MovieChat Forums > Greed (1925) Discussion > Recently saw the longer version

Recently saw the longer version

posted 21 years ago by carl-ralston
21 replies | jump to latest

This is one of the best silent films I have ever seen. I recently saw the longer 4 hour version and here are some thoughts on it. I thought it was interesting because it added new layers to the film, such as the relationship between Maria and the junk man and how their relationship contrasted with Trina and Mcteague's. Also, Trina comes off as not such a bitch as she does in the shorter version. I noticed that in the shorter version Trina is portrayed mostly as only clinging to her money and giving love to McTeague just to keep him happy. Although she is still not a very sympathetic character in the longer version, the added details make her character a bit more likeable. I found the stills to be intrusive at times and agree that even though the longer version gives us more information and character development, the shorter version seems more "complete" overall as a motion picture. Sometimes the side stories in the longer version raised more questions rather than creating a better cohesive whole. For example, I am not quite sure why Trina has the full 5,000 in gold when we are shown early on that she invests the 5,000 in her uncle's store. I thought that she did not want to touch any of the money, yet that insert of her investment seems odd. Also, what made her decide to start becoming so miserly? Initially, as when she bought the big tooth for McTeague, she seemed willing to spend her money, but it is never really explained what made her become such a bitch.

[–] elvisgr6 20 years ago

Where did you see this movie?

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mark754 19 years ago

Just saw the 4 hr version on TCM last night and thought it was great.

One question - was is socially acceptable back then to have a romantic relationship with one's cousin (Marcus and Trina)? It seems creepy and incestuous by todays standards.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kitadro 19 years ago

A point that both the book and the movie made about McTeague was that the man wasn't terribly bright, to put it kindly. His lack of intelligence was one of the obstacles to his own happiness, the reason he never understood why he had to leave his dental practice, the reason he let himself be manipulated by Trina for so long, and the reason he drifted as he did after he walked out on Trina. He tried to go back to his old life because he didn't know anything else. Between alchoholism and dumbness, he settled into a life of blindly fleeing his pursuers without looking where he was going, while holding onto the cash he felt he deserved without spending it.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] hannibletheplet 19 years ago

Is it going to be coming out on dvd anytime soon?

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] R_Grey 19 years ago

To my understanding, and even though there is a writing credit, Erich von Stroheim was "shooting the book." See "Irving Thalberg: Prince of Hollywood" for a little bit of detail on this. The documentary appears to glorify Thalberg's choices in cutting this film.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] wtl471629 18 years ago

I saw the longer version and enjoyed it but I enjoyed the shorter version better. I think one should read the book first and then watch the shorter version.

[–] wtl471629 18 years ago

mark I am sorry to be responding to this over a year after you posted it but it could be that maybe they weren't related but cousin might have been a figure of speach to Marcus. Chill Wills used to call his audience cousins. I think it is sometimes used in some places to refer to people as cousins if you are from the same area and are not necessarily cousins in the relative sense.

[–] MickeysDancingHotDogs 18 years ago

It was normal back then.

[–] PatriotsSpyGate 18 years ago

Wow, so dark and tragic. Film-making way ahead of its time. I'm sure modern day directors have stolen many film techniques from this masterpiece.

[–] TerriJoRyan 18 years ago

Holy cow, just finished watching it 30 minutes ago (taped it Sunday night). After reading ABOUT it for so long, it was so stimulating to actually see it for myself. I was very taken with the gritty realism of the age, the butt-grinding poverty, etc.
I, like other viewers, wonder about some of the plot points: When he was driven out of business, why didn't Trina take their nest egg so they could set up in a new town under assued IDs? Or at least send him to dental school so he could go legit? And what interesting twists the plot would have taken had she ever discoered he took advantage of her while under ether!

[–] wtl471629 18 years ago

Terri with that nest egg she could have sent him to dental school or even set him up in another business. She could have probably enabled them to have gone into business with her uncle who had a successful toy business if she had wanted especially since she had it invested in his business. But by then she had let greed get the best of her and didn't see the potential. $5000 was a lot of money back then.

[–] wtl471629 18 years ago

I just read the book and it seems that she started to become a miser after her marriage and slowly grew to where she just loved the money for the money's sake. In the book she spent money for that tooth sign which made McTeague very happy but this was before the wedding. Also the book indicated she spent $200 for the wedding which was a lot of money for a wedding then. But after the marriage she got to where she slowly became a miser. I don't know why but it was just something that came out.

The winning of the lottery which should have been a blessing turned out to be a curse that destroyed three basically good people.

[–] Z_cm 18 years ago

but it is never really explained what made her become such a bitch.

When some people attain a small fortune, they sometimes become obsessed with not losing it. This happens frequently in life, especially back in the day, when people didn't grow up in a consumer-oriented culture (for instance, old folks would frequently hide their nest egg under the mattress or even get themselves buried with all their money, so no one would ever touch it). I think the movie is very realistic in that respect. Even today, there are people who become avaricious after becoming wealthy. I don't see Trina as a "bitch", I see someone who lost her mind to an obsession that ultimately destroys her.

[–] wtl471629 17 years ago

Well put Z!

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]