The Story of Temple Drake and thoughts on Faulkner.

I chose this title for my post because I have been rummaging through the internets for the 1933 film of the same name. Fortunately, there are some youtube clips, but I have not found the film in it's entirety.

This is a very underrated film, lauded by critics, and a rare find, because it falls on the pre-code film era. Few films were produced at the time. You could get away with most things in the industry during that small window that lasted until censorship codes were implemented in 1934. Although not as controversial as the novel, this was still pretty daring for it's time.

Additionally, sound in film was a new, and a refreshing theme at the time, that broke through a silent film barrier that dominated the industry for several decades. In retrospect, the evolution of film is something we take for granted.

I am dumbfounded as to why this film was green lighted to begin with because even though it is not as graphic, sinful, and sexually driven like Sanctuary, the innuendo and themes are there. At the time, I presume, the mere suggestion of anything controversial and inappropriate, would be immediately chastised. Even though I did not live in the roaring twenties, or in the slightly more open thirties, I believe the controversy of Sanctuary could not be matched back in 1931. To convert it into film, in such a delicate period, was downright risky, and very ambitious. Despite the relentless and explicit nature of Sanctuary, it is also the most accessible Faulkner novel I have come across. Once again, Faulkner shows that he has a bag full of tricks, and stories to tell. With this third big novel, after the Sound and The Fury and As I Lay Dying, Faulkner is on a role, but we have not seen his full potential just yet. The man is a literary chameleon, exploring different styles with every novel.

The somewhat gimmicky stream of consciousness style from the former two novels is seldom adopted in Sanctuary, and frankly, I like Sanctuary's Faulkner the most. Faulkner is way beyond his time, and I can only imagine how much of a curse it must have felt for him to deal with the people of his present, who are not as open to his novels as us kids from the 21st century. I guess that is the burden of being ahead of the game. One is forced to keep fighting, in hopes of receiving some recognition, which usually comes too late. Either at the end of your career, or years after death. In spite of this, Faulkner reaped the benefits of this curse, and became as timeless as the greatest authors. With patience, and determination, Faulkner became a fine wine, and remains one of everyone's favorite.

Here are some links to the film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcRX6KfePEQ Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQo-i_e86KY Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnyV-u4gAFQ&feature=related Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBlKU5m_HWo&feature=related Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csdFW_bN8VY&feature=related Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qLzuMd0zK4&feature=related Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CkFqECPRb8&feature=related Part 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NpvPdY0nn0&feature=related Part 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLjHxr9Uz0U&feature=related Final
(Temple's testimony, pretty damn hysterical and hilarious.)
If I could go back in time, I would slap the screenwriters.