Movie lovers rejoice. Films by pioneer filmmaker Lois Weber, one of the most innovative and prolific directors of the silent era, not to mention tat she was a woman, have been restored and become available on DVD.
In this film, Weber weaves an honest and heartfelt story of one shop girl’s struggles in Los Angeles.
Shot on location, on the streets of Los Angeles, including a remarkable scene in Pershing Square and another in front of Woolworth’s on Broadway, Weber follows the daily travails of Eva Meyer.
Eva’s meager wages from a job at a five-and-dime store are the sole financial support for three younger sisters, a struggling mother, and a father who prefers beer and penny dreadful to work.
When there is barely enough to cover the grocer’s bill, Eva is forced to patch the holes in the soles of her shoes with cardboard. But with each rainy day and every splinter, her plight becomes more painful, and finally intolerable. With no solution in sight, Eva is forced to consider other options.
The Shoes restoration by the EYE Filmmuseum combined a Dutch nitrate print and a 1930s “comedic” short reissue of the film found at the Library of Congress. Thanks to the recent discovery of the original script and intertitles in the 16mm microfilm files at NBC/Universal, the Milestone edition more closely reflects the original film.
Musicians and composers Donald Sosin and Mimi Rabson have created a mesmerizing and moving score.
Bonus Features:
- Commentary track by Lois Weber biographer Shelley Stamp
- 1932 spoof Unshod Maiden
- Richard Koszarski 1971 audio interview of Mary MacLaren
- Koszarski on Unshod Maiden
- Shoes: Before-and-after video
- 1911 short film, Lost Illusions written by and starring Weber