It (1927) with Clara Bow

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Clara Bow was one of those mega-watt stars whose light burned bright in the silent film era. What makes an actress like Clara Bow a star? The x-factor and she had “it”. Now the x-factor isn’t one solitary thing. It’s a combination of things including personality, looks, appeal, approachability, charisma and talent. Not everyone has the x-factor. There is no way to manufacture it or manipulate it. You either have “it” or you don’t. And Clara Bow had “it”.

The film It (1927) explores another kind of x-factor: sex appeal.  This is how a quote from the film explains “it”.

 “’IT’ is that peculiar quality which some persons possess, which attracts others of the opposite sex. The possessor of ‘IT’ must be absolutely un-self-conscious, and must have that magnetic ‘sex appeal’ which is irresistible.”

Clara Bow plays Betty Lou, a poor shop girl with good looks and an eye out for the boss Waltham (Antonio Moreno). While Waltham doesn’t know she exists, his employee Monty (William Austin) has eyes for Betty. But Betty wants Waltham and she’s desperate to get his attention. She has “it” and he needs to know “it”. However, when she stands up for her sick friend Molly (Priscilla Bonner) whose baby is about to be taken away from her, Betty Lou’s two suitors, her boss and his employee, are turned off by her appearance of single motherhood. Just one bit of miscommunication and the it factor is snuffed out. What’s a girl to do?

One of the sad things about the x-factor or having “it” is that you are almost guaranteed to lose it. Some stars keep it forever, like Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart, but that’s very rare. Most of those who have “it” lose “it”. And how depressing that must be to be on top of the world only to be knocked off. It’s something I’m sure Clara Bow and many other stars struggled with.

I think a lot of folks today purposefully ignore the “it” factor. Some of us think too highly of ourselves to come to the realization that we’ll never have “it”.  It is something that I struggle with too.

I had never seen a Clara Bow film before so watching this was a real treat. My friend Paulie from Art, Wood, Movies and Whatnot   is a huge Clara Bow fan and has done several very fine illustrations of her.  I had hoped that I would see this film on the big screen with live musical accompaniment but the opportunity escaped me. Maybe I will someday in the future. It’s a nice film and most interesting for its lead star and its focus on that elusive “it” factor.

Note: Author Elinor Glyn meant "it" to be more about the overall x-factor than specifically sex appeal. But Hollywood had other ideas.

It (1927) used to be available on DVD but that DVD is now out of print. You can watch it on Netflix Instant or rent it through Classicflix.