Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley (1918)

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

After watching a few films of her, I have to say Mary Pickford is not at her best in this movie. Mainly, this is because of the weak plot, which doesn't always seem to be coherent, especially the triangle love story, when you think about it. Furthermore, the film tries to be moralistic and funny at the same time, which doesn't seem to work really well either. However there are one or two funny scenes, whenever the washer family's mother is depicted. However, even there, it is just about exploiting stereotypes to get a few cheap laughs, or so it seems. In my opinion, one major problem are the monotone settings of the scenes, which do not vary enough to make the whole movie more interesting. All in all, it does only take an hour to watch it, but I think there are better films from 1918 than this one.

This Mary Pickford film is pleasant enough, though the script is kind of weak, and the storyline very predictable. The film only lasts an hour, so if you are a Pickford fan you will probably enjoy it. People new to the genre of silent film may not be overly impressed if they view this film first. I would suggest they start with Pickford in Daddy Long Legs instead.The cast here is fun to watch, Norman Kerry very handsome and wonderful to see Wesley Barry as Mary's little brother. Love those freckles. He gets one good scene, where he has to fight in an alley way, encouraged by his tough Irish "Ma". I give this film 7 out of 10.

This is a charming old-fashioned story, featuring a delightful performance by Mary Pickford, two good male leads, and a plot that includes a good variety of material. The lead character makes it a perfect star vehicle for Pickford, and the rest of the film also complements her talents nicely.The story is about Amarilly, a girl from a working-class Irish family. She has a boyfriend, Terry, who works at a cafe, but she also meets a sculptor from a rich family and becomes involved with his circle. There are some very funny moments, some (melo)dramatic parts, and some thoughtful social commentary as well. All of these come together nicely in a key scene when Amarilly's family mingles with the upper crust.Besides Pickford, charming as always, the two make leads (William Scott and Norman Kerry) are very good, presenting believable and interesting characters who form a nice contrast with each other and a good complement to Amarilly. They all help a fairly simple story come to life. This is the kind of old-fashioned film that unfortunately does not get a lot of attention today, but it's a real pleasure for those who enjoy the silent classics.

Spunky little AMARILLY OF CLOTHES-LINE ALLEY has two suitors - her longtime bartender beau and a frivolous society boy. With whom would she be most happy?This urban fairy tale, with romance, heartbreak & happiness all wrapped-up into a neat package, was exactly the sort of movie that Mary Pickford's legions of fans loved to see her in. America's Sweetheart was only too happy to oblige, constantly replaying the image of a resourceful little girl or adolescent at odds with a cruel world or snobbish society. This is no disparagement or faint praise. By expertly giving the public what it wanted, Pickford became the most powerful person in Hollywood.Here, she has a fairly straightforward story line, without too many kinks in the plot. As always, Mary is imminently watchable. Whether dancing enthusiastically across a crowded floor, selling cigarettes to the `swells,' or reacting frantically to an accidental shooting, she never lets the viewer forget that the reason we watch a Pickford film is Pickford herself.William Scott gives excellent support as Terry the bartender; the feelings he has for Mary are palpably real & true. Norman Kerry, full of boisterous high jinks, is fine as the society fellow who wishes to `better' her. Special mention should be made of jolly Kate Price as Pickford's mother, the very picture of an Irish washerwoman. Her round, jovial face bespeaks the goodness of her character's soul.Pickford produced this film herself and she was ably abetted by screenwriter Frances Marion, her best friend and Marshall Neilan, her favorite director. Neilan had started his movie career as a romantic lead, but eventually moved behind the camera & Pickford considered him to be superior even to the legendary D. W. Griffith. Neilan's major failing were the frequent delays caused by his drinking, however he never failed in charming himself back into Pickford's good graces. This talented trio's collaborations continue to delight audiences today.