film's success despite these challenges demonstrated that audiences were hungry for talking pictures and willing to overlook technical imperfections.

Visual Style

The cinematography in Interference reflects the constraints of early sound filmmaking. The camera work is notably static compared to the fluid camera movements common in late silent films, as the bulky sound recording equipment limited camera mobility. Director of Photography Henry W. Gerrard had to work within these limitations, using careful composition and lighting to maintain visual interest despite the restricted movement. The film uses relatively few close-ups, as early sound recording made it difficult to capture clear audio during tight shots. Lighting had to be carefully arranged to avoid noise from equipment, and many scenes were shot with flat, even illumination to ensure consistent sound quality. Despite these technical constraints, the film maintains a professional visual quality typical of Paramount productions, with well-designed sets and appropriate costumes that enhance the dramatic atmosphere. The visual style represents the transitional aesthetic of early talkies, where the visual sophistication of late silent films was temporarily compromised by the demands of sound recording.

Innovations

Interference represents several important technical achievements in early cinema history. As Paramount's first all-talking picture, it demonstrated the studio's successful implementation of the Western Electric sound-on-film system. The film showcased improved microphone placement techniques compared to earlier sound films, allowing for more natural actor movement while maintaining clear audio recording. The production team developed innovative methods for hiding microphones in set pieces and props, a technique that would become standard practice in sound filmmaking. The film also demonstrated advances in sound synchronization, with dialogue and effects properly aligned with the visual action. While not revolutionary in terms of technical innovation, Interference represented the refinement and practical application of sound technology that had been experimental just months earlier. The film's success proved that the technical challenges of sound filmmaking could be overcome to produce commercially viable entertainment, accelerating the industry's complete adoption of sound technology.

Music

As an early sound film, Interference featured a synchronized musical score and sound effects along with dialogue. The musical score was composed by John Leipold, Paramount's house composer, who provided appropriate background music to enhance the dramatic scenes. The film used the Western Electric sound-on-film system, which was considered state-of-the-art technology in 1928. The soundtrack included diegetic music (music within the story) as well as non-diegetic background score. Early sound films often struggled with music balance, and Interference was no exception, with some contemporary reviews noting that the music sometimes overwhelmed the dialogue. The film also featured sound effects that were considered innovative for the time, including door slams, telephone rings, and other environmental sounds that added realism to the scenes. The sound quality, while impressive for 1928, would be considered primitive by modern standards, with noticeable background hiss and limited frequency range. The soundtrack represents the early experimentation with film music that would eventually evolve into the sophisticated scoring techniques of the 1930s.

Memorable Scenes

• The tense blackmail scene where Deborah Kane confronts Faith Marley with the evidence of her husband's infidelity
• The courtroom sequence where Dr. Trent presents evidence that clears Sir John of murder charges
• The dramatic confrontation between Deborah and Sir John where the full extent of her scheme is revealed
• The final scene where justice is served and the characters face the consequences of their actions

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics generally praised Interference as a successful early sound film, though many noted the technical limitations still apparent in the production. Variety reviewed it favorably, stating that 'Paramount has made a creditable job of its first all-talking picture' and particularly praised Evelyn Brent's performance. The New York Times noted that while the film had 'some of the stiffness common to early talkies,' it was 'nevertheless an engaging drama with good performances.' Modern critics view the film as an interesting artifact of the early sound era, with its historical significance often outweighing its artistic merits. Film historians appreciate it as an example of how quickly filmmakers adapted to the new technology, creating relatively sophisticated dialogue and dramatic structure despite the technical constraints. The film is generally regarded as better than many of its contemporaries from the same transitional period.

What Audiences Thought

Audiences in 1928 were fascinated by Interference primarily because it was a talking picture, a novelty that still drew crowds despite the technical imperfections. The film performed respectably at the box office, particularly in urban areas where theaters had been equipped for sound. Moviegoers were reportedly impressed by the clarity of the dialogue and the naturalistic performances compared to the exaggerated acting style common in silent films. The dramatic storyline, with elements of blackmail and romance, appealed to mainstream audiences of the era. However, some viewers complained about the sound quality and the static nature of the staging, which resulted from the technical limitations of early sound recording. Despite these issues, the film's success demonstrated that audiences had fully embraced sound cinema and were willing to pay premium prices for talking pictures, accelerating the industry's complete conversion to sound within the next year.

You Might Also Like