The image quality is less than pristine, not even on account of deterioration of a surviving print but seemingly just a result of the available equipment and the filming conditions. There are also times where the plot development is rather blocky and rough, reflecting an unnatural Just So sensibility that we as an audience can only accept at face value so that the tale can continue. This is on top of the fairly straightforward nature of the story, and a sometimes even-handed tone in the direction that somewhat lessens the drama that the picture bears. If 'The Sea Lion' were a prose narrative it would be a rather brief short story, and one that likely represents a more modest side of the author's body of work. None of this is to specifically cast aspersions on director Rowland V. Lee, nor writers Emilie Johnson or Joseph F. Poland, for apart from subjective trouble with tone all their work is broadly admirable. I don't think it's unreasonable to suppose, however, that this is the type of silent film that will not find as much favor with those who have a hard time engaging with older cinema, and it's best recommended for viewers who are already enamored of the style.
With all this having been said, as much as one may him and haw about the particulars, by and large the feature remains well done and enjoyable more than not. The plot is compelling even in its simplicity, and the earnestness of the storytelling is surely also a point in its favor. Though quite simple even by the standards of some contemporaries, I admire G. O. Post and J. O. Taylor's cinematography, and in general Lee's arrangement of shots and orchestration of scenes is appreciable. The production benefited from swell filming locations, and a lovely ship, not to mention some fine sets and costume design; those stunts and effects on hand look pretty good. The acting doesn't necessarily make any especial impression, but I think all involved give suitably capable performances such that I'd like to find more of their movies to watch; even in a small supporting part with little to actually do, Bessie Love is so charming that she rather steals the show from chief star Hobart Bosworth. And commendations are definitely due to artists who contributed, for the illustrations that accompany the intertitles are often altogether beautiful, and an unexpected highlight.
One sometimes sees the silent era referred to as "simpler entertainment for a simpler time," and while this phrase is, well, oversimplifying the matter, it's not wholly untrue. For as discernibly, relatively unsophisticated as 'The Sea Lion' is in most regards, such a description feels more apt than not. Nonetheless, I do like it, and I recognize the skill and intelligence that all involved put into it. I don't think it's anything so special as to demand viewership, and it unquestionably counts among the lighter fare that the early years of the medium had to offer. Still, there is value here on its own merits, let alone as a surviving piece of cinema from over one hundred years ago, and for cinephiles with a taste for the classics, this is a pleasant little nothing to whet one's palate on a quiet day. Don't go out of your way for this, and be aware that it's more of an appetizer than an entree, but 'The Sea Lion' is duly entertaining for what it is.
With all this having been said, as much as one may him and haw about the particulars, by and large the feature remains well done and enjoyable more than not. The plot is compelling even in its simplicity, and the earnestness of the storytelling is surely also a point in its favor. Though quite simple even by the standards of some contemporaries, I admire G. O. Post and J. O. Taylor's cinematography, and in general Lee's arrangement of shots and orchestration of scenes is appreciable. The production benefited from swell filming locations, and a lovely ship, not to mention some fine sets and costume design; those stunts and effects on hand look pretty good. The acting doesn't necessarily make any especial impression, but I think all involved give suitably capable performances such that I'd like to find more of their movies to watch; even in a small supporting part with little to actually do, Bessie Love is so charming that she rather steals the show from chief star Hobart Bosworth. And commendations are definitely due to artists who contributed, for the illustrations that accompany the intertitles are often altogether beautiful, and an unexpected highlight.
One sometimes sees the silent era referred to as "simpler entertainment for a simpler time," and while this phrase is, well, oversimplifying the matter, it's not wholly untrue. For as discernibly, relatively unsophisticated as 'The Sea Lion' is in most regards, such a description feels more apt than not. Nonetheless, I do like it, and I recognize the skill and intelligence that all involved put into it. I don't think it's anything so special as to demand viewership, and it unquestionably counts among the lighter fare that the early years of the medium had to offer. Still, there is value here on its own merits, let alone as a surviving piece of cinema from over one hundred years ago, and for cinephiles with a taste for the classics, this is a pleasant little nothing to whet one's palate on a quiet day. Don't go out of your way for this, and be aware that it's more of an appetizer than an entree, but 'The Sea Lion' is duly entertaining for what it is.