Unlike many people, I had seen Gloria Swanson in some silent films and early talkies before I watched Sunset Boulevard (a film which still gives me nightmares). I knew that she was a very good dramatic actress with a lot of star quality, but I was surprised to find that she was a comedienne.
Even if you didn't know about her starting in Keystone comedies, her very good comedic timing still shines through. Her acting style is ahead of its time- she could convey emotion using only her face without descending into over-the-top spastic acting like some of her contemporaries. Her character of Jenny is adorable.
Her pratfalls and jokes do not seem forced, her dreams, aspirations and love for Orme (what kind of a name is that) come across like real emotions.
Jenny is a simple waitress, desperately in love with Orme, the pancake flipper. She secretly does his washing, even buying him a new, expensive shirt when she accidentally ruins his.
He, however, has a thing for actresses, so she decides to become an actress (using acting lessons by mail). Slapstick antics are persistent throughout the film- there's one scene where Jenny takes over Orme's pancake stand that is very funny. The ending scenes are also a hoot.
Will love triumph over paper idols? You'll have to see this film to find out.
Swanson was a unique looking woman, with those unique light-coloured eyes, so it's funny that Orme doesn't realize that she may be a catch sooner.
The first and last scenes are shot in two-strip technicolour, and pretty well at that. The opening has Swanson, as an actress (in a daydream) doing a Salome impersonation.
