calvinnme This movie was released the same year as the Oscar winning British film Cavalcade. I've seen them both, and yet Cavalcade was more celebrated then - and now - than "Secrets", even though Secrets is similar to Cavalcade in many ways. Secrets tells the story of a couple through 50 years from their secret courtship in New England and elopement, to their days building up a farm in California, through the husband's rise in politics and then their old age. It really is strongly structured into three acts, but that neither adds to nor subtracts from the film. I thought Mary Pickford still seemed young enough to play the youthful part at this point, and Leslie Howard gave a strong performance as her husband.Even though this film was well acted, ably directed by Frank Borzage, and had an interesting storyline, it failed at the box office. Perhaps it was just not what Depression era audiences wanted, or perhaps Pickford fans still couldn't get used to Mary in talking roles. At any rate, because Pickford financed her own films, this hit her hard financially. She had started making this film in 1930, stopped production, and then started over, finishing three years later. Thus, this was Mary Pickford's last film, although she remained active behind the scenes as a producer for many years.If you like films like "Cavalcade" or "Giant" that tell epic stories of families over time, you should like this one. It does show that Mary Pickford did very well understand how to take on a talking film role.

dbdumonteil Today ,I'm still wondering how Frank Borzage could make so many wonderful movies for so many years !Think of it!"Secrets" came after "A farewell to the arms" and just before "a man's castle" followed by "no greater glory" and "little man what now?"!And there were plenty of masterpieces in the silent era and there were so many to come afterward.Who can compete with him?I'd like to know! "Secrets" is more of the same : the lovers against the hostile world,two lovers who will "see it through for their love is true".It is composed of three parts ,apparently disparate ,but when the movie is over ,you feel it's a seamless whole ,mainly after the old folks want to be alone to share their secrets .First part displays echoes of Romeo and Juliet ,complete with ladder ,a bourgeois family and a romantic escape;in the second part ,Borzage shows us the heroine in a less comfortable house where drama gives way to tragedy:this scene in which Mary Pickford is holding her dead child is one of these heartrending moments which abound in Borzage's canon : other examples can be found in "no greater glory" when they carry the dead little soldier home or in "the mortal storm" ,when James Stewart holds Margaret Sullavan's body or in "young America" this drawing which shows the two boys flying.The last third can seem weaker by comparison but further acquaintance shows this: Borzage had already anticipated the future and its great sagas/serials which appeared in the fifties :and he made this in about 40 minutes whereas the others would take two or three hours.Borzage was certainly equaled,but never surpassed.

yumredwine This is an average movie as movies go and it is only the presence of the glorious Pickford and the fascinating Howard that makes it worth the while, not to mention of course the two scenes that everybody remembers, both of them by Pickford.Others have mentioned here and elsewhere that this movie was also a vehicle for Pickford to make a statement to her estranged husband Douglas Fairbanks, and his reply in his 1934 movie is the stuff of Hollywood legend, as was their relationship.This film is important for it being the last of Mary Pickford's many movies.We are fortunate to have still available many of Pickford's movies, stories about her films and acting from contemporary media and colleagues and her own interviews then and later.The extreme talent of Pickford is easily revealed by the fact that for twenty years the whole world was deeply in love with her (from China, to Russia to Australia), not just for what she was, a movie star, but for the person they thought she was through watching her movies. People were convinced that this acting Mary had to be the real Mary and that this acting Mary was a very special person indeed. It is testament to her skill that through silent films Mary could affect so many so deeply in such a way.She was attractive, a little short and dumpy at times but never the stereotypical tall glamorous elegant type.Mary was no fool, already a tough heavily traveled veteran of stage for 12 years by the time she came to film at the age of 17. A woman with her head screwed on tightly, deeply thoughtful and analytical and assertive. But equally as sweet and gentle and fun loving.Mary came into early film, saw how it looked and very early transformed it into something entirely new. Her gift was not only knowing how to act and convey a message in silence but when to apply what techniques, and art in itself.Her last movie Secrets gives a few looks at her skills though the movie itself was struggling with the new technology which badly affected its directing. Nevertheless, Mary was still the natural.Pickford was the first and last of the greats, in fact the only real great. All learned their art from her template. She was being Chaplin before Chaplin got going, she was at times a Katherine & Audrey Hepburn, she was the sweet and gentle Lillian Gish.Last of all she was one of the toughest businesswomen of the times, never intimidated. For two decades she was the heart of the nation.

whpratt1 Just recently viewed this film and was pleasantly surprised to enjoy Mary Pickford's last film. Apparently this film was not reviewed very well in the public's eye in 1933 and this film turned into a bomb which was completely financed by Mary Picford at a great loss. This story deals with Mary Carlton, (Mary Pickford) who came from a rich family and her father was intending for her to marry a man she does not love. Mary runs off with a young man who wants to go to California named John Carlton, (Leslie Howard) and Mary gives up a soft way of living for a very hard struggle to the West and the loss of family members. This is a nice loving film with a great ending. Enjoy.