VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

wes-connors In a Spanish convent, girlish-acting Dorothy Jordan (as Maria Consuelo Vargas) is thinking about taking her final vows when she hears handsome Ramon Novarro (as Juan de Dios) singing in a nearby cantina. She sneaks away from the nunnery to watch Mr. Novarro sing. The seemingly aroused Ms. Jordan looks like she may never become a nun. Novarro playfully turns down some after-hours bedtime with attractive dancing partner Renee Adoree (as Lola) – proving "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets" is not correct, this time. Next, Novarro sups with operatic mentor Ernest Torrence (as Esteban), steals a few things at the market, and then meets Jordan. The two become mutually attracted... Hoping to advance his career, Novarro moves to Madrid with Mr. Torrence going along as singing coach. They take love-struck Jordan along to serve as cook. Back at the convent, Ms. Adoree jealously informs Jordan's brother Russell Hopton (as Enrique Vargas) about her association with Novarro. The nuns say Jordan never took her final vows, but Mr. Hopton expects his sister to remain holy – he is understandably upset about her running away with a young man. We're supposed to think there is some danger in this, but there is none... "Call of the Flesh" is a silly piece of fluff. Jordan was capable of much more – here, she's stuck impersonating a giggling novice. Adoree does better with her role. Sadly, this was the last film for Adoree, who often appeared supporting bigger stars – like Novarro, John Gilbert and Lon Chaney. She became ill during production and succumbed to tuberculosis in 1933. His female co-stars have a fine rapport with Novarro. Greater as a villain, Torrence is out of sorts as Novarro's loving mentor. The cameras adore Novarro. There are clearly times when director Charles Brabin is unable to reign him in, but Novarro is charming in spite of it all. Most important to his new generation of fans, he looks terrific. ***** Call of the Flesh (8/16/30) Charles Brabin ~ Ramon Novarro, Dorothy Jordan, Ernest Torrence, Renee Adoree

vincentlynch-moonoi I must disagree with several of the reviews here by our members. Not because I think this is a great film -- it's not. But because they seem a bit unaware of the situation.First, in terms of why the popularity of his films fell off. This film was a healthy money-maker, and so were several of his films after this. But, particularly in the early days of Hollywood, the film industry tended to go through cycles of "taste". Some of the cycles were stories about rich people all taking place during the Depression, stories about jewel thieves, stories that took place in exotic lands, etc. And one cycle was "Latin lovers"...a cycle which lasted about a decade, beginning with Valentino and practically ending with Novarro. And why did that cycle end? The coming of the American hero -- Gable and Cagney in 1931, just one year after this film. American tastes were changing.Second, rather than blame Novarro for the problems with this film, I choose to blame the director. Slow pace -- that's the director's responsibility. Meandering script -- how is that the actor's fault? Poor sound -- after all, the film was made just 3 years into the talkies and the big improvements that arrived right around this time. This looks like a fairly big budget film for MGM...consider the sets, for example.I found the criticisms of Novarro's acting interesting. It certainly doesn't fit today's tastes (nor does his singing voice...a style that was totally outdated by a decade later when the crooners took over. What did I see in Novarro's acting? He appears pleasant on screen here; a good person. But I saw gay mannerisms by an actor trying to be suave and manly. And that's why I think his acting here doesn't quite work.I know what you may be thinking. This review is just written by a Novarro fan. Nope. First movie of his that I ever saw. But what is missing in many of the reviews here is context. And the context is a threshold of change in Hollywood -- change in what is desired in a leading man, change is the type of stories to be told, change in the technical abilities of the Hollywood studios, change in the tastes of the American public.This is worth watching for a glimpse of really old Hollywood on the verge of morphing into the Gables and Loys and Cagneys and Davises.

st-shot Ramon Novarro's pedestrian sound period hastened an end to his film career and Call of the Flesh may well be the vehicle that pushed him over the cliff. In the silent era Novarro's handsome chiseled features, dark eyes and killer smile showed him adept at both drama (The Red LIly, The Pagan) and romantic comedy ( The Student Prince of Heidleberg) but in Call of the Flesh he is a triple fret as speaks, sings and dances dreadfully. Juan Di Deos is a carefree entertainer that loves to play tricks and chase the ladies. His fiery dance partner Lola (Renee Adoree) is often the victim of his childish pranks but is crazy about the guy. Nun in training Maria Vasquez however is the one that captures his heart. Career wise he has the same laissez faire attitude which frustrates his mentor Esteban who pulls strings to get him an audition with an opera impresario. When Juan botches it Esteban reverts to bribery to get him on the stage. Meanwhile Lola gets wind Juan's romancing the good sister and tries to break it up. Call of the Flesh is early sound at its worst. Without his title cards doing the talking Novarro comes across like a mischievous twelve year old. The timber in his voice fails to live up to his look and his singing and dancing would get the hook at a local amateur show. Aquitting themselves as shabbily as Novarro fellow silent film alumni Ernest Torrence and the ailing Renee Adoree overact monstrously while fresh faces Dorothy Jordan and Russell Hopton make it clear they will have short careers.Charles Brabin's direction is haphazard and flat as he allows his troupe to step on each others lines and display bad timing; some of it so poor you get the feeling he might have had his face buried in a newspaper oblivious to the action being recorded. One could hardly fault him for averting his eyes since Call of the Flesh is dead meat from the opening reel.

drednm I watched The Call of the Flesh and enjoyed it despite the dueling accents. Ramon Novarro plays a saucy singer who teams with Renee Adoree to appear at local cantinas and is pushed by his friend (Ernest Torrence) to get serious about opera. But then he meets a "runaway" from a convent (Dorothy Jordan) who knows nothing of the world. He falls in love and dumps Adoree. But Adoree gets even by finding Jordan's military brother who tracks them down and sends her back to the convent. Meanwhile Novarro is turned down by a local opera house because he's never had his heart broken and his singing has no soul. Torrence buys a night for Novarro to sing at the opera and he grudgingly does to, bringing down the house. But his heart is so broken he's actually dying until Adoree takes action.Novarro is quite good here, especially when singing. A few of the dramatic scenes are badly done, but the rest of the film is lively. Novarro co-wrote the song "Lonely" with Herbert Stothart. I have no idea what Novarro sings in the finale but he's good despite having rather thin high notes. It's quite a shock to see Torrence break out in song, but the burly Scottish actor, a dependable heavy in silent films, was a trained opera singer. Jordan and Adoree handle the music well.There's a great scene where Torrence at the piano joins Novarro in a burst of song only to be joined by the landlady (Mathilde Comont). It all seems so spontaneous.Sadly this was Adoree's final film. Her other talkie was Redemption with John Gilbert.