A waitress from Chicago falls in love with a man from rural Minnesota and marries him, with the intent of living a better life - but life on the farm has its own challenges.
Some of Murnau's genius remains in the lighting of individual shots, and particularly in a lyrical sequence in which a man (Charles Farrell), a woman (Mary Duncan), and Murnau's camera dance through a sunlit field.
– Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
A solid, emotionally charged picture that bridges a gap between German expressionism and poetic realism.
– John Monaghan,
Detroit Free Press,
4 Mar 2005
fresh:
Murnau's final Hollywood film is widely underrated.