The Blue Bird

Based on a 1908 play by Belgian symbolist Maurice Maeterlinck that earned him the 1911 Nobel Prize for literature, this 1918 silent allegorical fantasy follows two peasant children who embark on a magical journey one night to search for the blue bird of happiness. Under the guidance of a beautiful fairy and accompanied by the “souls” of their cat and dog (and inanimate objects such as bread, fire, water, and milk), the pair traverse the lands of the dead and the yet-to-be-born (among other places) before returning home to find that the bird was there all the time. There are obvious parallels to The Wizard of Oz here, but Maeterlinck's characters are nowhere near as endearing, and despite the film's fantastical elements—the main attraction here is director Maurice Tourneur, who demonstrates a masterly eye for composition, employing a wide variety of impressionistic theatrical flourishes and innovative cinematic techniques—the film remains resolutely earthbound. This first screen version of The Blue Bird is certainly preferable to either the 1940 adaptation with Shirley Temple (designed as a rival to Oz) or the notorious big-budget debacle of 1976 (famous for being the first Russian-American co-production, a symbol of détente), but it's more interesting for historical reasons than as entertainment, particularly since the print suffers from deterioration. DVD extras include a Tourneur biography and filmography, extended text excerpts from the original play, and the 1918 New York Times review. Those with larger silent collections will want to add, but this is optional for others. (F. Swietek)