Lady of the Pavements (1929) Director: D.W. Griffith Producer: Joseph M. Schenck Screenplay: D.W. Griffith, from a story by Karl Vollmöller Starring: William Boyd, Lupe Vélez, Jetta Goudal, Albert Conti, George Fawcett Cinematography: G.W. Bitzer Music: Louis Silvers (synchronized score and songs) Studio: United Artists Distributor: United Artists Release Date: January 26, 1929 (USA) Runtime: 90 minutes Format: Black & White | Part-Talkie (Silent with synchronized sound and song sequences) Country: United States Language: English intertitles, synchronized music Genres: Romance | Drama | Silent-to-Sound Transition --- Summary: Lady of the Pavements (1929) is a romantic drama that marks one of D.W. Griffith’s final films and features Lupe Vélez in one of her breakout roles. The story follows Count Karl von Arnim (William Boyd), a nobleman betrayed in love by a scheming countess. Heartbroken, he travels to Paris and encounters Naná, a charming but humble cabaret performer (Lupe Vélez), whom he tries to pass off as a lady of refinement to win back his pride and social standing. However, as the masquerade deepens, Karl finds himself falling for the warmth and honesty of the woman he sought to deceive. Vélez’s Naná radiates emotion, charm, and strength, turning a tale of class difference into a passionate love story set against the elegance and temptation of 1920s Paris nightlife. --- Background: Griffith’s Lady of the Pavements was created during the difficult transition between silent and sound cinema. While primarily a silent film, it includes synchronized musical numbers and Lupe Vélez singing “Where Is the Song of Songs for Me?” — one of the earliest examples of integrated sound in Griffith’s work. The movie stands out as both a technical experiment and a farewell to the silent era, blending Griffith’s visual storytelling mastery with the emerging talkie format. Vélez’s magnetic screen presence foreshadowed her later stardom in early sound films, and her performance was widely praised for its emotional range and authenticity. --- Trivia: One of D.W. Griffith’s final theatrical releases before his retirement from feature filmmaking. Lupe Vélez’s performance helped her transition successfully from silent films to talkies. The song “Where Is the Song of Songs for Me?” was composed by Louis Silvers and became a popular tune after the film’s release. Cinematographer G.W. Bitzer, Griffith’s longtime collaborator since The Birth of a Nation (1915), returned for one of his final film credits. The film showcases Parisian cabaret life through lavish sets and lighting typical of late-1920s Hollywood romantic dramas. --- Hashtags: #LadyofthePavements #1929Film #DWGriffith #LupeVelez #WilliamBoyd #UnitedArtists #SilentFilm #EarlyTalkie #ClassicHollywood #RomanticDrama #1920sCinema #GoldenAgeFilm #FilmHistory #GWBitzersCinematography #LouisSilvers #PartTalkie