Showing posts with label Silent Movie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Silent Movie. Show all posts

Friday, March 15, 2024

The Rounders (1914)

Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle play a couple of drunken gents in this early Chaplin comedy. The gents get drunk together amid much slapstick and end up passed out on the tables in a restaurant before getting thrown out and returned to their long-suffering wives (Phyllis Allen and Minta Durfee). 

This is all a bit rough and crude compared to the kind of film Chaplin would be making his name in in a few years. It is fine enough for what it is.




Friday, March 8, 2024

A Movie Star (1916)

A fine little silent comedy. A new Western starring Mack Swain is starting at the local movie theatre and a large crowd is assembling. To their delight the star of the film has turned up to see the film himself! As Mack and the audience watch his heroic antics on screen, Mack finds that not everyone in the audience is as enamoured as he is. 

This is a delightful early comedy, more understated and subtle than some of the slapstick of the time which has helped it not date as much as some films of the period, the parodying of the still young movie industry is superb.




Tuesday, February 27, 2024

All Lit Up (1920)

Snub Pollard is a dandy who is hanging around a park chasing butterflies in a net. After some flirting (with girls not butterflies) he ends up in a jazz cafe and more mayhem ensues. Snub finally ends up in jail in this short piece of slapstick. A decent enough silent comedy though without making much sense or being that subtle. 

Fine for what it is but not really in the first division of silent movie comedies. Ernest Morrison plays a good role as one of the children Snub ends up having to look after at one stage.



Thursday, February 8, 2024

Her First Flame (1920)

A curious comedy short. We are in the year 1950 (though looks remarkably like 1920 still!) and men and women have switched roles. Unfortunately, those roles are rather stereotyped and quite dated. Women are now strong and forthright while men mostly stand around giggling and do domestic chores...

Lizzie Hap (Gale Henry) wins election as the town's fire chief, by cheating Minnie Fish (Phyllis Allen) using a variety of disguises. Lizzie now forms an all-girl fire brigade. Naturally when there actually is a fire things do not go very smoothly but Lizzie manages to save her love Willie (Milburn Morante).

Not the greatest silent comedy ever, the staging is often as dated as the attitudes, but does some decent visual gags.





Wednesday, January 10, 2024

The Count (1916)

A Charlie Chapin comedy short which is a decent satire on high society.


Charlie's boss, a tailor (Eric Campbell) finds an invitation to a party in a pair of trousers and goes to the party pretending to be an important Count so he can woo a rich young woman (Edna Purviance). Charlie also sneaks into the house, but so he can woo the cook! Of course Charlie ends up at the party as well and mayhem ensues, then the real Count (Leo White) turns up...

A fun little film, though it does include Charlie yet again either being mistaken or pretending to be someone more important which is a plot device he overused a bit. It is fine, if a bit over familiar.

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914)

The first feature-length comedy film and also Keystone's only feature film. It is also the final Charlie Chaplin film in which he did not write or direct. 

Charlie (Chaplin) is a womanising city man who meets Tillie (Marie Dressler) and wants her to elope with him as her father is rich! This is just the start of Tillie's troubles though as Charlie runs off with her money and another money and Tillie ends up in jail! 

OK so the story doesn't sound very promising but the comedy is good at times, though personally i think silent movie comedies work better in shorter doses. To be honest this is a film that is more important historically than being all that enjoyable to watch.

Monday, September 18, 2023

It (1927)

The film that turned Clara Bow into a superstar and created the concept of the "It girl", but is it any good?

What is "It"? A concept beyond beauty, a quality that draws people to them, a charisma that people find irresistible. 

Shop girl Betty (Bow) has a crush on her handsome boss Cyrus (Antonio Moreno). Unfortunately Cyrus is engaged to Adela (Jacqueline Gadson) who is in his social class while Betty is not of course. Betty finally gets Cyrus to take her on a date, to the joys of Coney Island! Cyrus falls in love with Betty (who has It!) but circumstances throw some hefty obstacles in the way of true love...

So, an important film and it is indeed very enjoyable, after all Clara Bow was the It girl and had a magnetic quality on screen. The story is light and fast paced, the comedy is fine if a little too cute at times. Without Clara the film probably wouldn't have worked quite as well but thats why some are stars and most are not.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

One A.M. (1916)

An early Charlie Chapin short comedy, the first in which he appears (mostly) alone.

A drunk (Chaplin) returns home from some sort of event which included booze, indeed a lot of booze as Charlie is very drunk indeed! After many awkward slapstick antics he manages to get out of his taxi allowing Albert Austin to finally drive off. Charlie's next job is to get into his house...

Well we have all been there! This is solo slapstick of the highest order as everything becomes a near insurmountable obstacle to negotiate past. A short and simple film which just about manages to not out live it's welcome. Don't ask why the film is called "One A.M." yet it is bright sunlight outside!

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Alice Gets Stung (1925)

Another early Walt Disney animation / live action hybrid.


After an innovative if perhaps slightly overlong chase between a cat and a rabbit, Alice (Virginia Davis) appears on the scene to help Julius the cat get the rabbit which has continually outsmarted him. Alice also tries to hunt bears and ends up getting trapped in a barrel with a beehive (hence this short feature's name)...

So, a short animation feature mostly involving animal hijinks and dancing, with Alice appearing and interacting with the characters. It is quite clever and inventive, just not that funny maybe because the storyline is ultimately somewhat cruel. 




Friday, May 5, 2023

Alice the Whaler (1927)

Another of Walt Disney's early Alice animation / live action hybrids.

Alice (Lois Hardwick) is dancing aboard a ship with a crew of animals. The chef is a cat, for example, with a mouse as his sous chef tasked with peeling the potatoes! To be honest there isn't much plot in this film, it mostly consists of animals dancing and the occasional hijinks. The mouse plays the biggest role and isn't a very sympathetic character.

Ultimately there isn't a great deal to this short film and it isn't really that good. The Alice series of films was running out of steam but fear not, Mickey Mouse was about to make his screen debut for Disney and that changed everything.

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Battling Butler (1926)

More restrained than usual for a Buster Keaton film, the comedy coming from the story and situations rather than impressive physical feats.

Alfred Butler (Keaton) is a foppish young man sent by his father to do some hunting to toughen him up. Alfred continues his easy life in the mountains though in a luxurious tent and not a great deal of luck hunting! However, he meets a girl (Sally O'Neill) and falls in love. 

Unfortunately for Alfred, her male relatives are against the match as they think he is a bit of a weed. Alfred's valet (Snitz Edwards) tries to pretend Alfred is a boxer with the same name. Naturally soon Alfred has to enter the ring for real!

An enjoyable if subtle film. It is rather sweet and touching with good visual gags rather than manic slapstick. It is maybe not Keaton's best but it showed he had many strings to his bow.

Friday, March 17, 2023

Alice's Day at Sea (1924)

One of the earliest Walt Disney films, this is a comedy short which mixes live action and animation.

Alice (Virginia Davis) and woken up by Peggy the dog and heads off to the seashore. When she is there she hears a story of an old shipwreck and then dreams of visiting a mysterious world under the seas including an underwater zoo!

Although not the first to be made this was the first Alice film to be released and is a fun little thing with it's mix of styles. There isn't much to it but it has a bit of charm. It is probably most notable for historical reasons though. 

Friday, March 3, 2023

A Calamitous Elopement (1908)

An early romantic comedy with some interesting early use of the close-up in film.


A young couple (Harry Solter and Linda Arvidson) are chased out of the house by the girl's angry father (Charles Inslee). In shades of Romeo and Juliet, the lad turns up under his lady's balcony to woo her. He suggests they elope, she agrees and begins to pack her trunk and he heads off to make preparations. Things are complicated by a burglar (George Gebhardt) who sets up a rope ladder on the balcony and then hides in the trunk...

An early film by D.W. Griffith, it falls into the interesting rather than astounding camp though has some early uses of close-ups, editing and other film making techniques which Griffith was still experimenting with. In a few years everyone would be using them, but for now this is cutting edge and a work in progress. Alas for a comedy its really not that funny.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

The Mystery Airman (Serial) (1928)

A classic serial set in the air, with ten episodes and nine death defying cliffhangers.



The Baker Airplane Company led by Jack Baker (Walter Miller) has developed some new world beating technology for it's aeroplanes. However, a rival company want this technology and are prepared to use nefarious means to get it (of course!) Baker and his aircraft are continually attacked by a fleet of mysterious raider aircraft led by Pilot X...

So, this is familiar serial fare. The aerial scenes are a bit hit and miss and can be a bit difficult to work out what is actually happening but the episodes have sufficient fast moving action and plot twists and turns toi keep you entertained. The identity of Pilot X is of course unknown though is one of the other characters with a mask, so you can try and work it out before the big reveal! Also stars Eugenia Gilbert, Robert Walker, Eugene Burr and Dorothy Tallcot... is one of those Pilot X? Find out next week (maybe).

Friday, January 27, 2023

The Flying Scotsman (1929)

An enjoyable early talkie, so early in fact that it starts off as a silent movie but the dialogue is turned on about half way through!

Bob White, the driver (Moore Marriott) of the Flying Scotsman (the actual LNER 4472) is about to retire after making one more run along the East Coast Main Line (the actual train is called the Flying Scotsman too as well as the locomotive!) His former fireman Crow (Alec Hurley) is resentful as he was sacked after White saw him drinking and reported him. He vows revenge. Meanwhile, the driver's daughter Joan (Pauline Johnson) falls for a cocky young railway worker called Jim (Ray Milland). White doesn't want him around his daughter though hasn't seen him, which is just as well as Jim is his new fireman!

Joan overhears Crow's plan to cause an accident and follows him onto the train. What follows are some death defying stunts (by the actors themselves) hanging onto the side of the moving train. Can disaster be averted?

The film begins as a silent movie but about half way through it changes to a sound one (one of the earlieest British ones). It is quite a strange effect, film technology was moving fast in 1929 but there obviously wasn't the time and/or money to reshoot the first half of the film as sound. This is an enjoyable adventure with some exciting scenes and humour. The true star is Flying Scotsman of course, which to this day draws a huge crowd. Its also Ray Milland's first credited role.

Friday, September 9, 2022

The Ace of Hearts (1921)

A deadly romantic affair involving that regular theme of the Interwar Period, the secret society.

A secret society plan to assassinate a man. The assassin is to be chosen by a game of cards, with he who is dealt the ace of hearts is to carry out the killing. Two men desperately want that card, Farralone (Lon Chaney) and Forrest (John Bowers), they also want the group's female member Lilith (Leatrice Joy). However, Lilith is only interested in the society's cause (whatever that is supposed to be). When Forrest draws the card of fate, Lilith suddenly decides to marry him to give him courage. Then things start to go wrong...

The film has plenty of suspense and leaves things to the audience's imagination at times. The set up is interesting though the story does begin to unravel a bit in the final act. The film is worth it though for some good performances and a bit of oddness.

Friday, August 5, 2022

The Sentimental Bloke (1919)

An interesting if not that enthralling early Australian film.



Based on a poem, this film recounts the story of an ex-convict called Bill (Arthur Tauchert) and a good old normal Aussie bloke. His life is turned around when he meets Doreen (Lottie Lyell), a good woman. So, this film is basically about the romance and has plenty of Aussie stereotypes.

The film is rather hard to follow at time though the wordy inter-titles packed full of Aussie slang are a treat. It is certainly an unusual film, unfortunately not that interesting overall but the historic value can't be denied.





Friday, July 22, 2022

Suds (1920)

Rags to riches to rags romantic tale, but set in a laundry so at least the rags are clean.



Amanda (Mary Pickford) works in a rather rough laundry but has a romantic imagination. She spins a yarn to her fellow workers that her fiancé is Sir Horace (Albert Austin) who she met when he bought his shirt to the laundry (which is true he did) but his father objected to her and threw her out of their castle (which isn't true). She insists that one day Sir Horace will return for her. Meanwhile, Amanda saves a horse from the glue factory, this results in her becoming homeless but her kindness results in the horse being saved and being taken to live at a rich man's estate.

Horace finally returns to the laundry for his shirt, Amanda asks him to pretend they are a couple, spurning the love of laundry cart driver Ben (Harold Goodwin). Horace isn't too keen on her after all, leaving Amanda (and Ben) distraught. But is this the end of the romance?

A fun film with some interesting effects and film techniques. A decent story with some welcome whimsy.





Friday, July 1, 2022

The Life Story of David Lloyd George (1918)

A bio-pic made on an epic scale of the wartime prime minister (and hero), but never shown at the time and thought lost until discovered 75 years later and finally shown to the public.



This film had the blessing of Lloyd George and his family, it starts off with photos of his birth certificate and him as a baby! We see the actual house he grew up in and various scenes from his life are dramatised by actors. Some scenes are on a massive scale with thousands of extras!

The film is quite propaganda-ish in feel at times (despite that the Liberal Party had the film suppressed for fear of harming Lloyd George before the election). Obviously being a silent movie quite a lot of the impact of various dramatic speeches he made are lost! The film is a remarkable achievement, though watchable mostly due to it's historic value and novelty more than anything else.

Thursday, June 30, 2022

The Scarecrow (1920)

An enjoyable and highly inventive comedy from the legendary Buster Keaton.



Buster Keaton and Joe Roberts are poor farmhands who manage to survive in very inventive ways, including reusing the same coin over and over again in the gas meter! They are both interested in the farmer's daughter Sybil Seely. Buster disguises himself as a scarecrow to cause trouble for Joe and soon he and Sybil are engaged. But of course they get married in a madcap road scene while on a motorbike and sidecar combination!

A great comedy, inventive (the hut they live in at the start with all the hidden gadgets and tricks is brilliant) and slipstick which culminates in a frenetic and fairly spectacular final scene.