DeMille works wonders with his first "talkie," avoiding the complications most directors encountered during this transition period. The cinematography, sound and set design are excellent, and the acting toned down the over-dramatization that most early "sound" films wallowed in. Just view DeMille's "King of Kings," directed two years earlier, to witness the advancements being made in film at the time. From the elaborate Deco rooms, to a shanty neighborhood and mine shaft, DeMille puts on quite a show. My only complaint would be the opening courtroom scene, which definitely does NOT set the scene for the rest of the movie. I wonder if those "aero wheels" were indeed a trend in Europe at the time; obviously, the sport didn't catch on.
