Noah's Ark

Plot

Noah's Ark tells two parallel stories that converge thematically: the Biblical account of Noah (George O'Brien) building an ark to save his family and animal pairs from God's wrath in the form of the Great Flood, and a contemporary World War I narrative following American soldier Travis (Dolores Costello) and his experiences in the trenches of France. The film intercuts between these two narratives, drawing parallels between divine destruction in ancient times and man-made destruction in modern warfare. As Noah struggles with his faith and the overwhelming task of building the ark, Travis faces moral dilemmas and the horrors of war. Both stories ultimately explore themes of survival, redemption, and the possibility of renewal after catastrophic destruction, with the film suggesting that both the Biblical flood and World War I represent forms of divine judgment on humanity's wickedness.

Historical Background

Noah's Ark was produced during a pivotal moment in cinema history - the transition from silent films to talkies in 1928. The film industry was in turmoil as studios scrambled to convert to sound technology, and many silent film stars found their careers ending due to poor speaking voices or thick accents. The film also emerged in the aftermath of World War I, with the war's trauma still fresh in the public consciousness. The Great Depression was just beginning to loom on the horizon, though it had not yet struck when the film was released. This context helps explain the film's themes of destruction and renewal, as well as its attempt to connect ancient Biblical narratives with contemporary concerns about modern warfare and humanity's capacity for self-destruction. The film's massive budget and ambitious scale reflected the excesses of the late 1920s film industry, just before the economic crash would force studios to become more conservative in their productions.

Making Of

The production of Noah's Ark was one of the most ambitious undertakings in Hollywood history up to that point. Director Michael Curtiz, who had recently emigrated from Hungary, was given an unprecedented budget by Warner Bros. to create what they hoped would be their answer to Cecil B. DeMille's Biblical epics. The studio built massive sets on their Burbank lot, including a partial reconstruction of the ark that was over 300 feet long. The flood sequences required the construction of enormous tanks that could hold hundreds of thousands of gallons of water, with sophisticated drainage systems to control the flow. The cast and crew worked under grueling conditions, with many performers spending hours in cold water for the flood scenes. Dolores Costello reportedly caught pneumonia during filming but continued to work. The film was shot simultaneously in silent and sound versions, a common practice during the transition period, with the sound version featuring a synchronized musical score by Louis Silvers and limited dialogue sequences. The production faced numerous challenges including technical difficulties with the early sound equipment and safety concerns during the dangerous water sequences.

Visual Style

The cinematography by Barney McGill and Sol Polito was groundbreaking for its time, particularly in the execution of the massive flood sequences. The film employed multiple cameras to capture the disaster from various angles simultaneously, creating a sense of overwhelming scale that was unprecedented in 1928. The cinematographers used innovative techniques including forced perspective, miniature photography, and early matte painting methods to create the illusion of a worldwide flood. The visual style contrasted the warm, intimate lighting of the human drama scenes with the stark, dramatic lighting of the destruction sequences. The film also made effective use of the new wider film formats that were being experimented with at the time, particularly for the spectacular scenes. The cinematography successfully blended the visual storytelling techniques of the silent era with the new possibilities offered by synchronized sound, creating a hybrid style that was both modern and respectful of classical film traditions.

Innovations

Noah's Ark was a technical marvel for its time, featuring numerous innovations in special effects, sound recording, and production design. The flood sequences represented a quantum leap in visual effects, combining full-scale water tanks with miniature photography and early matte painting techniques. The production team developed new methods for controlling large volumes of water safely on set, including sophisticated drainage systems and wave-making equipment. The film was one of the first to use multiple cameras simultaneously for complex action sequences, allowing for more dynamic editing. As an early part-talkie, it pioneered techniques for integrating sound with visual storytelling without sacrificing the sophistication of silent cinema. The production design included some of the largest and most detailed sets built in Hollywood up to that time, particularly the partial ark reconstruction. The film also experimented with early color tinting for certain sequences, particularly the sunrise and sunset scenes. These technical achievements influenced disaster film techniques for decades and helped establish new standards for Hollywood spectacle.

Music

The film's music was composed by Louis Silvers, one of the early pioneers of film scoring, and was performed by the Vitaphone Orchestra. As a part-talkie, the film featured a synchronized musical score throughout, along with sound effects for the dramatic sequences and limited dialogue in key scenes. The score incorporated both original compositions and adaptations of classical and religious music, including themes that would become associated with Biblical epics in later decades. The sound design was particularly innovative in the flood sequences, where the team created realistic water sounds using a combination of field recordings and studio effects. The limited dialogue sequences were carefully chosen to maximize their impact, with most of the story still told through visual means. The soundtrack was recorded on Vitaphone discs that had to be synchronized with the film projection, a technology that was soon to be replaced by sound-on-film systems. The musical themes were later published as sheet music and became popular in their own right.

Memorable Scenes

• The spectacular flood sequence where massive waves crash over the ark, destroying everything in their path - a technical marvel that took weeks to film and used over 600,000 gallons of water.
• The parallel montage sequence intercutting between Noah's family boarding the ark and soldiers going over the top in the trenches, visually connecting ancient and modern forms of destruction.
• The emotional scene where Noah (George O'Brien) questions God's will while watching the world drown, capturing the crisis of faith that connects both storylines.
• The final sunrise scene showing the ark resting on Mount Ararat with the rainbow promise, juxtaposed with the WWI characters finding hope amid the ruins of war.

What Critics Said

Contemporary critical reception was largely positive, with many reviewers praising the film's ambition and technical achievements. The New York Times called it 'a magnificent spectacle that pushes the boundaries of cinematic art,' while Variety noted that 'the flood sequences alone are worth the price of admission.' Critics were particularly impressed with the film's successful integration of sound elements without sacrificing the visual storytelling of the silent era. Some reviewers, however, found the dual narrative structure confusing or overly ambitious. Modern film historians and critics have reassessed the film as an important transitional work in cinema history. The American Film Institute includes it among their list of important early sound films, and it is frequently cited in studies of early special effects and disaster cinema. Contemporary critics often note the film's surprisingly sophisticated thematic connections between the Biblical and contemporary narratives, though some find the sentimentality typical of the period dated.

What Audiences Thought

Noah's Ark was a major commercial success upon its release, drawing large audiences eager to see both the spectacular flood sequences and hear the new sound technology. The film reportedly grossed over $2 million domestically, a substantial sum for 1928. Audience reaction was generally enthusiastic, with moviegoers particularly impressed by the realistic flood effects and the emotional power of the dual storylines. The film's success helped establish Dolores Costello as a major star capable of making the transition to sound films, and it boosted Michael Curtiz's reputation as a director capable of handling large-scale productions. The film's popularity extended internationally, though some foreign markets had to wait longer for sound-equipped theaters to show the talking version. In later years, the film developed a cult following among classic film enthusiasts and is now considered an important example of early Hollywood spectacle.

You Might Also Like