Credit where it's due: save for silent comedies rife with complex stunts, and grandiose epics with the visuals to match, one doesn't necessarily look to the silent era for finesse and ingenuity. Even as filmmakers were pushing the envelope in various ways in the new cinematic medium, every little step along the path to bigger, more sophisticated things is a minor delight. Even in this 1915 movie that clocks in at only about one hour one can see examples of the keen mind Maurice Tourneur possessed and worked with, with some wonderful instances of shot composition, or excellent set design; an early sequence of thieves at work is splendidly well done. Yes, this is undeniably simple when standing next to no few other titles to come in the silent era, let alone following the advent of talkies, but for as young as Motion Pictures were at this time, this is in the very least ahead of the curve compared to some of its immediate contemporaries. 'Alias Jimmy Valentine' is no revelation, but it's admirable and enjoyable on its own merits, and a fine testament to the skills of all involved.
While the world of the 1910s certainly looked different, all the same underlying themes and ideas are as present over 100 years later as they were here. The film-making and storytelling techniques of cinema are basic and straightforward compared to what we would see as techniques and technology developed, but one can handily trace a path from the features of yesteryear to those of the twenty-first century. Why, even being unfamiliar with the play or short story on which this is based, one can recognize common plot points of such works of misunderstandings, lies of omission - and, of course, ultimately redemption - in the story of a criminal and the unexpected consequences of acts of kindness. The discerning viewer may also see echoes of Victor Hugo's 'Les misérables.' For all that, there's some gratifying cleverness scattered throughout in one capacity or another, and Tourneur's script boasts smart scene writing amidst a narrative that's duly compelling. Though limited by the means of the medium at the time, I think the man's direction is just swell, and the cast give fine performances. Really, 'Alias Jimmy Valentine' is just a pleasure all around.
In all fairness, I should also say that the plot represents overly generous assumptions about the criminal justice system, the integrity of that system and those behind it, and the opportunities afforded to those who in any way come into contact with it. While not nearly as heavy-handed as some other movies of the time might be, there are also small illustrations at one point or another of very antiquated values; an intertitle or two are a tad too on the nose; whether it's a question of faults in the writing, or pieces missing from the surviving print, I feel like the plot development makes some unexpected leaps. Still, one way or another, this is consistently entertaining, and endearing in its craft and the story it weaves. True, it's nothing so significant as to change the minds of those who have difficulty abiding older films; conversely, cinephiles who love the silent era will doubtlessly be charmed. But it even manages to attain a measure of earnest tension and suspense at the climax despite the predictability of where everything will end up, and I believe that speaks very well to the capabilities of all on hand. Don't necessarily go out of your way for 'Alias Jimmy Valentine,' but if you do have the chance to watch and like what older pictures have to offer, this is enjoyable and worth the mere hour it requires.
