The Oscar Project

7^th Heaven (1927)

A Fox Film Corporation Film. Distributed by Fox Film Corporation.

7^th Heaven really swept up at the first Oscars. It was nominated for the most awards, and won three out of five of them. It’s interesting, because the film is very much a romance, with any other genre really sitting on the bench. That’s not to say it isn’t a great film, because it is.

Diane (Janet Gaynor) and her sister are prostitutes, living in a slum-like apartment in an unnamed city. After an incident goes pear-shaped with a wealthy relative, Diane’s tyrannical sister tries to kill her. Diane is rescued by Chico, a sewer-worker who dreams of becoming a street cleaner. He takes her in, and, after being mistaken for a couple and Chico receiving a promotion as a result, the pair decide to live together to reap the benefits of their fake marriage – one being Diane’s assumed protection, and the second being Chico’s new job. In true cinematic conventions, here begins a pretty sweet love story as the two fall for each other in spite of social standing, war and tragedy.

The film is wonderfully directed by Frank Borzage, and the cinematography is really world-building and all-encompassing (keep an eye out for some of the staircase scenes and the rooftop one early in the film – at the risk of sounding horribly cliché, both are visual feasts). Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell are kind of glorious together as Diane and Chico. The chemistry is tangible and when they fall in love, you believe it, which is a feat for a film in any age. Plus, as a couple aesthetically, they look great (I mean, really, speaking of visual feasts).

Farrell is strong as Chico too – he walks a fine line between charming and obnoxious, but always manages to fall on the best side of it. That said, Gaynor is the star of this film, as she is in Sunrise – she builds a character that’s blossoming under Chico’s kindness. Her fragility at the start of the film, a battered woman, is so beautifully portrayed, which makes her strength and her growth throughout the narrative a joy to watch and to be a part of.

7^th Heaven probably isn’t for everyone – it’s heavily romantic, even though the First World War features greatly towards the end. It is though a beautiful piece of cinema, and very character-oriented, and, actually, very much about female strength and growth, which isn’t something regularly featured in late twenties cinema.

Rating: 8 / 10

Director: Frank Borzage

Writers: Austin Strong, Benjamin Glazer

Cast: Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell & Ben Bard

Nominations: Outstanding Picture, Production, Best Director, Dramatic Picture (won), Best Actress in a Leading Role (won), Best Writing, Adapted Story (won), Best Art Direction