Silent Movie Mondays - Legong: Dance of the Virgins March 8, 2010

Henry de la Falaise and Gaston Glass, 1935, 35mm"A garden of Eden with dozens of Eves!" In the 1930s, the island of Bali was an American cultural obsession, appearing as the setting of many films and becoming a popular tourist attraction. This exploitation film tells a sad, simple tale of love denied and reflects that sentiment. Filmed in Bali by Marquis Henry de la Falaise (husband of both Gloria Swanson and Constance Bennett), and shot in glorious two-color Technicolor, LeGong depicts Bali as an exotic paradise, reveals de la Falaise's personal connection to the island in his meticulous presentation of various Balinese dances and religious rituals. The film follows a young girl, Poutou, who represents her community as a Legong dancer, a holy assignment. She is to remain "the chaste maiden and sacred dancer of the Temple" until she falls in love, when she will dance her last Legong in celebration of marriage. The trouble begins when Poutou falls for the young musician Nyoung, a talented newcomer to the local Gamelan (orchestra). LeGong is both a feast for the eyes and the imagination, and the ultimate demonstration of the documentary conceived as an arresting, escapist spectacle. Tickets: Individual film tickets are $12.00