Watch 9 Dalmuir West For Free

Purely Joyful Movie!

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Kevin Brownlow is responsible for some of the best, if not the best, documentaries about silent film stars. And, since I adore silents, then he is indeed someone I admire. His "Unknown Chaplin" is brilliant and features tons of never before seen and very obscure film clips detailing the process through which this silent genius constructed his films. "Buster Keaton: A Hard Act to Follow" is every bit as good and did a lot to make me adore Keaton's work. And, his documentary on D.W. Griffith is also a delight. So, I feel almost as if I owe it to the man to see everything I can--he's given me many wonderful hours of entertainment and great insights. I just wish more of his work was available now on DVD (like his Keaton and Cinema Europe series are either out of print or only available on video--and at ENORMOUS price)! So, even odd and obscure things I am more than willing to watch if I can find them. And, odd and obscure is exactly what you'd probably consider "Nine, Dalmuir West"--his first film and one that probably would be forgotten had Brownlow not gone on to greater things. But I appreciate it because it was excellent training."Nine, Dalmuir West" is a sentimental black & white documentary (perhaps filmed with 8mm film stock) about the closing of a tram line in Glasgow. While this is hardly a momentous occasion, it was to the workers and their families and Brownlow manages to make this seemingly mundane idea come to life. For the time period in which it was made and his inexperience, it was a nice little film--if a tad rough.By the way, I assume Mr. Brownlow does not sign in to IMDb to read reviews of his films, but if he does, some other great topics for future documentaries (and DON'T tell me you are retired) would be Harry Langdon (are all the stories about his self-destructiveness and egomania even true?!), Charley Bowers (I REALLY want to know more about him), Georges Méliès as well as Clara Bow would all be interesting topics for a silent film documentary (provided there is enough material still available).