The Goat (1921)

A hilarious Buster Keaton comedy short. Buster is down on his luck, things get even worse for him when he is pursued by the police. Things get even even worse when notorious murderer Dead Shot Dan (Malcolm St Clair) escapes prison and, due to an unfortunate mix-up, Buster's face appears on the wanted posters!

Buster seeks refuge with Virginia Fox, and she takes him home. There is just one problem, she is the police chief's (Joe Roberts) daughter!

A series of very funny comedy scenes and plenty of slap stick and visual gags. Intelligence and a dose of surrealism elevates this above most comedies. The work of a genius (of course!)

Dick Turpin (1925)

Dick Turpin (Tom Mix), of course, was a brutal criminal in reality though this film portrays him as a movie hero. Turpin is a dashing hero alongside his friend Tom King (Alan Hale) and this is standard swashbuckling fare with plenty of splendid horsemanship (with the famous screen horse Tony as Black Bess) and fighting (sword, guns and fists).

Dick Turpin has a girl (Kathleen Myers), but she is due to wed in a terrible marriage. Dick Turpin manages to get the girl after a series of adventures including a rather good boxing match. This is a typical silent movie epic with splendid costumes, sets and a huge cast of extras.

Tom Mix (with Tony the Horse) was the top on-screen cowboy of the silent movie era so it is interesting to see him in a different era, even if much of the action is similar.

The Son of Tarzan (Serial) (1920)

Tarzan (P. Dempsey Tabler) and Jane (Karla Schramm) are now in London, though their son Jack (Gordon Griffith) dreams of being in the jungle like his father. He is discovered by Paulovich (Eugene Burr), his father's old enemy, and kidnapped. Jack is taken to Africa but there he escapes with the help of an ape, one of his father's old friends. Jack is given the jungle name Korak.

Korak grows into a man (Kamuela C Searle) in the jungle along with Meriem (Manilla Martan), whom he had rescued from Arab slave traders. Paulovich is still up to his devilish schemes and he lures Tarzan and Jane to Africa. The stage is set for a final showdown between Korak and Paulovich...

An interesting serial, Tarzan stays in the background for most of it leaving his son to drive the story which is just as well as the actor isn't the best Tarzan ever. Korak and Meriem do well throughout the many cliffhangers and plot twists. Unfortunately the serial can become a bit repetitive at times and could have done with a little more originality. A decent enough Tarzan portrayal though.

A Quiet Street (1922)

One of the Our Gang series of comedy shorts made by Hal Roach featuring a group of children called The Rascals who get up to various slap stick fun and naughty antics. In this edition the kids (including Jackie Condon, Mickey Daniels and Ernest Morrison) think they are in trouble with the police after beating up a policeman's son who had been bullying Jackie. However, the police really want to warn them about a real criminal called Red Mike...

A fairly charming film (the amount of charm will depend on how much you like children or not!) The film is at it's best early on when the kids don't have much to do and fill their time with innocent(-ish) kids stuff. This gives the film a bit of a nostalgic air.

Episodes in the Life of a Gin Bottle (1925)

A rather odd little film made to support alcohol prohibition in the USA (which was ongoing at the time, with mixed results). A gin bottle is personified with a little spirit (Rex Lease). Then, as the bottle changes hands each now possessor of the bottle is encouraged by the spirit to take a swig of gin and resulting various misfortunes will befall them. 

The most magical thing about the whole affair though is the fact the gin bottle seems to magically refill itself, now that would be very welcome. A strange film with little to recommend it. However, it does feature some interesting (and early) uses of double-exposure effects.

The Great White Silence (1924)

A pioneering documentary by Herbert Ponting on Scott's doomed attempt to reach the South Pole in 1910-13 (and thus filmed then though not released for a few years afterwards). While there is footage of the preparations and the early parts of the expedition the final act is not covered, the filmmaker did not join Scott in that final fatal part of the expedition.

The documentary concentrates on the stark landscape of Antarctica and the novel wildlife (maybe too much) including penguins (which have always been popular with cinema goers!) At the time most people would have never seen such things before of course and this was undoubtedly an eye opener for them. 

The footage is astonishing especially considering the dates and conditions in which it was filmed. The film does have colour tints though which to the modern eye can look a bit odd. A historic record, an interesting watch for sure but not without major flaws.

The Eagle (1925)

A glorious Rudolph Valentino feature from the golden age of silent film with the usual impressively vast sets and large numbers of extras. Valentino plays Dubrovsky, a lieutenant in the imperial Russian army. After he spurns the advances of the Czarina (Louise Dresser) he is forced to go on the run and become a fugitive.

Dubrovsky returns home and find's his family lands have been seized by the evil Kyrilla (James A Marcus). Dubrovsky becomes a masked bandit to fight Kyrilla and instead falls in love with the evil one's daughter Mascha (Vilma Banky)...

And it is all fast paced swashbuckling fun. Valentino is very much in action mode in this film compared to some of his other films where he is there largely for women to swoon over. A great Valentino film, unfortunately he only had one more in him.

High Treason (1929)

High Treason is one of the earliest British "talkies" and also an early science fiction film, being set in the "near future" of 1940. However, despite being only set eleven years into the future the world is a very different place (though quite familiar to us today). 

Two power blocs jockey for position in an uneasy peace. Arms manufacturers don't like peace of course as its bad for business so they engineer a war between the Atlantic States and Europe by bombing the Channel Tunnel. Ironically, big business manipulating two states into a war actually happened in South America a few years later in the 1930s...

Dr Seymour (Humberston Wright) leads a peace league which is opposed to the seemingly inevitable war. Injured in an explosion he calls upon his daughter Evelyn (Benita Hume) to stop the bombers... one complication is that the bombers are commanded by her ex Deane (Jameson Thomas)...

As you can imagine the world in 1940 is an Art Deco masterpiece with aeroplanes and airships flying over skyscraper filled cities, video calling and fencing being the interval act at a dance. While the film looks a treat, the story is a bit hokum and the peace message is hammered on rather too thickly. 

War is averted by a rather neat twist (though you can see it coming). Peace in our times, well for a few years anyway.

The Coveted Coat (1924)

A charming little film by Gaston Quiribet which uses stop motion for a variety of special effects, part of his Q-Riosities series. Two tramps fight over a fine coat on a scarecrow. One of them warns the other that he took the coat yesterday but it is bewitched by dark magic! Whatever the wearer wishes happens to him. The tramp explains that that got him into loads of trouble including a car accident and receiving a beating from a jealous lover. Is he being completely truthful though?

The film is mostly a showcase for a number of cinematic tricks, rather than having much of a narrative, and very clever the tricks are too. The film is an interesting curiousity.

His First Flame (1927)

Harry (Harry Langdon) is determined to marry Ethel (Natalie Kingston) with whom he is head over heels in love. His uncle the Fire Chief (Vernon Dent) tries his best to stop Harry from marrying but to no avail. However, it turns out that Ethel is just after Harry's money (her sister Ruth Hiatt is the one really with the hots for Harry) and his heart is broken. He spends the night at the fire station in despair then a building catches fire and Harry has the chance to be a hero and find love after all...

A simple and fairly charming little comedy. There is some good humour, some of it quite dark at times too. The final set-piece in the burning building gives ample opportunity for crazy stunts and visual gags.

The Mark of Zorro (1920)

Zorro is a hero of the poor and oppressed in colonial Mexico, his dashing deeds causing the downfall of many a brutal Spanish governor or soldier. But who is Zorro, obviously it can't be the rather limp Don Diego Vega (Douglas Fairbanks). Though come to think of it, have you ever seen both of them at the same time?

A good fun film full of action and swashbuckling, allowing Fairbanks to display his athleticism. In playing Vega too he also displayed his acting ability and does both very well. This was the first Zorro film made, appearing just a year after the original story was published. There were many more films to come, few as good as this one though.

Lolita (Marguerite de la Motte) is courted by the gruff Colonel Ramon (Robert McKim) and Vega. Ramon, of course, is the bad guy and Zorro will be needed to save the day...

Condemned! (1929)

A good early talkie. Michel (Ronald Colman) is a Parisian thief who has been sent to the brutal Devil Island prison. There is no escape the hard and unpleasant warden (Dudley Diggs) growls at the newly arrived convicts. The prison is between a jungle full of fever and the seas full of sharks...

The warden desires a house boy for his nervous wife (Ann Harding) and chooses the suave Michel. The nervous wife soon thaws for Michel but gossip reaches the warden who puts Michel in solitary and wants to send his wife back to Paris. Michel plans to escape... with her.

This is one of the better early talkies, not static as they often were. The plot is a little unbelievable though the leads give good though not flawless performances.

Bulldog Drummond (1929)

The first talkie of the long-running Bulldog Drummond series. Captain Drummond (Ronald Colman) is a former airman who is bored of civilian life and craves adventure. Along with his toff friend Algy (Claud Allister) and servant Danny (Wilson Benge) he gets involved in a case of a damsel in distress and crime...

The damsel is Phyllis (Joan Bennett) who needs help with her uncle (Charles Sellon) who is being held prisoner by sinister gangsters led by Montague Love, Lawrence Grant (mad doctor) and Lilyan Tashman (femme fatale). What follows is much to-ing and fro-ing as Drummond seeks to foil the gang, though his friends are often a hindrance rather than a help.

A good early talkie, it doesn't have the over wordiness or lack of movement that plague some films of the era. Some of the actors are still to fully transition from silent movie over dramatic movement though the leads generally do a good turn. The film still has some flaws though, plausibility is stretched somewhat. But it is a good old fashioned and straight forward adventure.

The Phantom of the Opera (1925)

Decades before the famous musical, is this early silent movie adaptation of the story of the disfigured opera lover who yearns for young love. The Phantom (Lon Chaney) is said to haunt the Paris Opera House. However, he is no ghost but a man who lives below the opera house. He forces the famous singer Carlotta (Virginia Pearson) to give up her starring role in the opera in favour of understudy Christine (Mary Philbin) whom the Phantom tutors (and loves). At first Christine is quite happy with her benefactor, despite the fact he lives in an underground dungeon. However when his mask is removed...

Christine is told by Erik (The Phantom) to devote her life to her art and to forget her fiance Raoul (Norman Kerry). However when Christine continues seeing Raoul, The Phantom finds out and makes her his prisoner...

This is a spectacular film, Lon Chaney stealing the show (literally) with his portrayal of the Phantom, a genius but trapped with his disfigurements and loneliness. Though any sympathy must be tempered with the murder and mayhem he unleashes on the opera house including some rather intriguing and gruesome death chambers.

Robin Hood (1922)

An epic silent movie, and indeed one of the most expensive ones to ever be made. Douglas Fairbanks is the Earl of Huntingdon who deserts from King Richard (Wallace Beery)'s forces away in the crusades after he hears of the cruel deeds being done by Prince John (Sam De Gasse) back home. The Earl is accused of being a traitor by the King and thus when the Earl returns to England he becomes the outlaw Robin Hood.

Robin Hood forms his merry band and challenges the evil Prince John and his henchman the Sherrif of Nottingham (William Lowery). Finally Robin Hood has to face his bitter rival and enemy Sir Guy (Paul Dickery) and rescue his love, the fair Maid Marian (Enid Bennett). All with the usual Fairbanks athleticism and daring-do of course!

The expense is obvious when you see this film, an large castle and village set were built. Set piece scenes with many extras are spectacular. The film is slightly too long though, while there is plenty of swashbuckling maybe at times the whole show needed a bit of editing. One interesting aspect of the film is that it concentrates heavily on how the Earl became Robin Hood, more than other movie Robin Hood films tend to do. The sets may have been big but Fairbanks was bigger, an astounding film in many ways.

West of Hot Dog (1924)

On his way to the small town of Hot Dog Stan Laurel is held up by rascally outlaws. Stan is on his way to to the town to hear the reading of his Uncle's will, as are the outlaws we later discover. Stan is left everything including the saloon... but if he dies then Bad Mike (Lee Meehan) will get the saloon. Stan obviously decides to flee town but falls right into Bad Mike's lap...

A nice little comedy western, Stan plays his usual goofy character and there are plenty of visual gags and slapstick. The film is a little light but has plenty of charm, one of Stan Laurel's better solo comedies.

Glorifying the American Girl (1929)

A story of a girl who ends up lucky in career but unlucky in love in this early talkie. Gloria (Mary Eaton) is singing in a sheet music store with Buddy (Edward Crandall) and Barbara (Gloria Shea). Gloria dreams of being able to sing on the big stage rather than behind a shop counter but is also in love with Buddy (though Barbara also has the hots for the guy...)

Gloria, pushed by her ruthless mother (Sarah Edwards), is discovered by hustler Miller (Dan Healy) and soon leaves her old life behind in order to hit the big time which she eventually does by a Ziegfeld Folly though ends up being screwed by Miller. The second half of the time is a spectacular Ziegfeld show which Gloria is in but of course there is a price to be paid for fame.

The story is well worn but as a historical curiosity the film is well worth watching. The staging and spectacle of the final show is mesmerising with a few big stars of the day also performing (to varying degree of merit).

The Iron Mask (1929)

In one of the last silent movie epics Douglas Fairbanks reprised his role of D'Artagnan in this sequel to 1921's The Three Musketeers. King Louis XIII (Rolfe Sedan) receives news that his wife has given him a heir - but there is a problem, the heir has a twin. Cardinal Richeliu (Nigel de Brulier) fears the twin could cause trouble for France and must be kept secret. D'Artagnan's lover Constance (Marguerite de la Motte) - who had been the midwife - is banished and later dies. D'Artagnan finally discovers the existence of the twins and is assigned to act as the baby heir's guardian. However the evil de Rochfort (Ullrich Haupt) takes the twin away and raises him in secret...

Twenty years later the baby is now a man and is King Louis XIV (William Bakewell). De Rochfort arranges for the (evil and vain) twin to replace his brother. The true king is imprisoned and put in an iron mask so that no one could know of his identity. However a message is gotton through to D'Artagnan. The musketeers return for one last battle to save the true king...

A true swashbuckling silent movie epic, and also available in transitional form with a sound prologue and narration by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Although early on the film it gets bogged down a bit with flashbacks and trivia, in the second half of the film it is non-stop action, and lots of blades of course. It is lavish and grand with exquisite sets and costumes and an army of extras, a fitting end to this era of Hollywood.

The Lucky Dog (1921)

A decent if run of the mill comedy starring Stan Laurel as a penniless young man who has various adventures with a mongrel dog.

What makes the film notable though is that Oliver Hardy also has a small role playing a thief and this is the first time which Laurel and Hardy appear in together on screen... though with different characters compared to their later immortal double act.

Stan falls for a young woman (Florence Gilbert) who owns a poodle. Stan's dog also takes a liking to the poodle. Many high jinks to follow. A light slapstick comedy and enjoyable enough on it's own but also highly fascinating for historical reasons.

Tarzan the Tiger (Serial) (1929)

Action packed serial with the usual cliff hangers and unlikely escapes. Tarzan (Frank Merrill) faces the menace of the Arab army of Queen La of Opar (Lillian Worth). Jane (Natalie Kingston) is kidnapped and Tarzan suffers an amnesia in the usual movie way, a blow to the head!

After several chapters as a rather vague simpleton Tarzan is finally back, cured of his amnesia also in the usual movie way (another blow to the head natch). Can Tarzan rescue Jane, resist Queen La and get his hand on the wealth of Opar?

The first sound Tarzan in a way, not a full talkie rather a transitional silent film with added sound effects including Tarzan's yells! Merrill brings some impressive physicality to the role though not much in the way of acting. However for the role he is perfect.