Shoes

Plot

Shoes tells the story of Eva Meyer, a young working-class girl who earns meager wages at a five-and-dime store while struggling to support her impoverished family. Her shoes are worn out and falling apart, causing her physical pain and deep embarrassment as she walks to work each day. Too ashamed to ask her unemployed, alcoholic father for money for new shoes, Eva endures her suffering in silence. When a well-dressed man on the street offers to buy her dinner and new shoes, Eva faces a moral dilemma between maintaining her virtue and escaping her poverty. The film culminates with Eva making a fateful decision that will change her life forever, highlighting the impossible choices faced by working women in early 20th century America.

Historical Background

Shoes was produced during the Progressive Era (1890s-1920s), a period of intense social activism and political reform in the United States. The film emerged during World War I (though before America's entry in 1917), when social issues were at the forefront of national consciousness. 1916 was also a pivotal year for the women's suffrage movement, with several states granting women the right to vote. The film's release coincided with growing public awareness of urban poverty and labor exploitation, issues that had been highlighted by muckraking journalists and social reformers. The early film industry was still establishing itself as a legitimate art form, and directors like Weber were pushing the boundaries of what cinema could achieve as a medium for social commentary. The year 1916 also saw the formation of the National Board of Review, which began rating films for their moral content, making Shoes' bold themes particularly significant.

Making Of

Lois Weber approached Shoes with her characteristic methodical preparation and social consciousness. Before filming, she spent weeks researching the living conditions of working-class families in Los Angeles, interviewing shop girls and visiting tenement buildings. Weber insisted that Mary MacLaren actually walk around in worn-out shoes for several days before filming began to authentically portray Eva's discomfort and shame. The famous scene where Eva's shoe sole falls apart was achieved by having the prop department weaken the shoe's construction just enough for it to separate naturally during filming. Weber worked closely with cinematographer Allen G. Siegler to create a visual contrast between the bright, artificial world of the department store and the dark, cramped reality of Eva's home. The controversial 'temptation scene' with the well-dressed man was carefully choreographed to suggest sexual danger without being explicit, using subtle camera angles and lighting changes to convey the threat. Weber's attention to detail extended to the film's intertitles, which she personally wrote to ensure they conveyed the appropriate emotional tone without being preachy.

Visual Style

The cinematography by Allen G. Siegler employs innovative techniques that were ahead of their time. Weber and Siegler used contrasting lighting schemes to differentiate between Eva's harsh reality and her fantasies of a better life. The department store scenes are shot with bright, even lighting to create an artificial paradise, while the home scenes use natural light and shadows to emphasize the family's poverty. The film features several point-of-view shots, including a memorable sequence from Eva's perspective looking down at her worn shoes. Siegler employed soft focus techniques during Eva's moments of despair, creating a dreamlike quality that emphasized her psychological state. The street scenes use actual Los Angeles locations, giving the film a documentary-like authenticity that was unusual for fictional features of the period.

Innovations

Shoes demonstrated several technical innovations that were groundbreaking for 1916. Weber pioneered the use of subjective camera angles to convey Eva's psychological state, including innovative low-angle shots that emphasized her vulnerability. The film features sophisticated cross-cutting between Eva's workplace and home, creating parallel action that heightens dramatic tension. Weber employed natural lighting for interior scenes, which was unusual for studio productions of the era that typically relied entirely on artificial lighting. The film's editing rhythm, particularly in the climactic temptation scene, uses rapid cuts to convey Eva's internal conflict. Weber also experimented with focus pulling to direct audience attention, particularly in scenes where Eva's worn shoes are emphasized against the background.

Music

As a silent film, Shoes was originally accompanied by live musical performance. The original score was composed by Joseph Carl Breil, one of the era's most prominent film composers who also scored D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation. The score featured popular songs of the period interspersed with original compositions that emphasized the film's emotional moments. Modern restorations have been accompanied by newly commissioned scores, including a 2010 version by composer Stephen Horne that incorporates period-appropriate instruments and styles. The musical accompaniment typically features piano with occasional violin or cello underscoring, reflecting the typical theater orchestra configuration of 1916.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening sequence following Eva's painful walk to work, with close-ups of her disintegrating shoes hitting the pavement
• The department store scene where Eva handles beautiful new shoes she cannot afford, her fingers tracing the fine leather with longing
• The climactic street confrontation where the well-dressed man approaches Eva, shot from Eva's low-angle perspective to emphasize her vulnerability
• The final scene in Eva's bedroom, where she sits in darkness contemplating her choice, with only moonlight illuminating her face
• The family dinner scene where Eva's father drunkenly demands money, highlighting the impossible economics of her situation

What Critics Said

Contemporary critics praised Shoes for its realism and social consciousness. The Moving Picture World called it 'a powerful and convincing picture of life as it is lived by thousands of girls in our large cities.' Variety noted that 'Miss Weber has handled a delicate subject with fine taste and artistic skill.' Modern critics have reevaluated the film as a masterpiece of early cinema. The New York Times, in its review of a 2010 screening, called it 'a remarkably sophisticated and emotionally resonant work that feels strikingly modern.' Film scholar Anthony Slide has described it as 'perhaps Weber's most perfectly realized film,' while the Museum of Modern Art considers it 'a landmark of American silent cinema' for its technical innovation and social relevance.

What Audiences Thought

Shoes was commercially successful upon its release, particularly with urban audiences who recognized the authenticity of its portrayal of working-class life. The film generated significant discussion in newspapers and women's magazines about the social issues it raised. Contemporary audience reports indicate that many viewers were moved to tears by Eva's plight, while others were shocked by the film's frank treatment of sexuality and moral compromise. The film's popularity led to it being screened in both conventional theaters and at reform meetings and social work conferences. Modern audiences have responded positively to restorations and revivals, with many expressing surprise at the film's contemporary relevance and emotional power. The film's availability on home video and streaming platforms has introduced it to new generations of viewers who appreciate its artistic merit and historical significance.

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