The Wind

Plot

Letty Mason travels from Virginia to live with her cousin Beverly and his wife Cora on their isolated West Texas ranch, immediately finding herself overwhelmed by the relentless, howling wind and endless sand. The harsh environment is matched by Cora's cold reception, as she views Letty as competition for male attention in the barren landscape. Three men pursue Letty: the local cattle dealer Roddy, the handsome but philandering Wirt, and the quiet, dependable Lige Hightower. After a traumatic encounter with Wirt, Letty marries Lige but remains haunted by her experiences and the oppressive wind that seems to embody her psychological torment. In the film's climax, Letty finally confronts both her inner demons and the elemental forces that have plagued her, achieving a hard-won peace in the unforgiving desert landscape.

Historical Background

The Wind was produced during the tumultuous transition from silent films to talkies in 1928, a period of enormous technological and artistic upheaval in Hollywood. The silent era was reaching its zenith of artistic sophistication, with directors like Sjöström pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling. This film represents the culmination of silent cinema's artistic achievements even as the industry was being revolutionized by sound. The late 1920s also saw America grappling with modernization versus traditional values, themes reflected in the film's conflict between civilization and the harsh frontier. The psychological realism and intense focus on character psychology that Sjöström brought to the film was part of a broader movement toward more sophisticated narratives in late silent cinema. Additionally, the film's portrayal of environmental struggle resonated with Dust Bowl experiences that would soon devastate the American West, though the film predates that ecological disaster.

Making Of

The production of 'The Wind' was marked by extraordinary physical challenges for the cast and crew. Director Victor Sjöström, known in Sweden as 'The Victor Seastrom,' was a master of visual storytelling and insisted on authentic, visceral wind effects. The production team constructed massive wind machines using airplane propellers, creating winds so powerful that they sometimes damaged the set and endangered the performers. Lillian Gish, dedicated to her craft, performed many of her own stunts, including scenes where she was battered by sand and wind. The relationship between Gish and Sjöström was one of mutual artistic respect; both were at the height of their creative powers. The film's ending controversy became legendary - after preview audiences reacted negatively to the original bleak ending where Letty perishes in the desert, MGM forced reshoots to create a more hopeful conclusion, much to Sjöström's dismay. The production also pioneered innovative techniques for simulating sandstorms and wind effects that would influence later desert films.

Visual Style

The cinematography by John Arnold was revolutionary for its time, particularly in its handling of wind and sand effects. Arnold employed innovative techniques including multiple exposures to create the illusion of endless sand, and carefully calibrated lighting to suggest the harsh, unforgiving sun of West Texas. The camera work emphasizes isolation and vulnerability through wide shots that dwarf characters against the vast landscape, and claustrophobic close-ups that capture Letty's psychological torment. The film's visual language uses the wind as an active character, with camera movements that suggest being buffeted by gales. Arnold pioneered techniques for filming in artificial wind conditions, including special filters to protect the lens and modified camera housings. The cinematography creates a dreamlike, nightmarish quality that blurs the line between psychological and environmental horror, influencing countless later films that use weather as psychological metaphor.

Innovations

The film's most significant technical achievement was its groundbreaking creation of realistic wind and sandstorm effects. The production team, led by special effects expert A. Arnold Gillespie, designed and built massive wind machines using aircraft propellers capable of producing winds up to 70 miles per hour. They developed a special mixture of fine sawdust and sand that would look authentic on camera while being less harmful to performers than pure sand. The film also pioneered techniques for filming in extreme weather conditions, including specially modified camera equipment and innovative lighting setups that could withstand the wind. The production's ability to maintain visual continuity during scenes with flying debris and artificial weather was remarkable for the era. Additionally, the film's seamless blending of location shooting in the Mojave Desert with studio work demonstrated sophisticated matte painting and composite techniques that were ahead of their time.

Music

As a silent film, 'The Wind' originally had no recorded soundtrack but was accompanied by live musical performances during theatrical screenings. The original score was composed by William Axt and performed by theater orchestras, with music that emphasized the wind's relentless presence through sustained strings and percussion elements. Modern restorations have been accompanied by newly composed scores, most notably a 2008 version by Stephen Horne and a 2015 score by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra. These modern interpretations attempt to capture the psychological intensity of the original while using contemporary musical language. The film's effective use of silence as a dramatic element, particularly in moments when the wind briefly subsides, demonstrates sophisticated understanding of audio-visual relationships despite the lack of recorded sound.

Memorable Scenes

• The opening sequence where Letty first arrives in West Texas and is immediately overwhelmed by the relentless wind and sand, establishing the film's central antagonist
• The sandstorm sequence where Letty battles both the physical storm and her psychological breakdown, considered one of the most intense scenes in silent cinema
• The wedding scene where the wind literally tears at Letty's veil and dress, symbolizing nature's resistance to human attempts at order and civilization
• The final scene where Letty achieves peace by accepting rather than fighting the wind, showing her transformation from victim to survivor
• The scene where Letty confronts Wirt in the isolated cabin, a masterclass in building tension through visual storytelling rather than dialogue

What Critics Said

Contemporary critical reception was mixed to positive, with many critics praising Lillian Gish's performance as extraordinary and Victor Sjöström's direction as masterful, though some found the film's bleakness overwhelming. The New York Times hailed it as 'a remarkable achievement in cinematic art' while Variety noted its 'unrelenting intensity.' Modern critics have been overwhelmingly positive, with the film now regarded as one of the greatest silent films ever made. Critics particularly praise its sophisticated use of visual metaphor, psychological depth, and Gish's nuanced performance. The film holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on critical reviews, with many calling it 'a haunting masterpiece' and 'one of the last great works of the silent era.' Film scholars have written extensively about its innovative techniques and its status as a bridge between Victorian melodrama and modern psychological cinema.

What Audiences Thought

Initial audience reception in 1928 was poor, with many viewers finding the film too bleak and disturbing for entertainment. The relentless wind and psychological intensity proved overwhelming for audiences seeking escapism during the Great Depression's onset. Test screenings led to the controversial changing of the ending from tragic to hopeful, as audiences rejected the original conclusion. However, modern audiences rediscovering the film through revivals and home video have responded much more positively, with many considering it a powerful and haunting work of art. Contemporary viewers often express surprise at the film's sophistication and emotional power, particularly given its silent format. The film has developed a cult following among silent film enthusiasts and is frequently cited as an entry point for people interested in exploring silent cinema beyond the most famous comedies.

You Might Also Like