“The Kiss” 1929

“The Kiss” (1929) is a silent romantic drama starring Greta Garbo, Conrad Nagel, Anders Randolf, and Lew Ayres. Directed by Jacques Feyder, this film was Garbo’s last silent film and Lew Ayres’ first major screen role.

In this film, Garbo plays Irene Guarry, a young woman unhappily married to an older man, Charles Guarry, played by Anders Randolf. Irene is in love with a young lawyer, Andre Dubail, played by Conrad Nagel. When Irene decides to stop seeing Andre, she starts spending her time with Pierre Lassalle, the son of her husband’s associate, played by Lew Ayres. When Pierre leaves for college, he begs Irene for a goodbye kiss, a gesture that leads to jealousy, death and an explosive murder trial.



I think what makes “The Kiss” a good film is the combination of Garbo’s acting and the fine cinematography. Under Feyder’s direction, Garbo was even more impressive than she was in her other silent films. I like the way she convincingly played the sympathetic, but no longer in love wife. I also liked the use of light and dark and the superb close-ups. Lew Ayres, whose distinguished career would include “All Quiet on the Western Front” and the Dr. Kildare movies, impresses in his first major screen role. Only 64 minutes in length, “The Kiss” is a good story of tortured romance with a bit of mystery.

Born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Sweden, Garbo was brought to the United States by Swedish director Mauritz Stiller after Louis B. Mayer saw her in “Gosta Berlings saga” (1924) and found it exciting enough to sign both Garbo and Stiller to MGM contracts. In her first American film, “Torrent” (1926), Garbo dazzled audiences with her beauty and complex emotions. Her films with silent screen star John Gilbert and their offscreen romance made for big box office as well. One of her most provocative pairings with John Gilbert was “Flesh and the Devil” (1926). With the advent of talkies, Garbo’s career continued to rise and she was successful in “Anna Christie” (1930), “Grand Hotel” (1932), “ Anna Karenina” (1935), “Camille” (1936) and “Ninotchka” (1939). When “Two-Faced Woman” (1941) turned into a humiliating debacle, Garbo decided not to make another film until the time was right. That day never came. The secret of the success of Garbo is not that she lived too long or too short a space in years, but that she knew when to retire and how to fashion herself into a mysterious and reclusive figure. Garbo had one of the most flawless faces in film history, and she looks beautiful in the silent films.

“The Perils of Pauline” (1914)

“The Perils of Pauline” (1914) is a silent serial starring Pearl White, Crane Wilbur and Paul Panzer. Directed by Louis J. Gasnier and Donald MacKenzie, this serial is the most popular of the silent serials. Even though “The Perils of Pauline” (1914) was originally twenty episodes, only the nine episode European release survives.

The serial begins with the death of Pauline’s uncle and the takeover by his trusted secretary as Pauline’s guardian until she gets married. Although Pauline’s boyfriend is loyal, he is not that smart, and the guardian is constantly trying to kill her to gain her inheritance.





Using Pathe plays and players, early in 1914, Eclectic got under way “The Perils of Pauline,” which was to make Pearl White one of the legendary figures of the twentieth century and keep her for most of her career hanging over cliffs, escaping from sunken submarines and nearly dying in sabotaged airplanes. Much of “The Perils of Pauline” were shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey when many early film studios were based there. A few of the episodes were actually filmed on or around the New Jersey Palisades.

Pearl White was born on March 4, 1889 in Green Ridge, Missouri, and was the youngest of five children. Her parents moved to the town of Springfield, Missouri, where she had a normal childhood, growing up with a developing interest in the theater. In 1910, she was having trouble with her throat, and her voice began to fail from the rigors of nightly theatrical performances. She made her debut in films that year, starring in a long series of one-reel dramas and comedies for the Powers Film Company in the Bronx, New York. Pearl’s big break came in 1913 with a three-reel film titled “Through Air and Fire,” the beginning episode of the famous serial, “The Perils of Pauline.” The series was translated into many different languages and cemented her name and image as an icon of the silent screen. “The Exploits of Elaine” series followed in 1914, then “The New Exploits of Elaine” and “The Romance of Elaine,” both in 1915. Other serials continued her worldwide popularity in spellbounding horrors. Unfortunately, most of these serial episodes have been lost to the ravages of time and decomposition. Their vogue waned in the 1920’s, and Pearl transitioned to the new genre of feature films. Pearl White was destined to be a serial star, but her feature films are fascinating because of the courage it took for her to defy the restrictions of typecasting. One of these, released by William Fox is “The Thief” (1920). Pearl’s final work was in one more serial, believed by most contemporary reviewers to be the best of her body of work, a fifteen chapter serial called “Plunder” (1923). In 1923, after having earned and saved millions of dollars, Pearl retired in France. She came out of retirement to make one additional film, “Terror” (1924). Pearl died in Neuilly, France, on August 4, 1938.

Silent Film Star: Corinne Mae Griffith. "The Orchid Lady of the Screen".

Corinne Mae Griffith (November 21, 1894 – July 13, 1979), she was one of the most popular film actresses of the 1920s and was considered the most beautiful actress of the silent screen. Griffith, began her acting career at the Vitagraph Studios in 1916. She later moved to First National. In 1928, she had the starring role in the film, The Garden of Eden. A film about Toni Le Brun, a Viennese singer, who becomes a wardrobe mistress of a Monte Carlo nightclub. Toni falls in love with Richard, but she comes to believe he is only after her money..

Please click here to view Silents Garden of Eden, movie review.




The next year in 1929, Griffith received an Academy Award nomination for her role in the film, The Divine Lady. The story is about the romance between Emma, Lady Hamilton, and British war hero Admiral Horatio Nelson.



This video is from Griffith's first sound film, Lilies of the Field, was released in 1930. This performance is called, "The Mechanical Ballet".



Unfortunately, Griffith's voice did not record well. After performing in one more motion picture, the British film Lily Christine in 1932, she retired from acting. She returned to the screen in 1962 in the low-budget melodrama, Paradise Alley.

“The Garden of Eden” (1928)

“The Garden of Eden” (1928) is a silent romantic comedy starring Corinne Griffith, Louise Dresser and Charles Ray. Directed by Lewis Milestone, this film is nicely balanced between romance and comedy.

The story begins with a naïve young woman, Toni LeBrun, played by Corinne Griffith, who decides to pursue a career as an opera singer. One night, Toni sneaks out of her aunt and uncle’s house to catch a train for Budapest. She arrives alone in the big city and goes to the cabaret, Palais de Paris, to audition for a role. It is at the cabaret that Toni meets the wicked owner Madame Bauer, played by Maude George. She is a businesswoman who wants to pimp her out to Henry D’Avril, one of Bauer’s wealthy customers, played by Lowell Sherman. When Madame Bauer provides a private room for Toni and D’Avril, Toni refuses his advances, and Rosa, the wardrobe mistress, played by Louise Dresser, helps her escape and they are both fired. What Toni doesn’t know is that Rosa is a baroness whose husband was killed in the Great War. She works all year and when she gets her late husband’s pension, she lives in Monte Carlo until her money runs out and then returns to Budapest. When Rosa’s pension arrives, she legally adopts Toni and takes her on a Cinderella-like adventure where she is pursued by two men, Richard Dupont, played by Charles Ray, and Colonel Dupont, his uncle, played by Edward Martindel.




“The Garden of Eden” (1928) is a delightful romantic comedy. I was really impressed with the photography and Corinne Griffith’s graceful performance. Charles Ray, who had been a popular actor in the 1910’s under the direction of Thomas H. Ince, delivers a solid performance. What I liked most about the film were the scenes with Corinne Griffith and Louise Dresser. They were perfect foils for each other, and their faces were so expressive.


Corinne Griffith was born Corinne Mae Griffin in Texarkana, Texas on November 21, 1894. She was a leading lady with Vitagraph from 1916 to 1922, appearing in more than forty films. From Vitagraph, Corinne moved on to First National where she headed her own production unit and where she would remain until 1930, except for one film, “The Garden of Eden” (1928), released by United Artists. Of the more than twenty-five First National films, three stand out: “Black Oxen” (1924), “Lilies of the Field” (1924) and “The Divine Lady” (1929). Corinne did appear in a couple of 1929 features with sound sequences, followed by two complete talkies, “Lilies of the Field” and “Back Pay” in 1930. With those films, her First National contract ended and her film career was over. Corinne was married four times, first to her Vitagraph director Webster Campbell then to producer Walter Morosco. In 1936, she married George Marshall, owner of the Boston Braves, and became a baseball fan. Corinne wrote her experiences in a 1946 “Saturday Evening Post” article, “My Life with the Redskins.” It was the first of six books that Corinne was to author, including “Papa’s Delicate Condition (1952), which was filmed in 1963 as a vehicle for Jackie Gleason. Corinne divorced George Marshall in 1958, and in 1965, she married realtor and singer, Dan Scholl. He was 44 and she was 71. The couple separated after six weeks and the divorce proceedings were extraordinarily messy. At the time of her death, Corinne’s estate was valued at $150 million dollars. She was one of the wealthiest women in the world.

“The Flying Fleet “ (1929)

“The Flying Fleet “ (1929) is a silent drama starring Ramon Novarro, Ralph Graves, and Anita Page. Directed by George Hill, this film features excellent footage of naval aircraft. The story begins with six graduating seniors at the U.S. Naval Academy on the eve of their graduation. The six have been the best of friends for four years, and all of them are hopeful flyboys, but only two, Lt. Tommy Winslow, played by Ramon Novarro, and Lt. Steve Randall, played by Ralph Graves, complete the program. Unfortunately, they become romantic rivals when they fall in love with the same girl, Anita Hastings, played by Anita Page.







I think “The Flying Fleet” is a very good film. Ramon Novarro and Ralph Graves deliver great performances as hopeful flyboys and romantic rivals. The 18 year old Anita Page looks lovely and gives a charming performance as the love interest of the two buddies. This film depicted naval flight training in a very authentic way. I liked the way synchronized sound effects and music were added to this otherwise silent film. A box office hit, “The Flying Fleet” is a late MGM silent that is worth watching, especially for those that love old aircrafts.





Anita Page was born Anita Pomares on August 4, 1910, in Queens, New York. Her father’s side of the family was from El Salvador of Spanish ancestry. Her entrance into films came courtesy of her friend, actress Betty Bronson. Betty’s mother put one of Anita’s photos in her home, and a man who was handling Betty’s fan mail saw it and said he was going into the business of handling stars. Anita called him, and he told her to be at the front gate of Paramount at 9:00 the next morning and to bring the picture. The casting director took one look at the picture and gave Anita a test. MGM was also interested. Anita was put through the dilemma of having to choose between MGM and Paramount contracts. She decided to take the MGM contract. Anita’s first MGM film was “Telling the World” (1927) with William Haines. Another early role was “While the City Sleeps” (1928) as Lon Chaney’s love interest. Anita’s biggest break was “Our Dancing Daughters” (1928) with Joan Crawford and Johnny Mack Brown. Anita made two more films with Joan Crawford, “Our Modern Maidens” (1929) and “Our Blushing Brides” (1930). In 1929, Anita appeared in two talkies, “The Hollywood Revue” and the Academy Award-winning “The Broadway Melody.” From about 1930 on, MGM began to lose interest in Anita’s career. Anita had admired the way Louis B. Mayer, studio head at MGM, groomed stars if he liked them and remained in his favor. However, when Mayer tried to get her into bed, that is when Anita drew the line. She liked him as a boss, but that is where it ended. In 1934, Anita wed songwriter Nacio Herb Brown, who had dedicated the song “You Were Meant for Me” to her. They never lived together because Anita said they were not married in the Catholic church. After nine months of marriage, Anita found out he was still married to his previous wife, so Anita had their marriage annulled. In 1937, Anita did marry in church, to a handsome naval officer named Herschel House. They were married fifty-four years until House died in 1992. The couple had two daughters.

Anita had many fond memories of her career, and thought she was blessed to have worked with so many of the greats like Lon Chaney, Buster Keaton, John Gilbert, William Haines, Clark Gable and Ramon Novarro, her favorite leading man. Anita Page died on September 6, 2008 of natural causes. She was 98 years old.

Silent Film Star: Helen Jerome Eddy.

Helen Jerome Eddy (February 25, 1897 - January 27, 1990), was a character actress who played in films such as: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917).

Eddy's first movie was, The Discontented Man (1915). Soon she left Lubin and joined Paramount Pictures. At this time she began to play roles for which she is remembered. Other films in which the actress participated include: The March Hare (1921), The Dark Angel, Camille, Quality Street, The Divine Lady (1929) and the first Our Gang talkie Small Talk (1929). She performed in the film, Girls Demand Excitement(1931) and her final film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty(1947). Even as a seasoned performer in the late 1920s it was remarked that Eddy looked very young to have been in pictures for so many years.

First video of 5. Old Wives For New(1918). The story is about how Charles Murdoc, neglects his fat and lazy and begins having a affair with Juliet Raeburn but, when Juliet's name is involved in murder, he marries Viola and takes her to Paris.
Please click here to read movie review.

“Quality Street” (1927)

“Quality Street” (1927) is a silent comedy drama starring Marion Davies, Conrad Nagel and Helen Jerome Eddy. Based on the famous James M. Barrie play and directed by Sidney Franklin, “Quality Street” was a good showcase for Marion Davies. In this period story, Marion Davies plays Phoebe Throssel, a young woman who fails to land a proposal from her beloved, Dr. Valentine Brown, played by Conrad Nagel, before he leaves to the Napoleonic Wars. When he returns, Phoebe has become old and drab, and he is no longer interested in her. To punish him, Phoebe pretends to be her teenage niece Livvy in order to win him back.






Even though I’m not a big fan of costume dramas, I enjoyed this film mainly for the screen presence of Marion Davies. It was as a comedienne that Marion truly lit up the screen, and in this comedy of manners she is wonderful in the dual roles of Phoebe and Livvy. I think this silent version of “Quality Street” is terrific in its costumes, sets, and cinematography. I just wish there were more scenes where Marion could show off her comic skills. Although the film has some nitrate decomposition in some scenes, it shouldn’t deter from its enjoyment.

Marion Davies was born Marion Cecilia Douras to a large Brooklyn family on January 3, 1897. All three of her sisters went on the stage but, despite their beauty, never became big stars. The Douras family (soon stage-named Davies) moved to Manhattan and little Marion began finding the theater more fascinating than school. It was during her run in the 1917 “Follies” that she caught the eye of the married, powerful newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. It was life-long love at first sight for the fifty-four-year old Hearst. Within a few years, Marion was as dedicated to him as any wife could be. The legal Mrs. Hearst, however, refused him a divorce. Marion had made her film debut in “Runaway, Romany” (1917). The reviews were good, and Marion seemed well on her way to becoming another Mabel Normand, but then Hearst stepped in to guide her career. His taste ran to overblown period films. Ironically, Marion was a brilliant comedienne with limited dramatic skills.

In 1919, Hearst formed Cosmopolitan Pictures, a subsidiary of Paramount, through which the films were released. In 1924, Cosmopolitan changed the affiliation to Goldwyn, and thereby to MGM when the studios merged. Among Marion’s more successful costume dramas were “Little Old New York” (1923), “Lights of Old Broadway” (1925), “Beverly of Graustark” (1926), “The Red Mill” (1927), and “Quality Street” (1927). Later in the decade, Marion was given a few opportunities to show off her comic skills in films like “The Patsy” (1928) where she did hilarious imitations of Mae Murray, Lillian Gish and Pola Negri. In “Her Cardboard Lover” (1928), Marion did a wicked parody of costar Jetta Goudal. “Show People” (1928) was Marion’s finest hour. She showed great comic timing and the rare opportunity to poke fun at both herself and her profession.

Despite her slight stammer, Marion had nothing to fear from talkies. It was the quality of her scripts which gave her trouble. Hearst did fall out with Louis B. Mayer, and in 1934, Marion, Hearst, and Cosmopolitan moved to Warner Brothers. That studio dolled her up in stiff platinum-blonde wigs and starred her in four films. Only “Cain and Mabel” (1936) with Clark Gable really had any merit. Marion had enough and at the age of forty retired. She spent the next fourteen years as Hearst’s wife in all but name. Despite Hearst’s constant efforts to keep her away from liquor, Marion was an alcoholic. Her looks and health began to fade, but not her charm. After Hearst’s death in 1951, Marion quickly wed old friend Captain Horace Brown, more for companionship than for love. The marriage was a stormy one, but it endured. After suffering from jaw cancer for three years, Marion died on September 22, 1961. She was 64 years old.



It’s interesting to note that Marion’s beloved “niece,” Patricia van Cleve Lake, died in her early seventies on October 3, 1993, in California. Shortly thereafter, her son Arthur Lake, Jr. (son of the late actor Arthur Lake), announced that his mother was the daughter of Marion Davies and William Randolph Hearst, born in Paris sometime in the early 1920’s.

“College” (1927)

“College” (1927) is a silent comedy starring Buster Keaton, Anne Cornwall, and Flora Bramley. Directed by James W. Horne, this film stars Keaton in one of his most memorable roles as the hapless Ronald who gives a high school valedictory address that praises books and condemns sports. His girlfriend Mary thinks that’s nonsense. Afraid he might lose her, Ronald goes to college and tries to become a star athlete.

“College” is my favorite of Keaton’s silent comedies because the majority of the film’s gags concern Buster’s attempts to become a successful athlete in order to win back his girlfriend. It’s interesting to note that in 1927, before he began making films, Spanish director Luis Bunuel praised Keaton’s achievement in “College” for its simple cinematic style, and at least one segment in his classic surrealist film, Un Chien andalou (1929) may have been influenced by Keaton.



























Buster Keaton, The Great Stone Face, was a filmmaker and comedian. He wrote, produced, directed and acted in ten feature length comedies within five years in the 1920’s. He was also in 124 other films, short and long, over a 50 year period right up to his death in 1966. He and his parents and two younger children were a close and happy family for his first twenty years. His father had met his mother while playing in her father’s medicine show, and Buster was born on tour, in Piqua, Kansas. His very earliest stunt was observed by the famous magician, Harry Houdini, a member of their vaudeville company. When six-month-old Joseph rolled down a flight of stairs at a theatrical boarding house and came up laughing, Houdini and Joseph, Sr. nicknamed him Buster. There were many happy tours and pleasant family summers, but eventually alcoholism caught up with Joseph Keaton, Sr. Mrs. Keaton broke up the act in 1917, and Buster got a job on his own with a new musical review on Broadway for $250 a week. Before Buster could start, he visited the set of a Roscoe Arbuckle film production on East 48th Street. Buster was invited to do a bit part in the two-reeler starting that day, “The Butcher Boy” (1917). Buster turned down the $250 for a chance to work in a medium for $40 a week to start. Buster worked with Arbuckle from 1917 to 1919. Joseph Schenck, who had been handling the finances for the Arbuckle films, decided to let young Buster Keaton produce a series of his own pictures. Schenck left Buster free to work as he pleased, but he kept ownership of the films. Keaton had trusted his brother-in-law, Schenck, to take care of his business affairs, but in 1928, Schenck advised him to give up his independence and go to work at MGM. This took away Keaton’s creative freedom and after two more pictures he began to suffer personally and professionally. Keaton did stay busy, but the declining years were bitter and degrading. His marriage in 1921 to Natalie Talmadge, whose sister Norma had married Schenck, started well and it lasted ten years, but Keaton was appalled at his wife’s financial demands. The divorce took much of Keaton’s property and income and separated him from his two sons. Keaton developed a problem with alcohol, but his desire to live pulled him out of it. One day in 1938, Keaton was playing bridge at his mother’s house with some friends and he met a 19-year-old girl who also liked bridge. Eleanor Norris liked this humorous man who was so interesting and so kind to her. After a long acquaintance, she encouraged him to marry her and she stayed with him until his death in 1966.

Keaton lived long enough to receive an enthusiastic ovation at the 1965 Venice Fim Festival, but he did not live long enough to accept honors and applause from the new audiences that have come along and embraced his comedic style.

“The Goose Woman” (1925)

“The Goose Woman” (1925) is a silent drama starring Louise Dresser, Jack Pickford, and Constance Bennett. Directed by Clarence Brown, this film was inspired by the notorious Hall-Mills murder case in which a woman known as the “Pig Woman” was wheeled into court on her sickbed to provide damning testimony. In this film, Louise Dresser plays Marie de Nardi, a celebrated opera diva who loses her voice and her reputation after giving birth to an illegitimate son. Returning to her given name of Mary Holmes, she goes back to her hometown living in a filthy shack and raising geese. Years later, a headline-making murder case is played in her town. Hoping to get publicity and restart her career, Mary claims to be a witness to the murder. Unfortunately, her dreams of glory fade when she discovers that her son Gerald, played by Jack Pickford, is implicated in a crime he did not commit.


























“The Goose Woman” is a true tearjerker that is worth watching just for Louise Dresser’s top-notch performance. Dresser is very poignant as a woman who turns to drink and brings up her illegitimate son with neither love nor affection. Both Jack Pickford, Mary Pickford’s brother, and Constance Bennett, who plays Pickford’s fiancée, give subtle but moving performances. An excellent film, “The Goose Woman” is a great story of mother-love and redemption. Unfortunately, the quality of the Televista print is not the best, and may deter some from enjoying the film.


Born on October 22, 1904, in New York City, Constance Bennett was the eldest of the three daughters of Richard Bennett and Adrienne Morrison, both stage players. All three Bennett sisters, Constance, Joan and Barbara, were brought up in the theatrical tradition, and it was no surprise when all three took up the family trade. Constance grew up attending the best schools. She made her first screen appearance as a nymph in her father’s film “The Valley of Decision” (1915). She briefly wed Chester Moorhead in 1921, but that was quickly annulled. At 18, Constance embarked on her film career, making two small appearances in “Reckless Youth” and “Evidence,” both in 1922. She worked her way slowly up the cast lists, playing supporting roles, and by 1925, Constance began getting starring roles. One of Constance’s first hits, “Sally, Irene, and Mary” (1925), showed her unusual star quality. She appeared in an impressive nine films in 1925 and signed an MGM contract late in the year before suddenly giving it all up for Philip Plant, whom she married that same year. Their son Peter was born in 1929, the same year their marriage ended. In 1929, Constance was ready to resume her career. She signed with Pathe and stayed with the studio through the early 30’s. During her time at Pathe, Constance starred in the society drama, “Rich People” (1929), the romantic comedy, “This Thing Called Love” (1929) and the glamorous drama, “Common Clay” (1930). When Pathe was bought out by RKO in 1931, Constance made six films, most of them racy and sophisticated women’s pictures like “The Common Law” (1931) and “Rockabye” (1932) with Joel McCrea and “Our Betters” (1933) and “After Tonight” (1933) with future husband Gilbert Roland. In most of her pre-Code films, Constance wore gorgeous clothes while she loved and suffered. Women flocked to see her movies and made her one of the most popular female stars of the 1930’s. In the 1940’s, Constance made fewer films, working in radio and theater. Married a total of five times, Constance’s fourth husband was actor Gilbert Roland, the father of her two daughters. Constance died soon after filming “Madame X” (1966) on July 24, 1965. She was 60 years old. I’ve enjoyed watching many of Constance’s films through the years, and my favorite is “What Price Hollywood?” (1932), which I consider her best performance.

“What Happened To Rosa?” (1920)

“What Happened To Rosa?” (1920) is a silent romantic comedy starring Mabel Normand, Doris Pawn, Tully Marshall, and Hugh Thompson. Directed by Victor Schertzinger, this film is the best known of the three surviving films from Mabel Normand’s Goldwyn period.

In this film, Mabel Normand plays Mayme Ladd, a hosiery counter girl whose life is drudgery and has never been brightened by romance. Mayme is told about an occult medium by a customer and decides to go to see what her future would bring. The medium, Madame O’Donnelly, played by Eugenie Besserer, convinces Mayme that in a previous life she was a Spanish temptress named Rosa Alvaro.

Back in her apartment, Mayme remembers that her mother had been a Spanish dancer and takes out her old costume. With a flower in her teeth, Mayme believes she has the power to become Rosa Alvaro and pursues the man of her dreams, Dr. Maynard Drew, played by Hugh Thompson. Will Mayme succeed in her romantic pursuit of Dr. Drew?





In “What Happened To Rosa?” (1920), Mabel Normand is perfectly cast as the little comic loser. Her expressive body and excellent timing are put to good use in her comic scenes. One of my favorite scenes is when Mabel wrestles with putting silk stockings on the legs of a store mannequin. Another funny scene is when she pulls out a fish from her blouse after swimming to shore off a yacht. Although not worthy of her incredible talents, this film is worth viewing because it’s one of Mabel Normand’s few surviving feature films.


Born on November 10, 1895, in Staten Island, New York, Mabel Normand’s film career began in 1910 after posing as a model for some of the best illustrators of the day. At the Vitagraph Company, at the beginning of her film career, she even had her own screen character, Betty, but soon her onscreen character would be known simply as Mabel. She was the only silent star linked by name to the heroine she portrayed on film. As Mabel came to fame, she worked with two of cinema’s greatest pioneers, D.W. Griffith and J. Stuart Blackton, but neither left any indication that they were particularly impressed with the actress. It was Mack Sennett who recognized Mabel’s comedic talents in 1911, and from then on, no matter for whom she worked, Mabel’s name was always to be associated with that of Sennett, the so-called King of Comedy. When he formed his Keystone Company, Mabel was with him, and when Charlie Chaplin joined the company, Mabel was his first leading lady. In 1913 and 1914, Mabel directed twelve comedy shorts, in all of which she was the star, and in five of which she was supported by Chaplin. In 1914, Sennett undertook a highly ambitious project, “Tillie’s Punctured Romance,” one of his greatest hits, with Chaplin, Mabel, the Kops, and Marie Dressler all appearing together. Often referred to as “the first feature-length comedy,” it is a full six reels. Sennett not only made Mabel a star but was instrumental in combining her with a great comic foil, Roscoe Arbuckle. Mabel talked Sennett into starring her with Arbuckle, and within a short time the two comedians were Keystone’s most popular team. Arbuckle was 5’10” to Mabel’s barely five feet, and over 250 pounds to her less than 100. Just the way they looked standing side by side could get a laugh and their contrasting size and shape were exploited for all kinds of comic variations. The breakup of the Mabel and Sennett relationship came in the summer of 1915, when their engagement fell apart, supposedly after Mabel found Sennett in a compromising situation with another actress, Mae Busch. The 1920’s was not a good decade for Mabel. There were two scandals, involving her relationships with director William Desmond Taylor and oil tycoon Courtland S. Dines. There was also Mabel’s over reliance on drugs. It was the last that killed her, four years after her only marriage to actor Lew Cody. Mabel Normand died on February 22, 1930 of pulmonary tuberculosis. She was 34 years old.

“A Fool There Was” (1915) Theda Bara

“A Fool There Was” (1915) is a silent drama starring Theda Bara, Edward Jose, Mabel Frenyear, and May Allison. Directed by Frank Powell, this film was inspired by both the Rudyard Kipling poem, “A Fool There Was” and the Sir Philip Burne-Jones painting, “The Vampire.”













In this film, an exotic vamp, played by Theda Bara, learns happily married John Schuyler, played by Edward Jose, will be sailing for Europe on a business trip. When Schuyler’s sister-in-law, played by May Allison, falls with an illness, his wife, Kate, played by Mabel Frenyear, decides to stay home with their daughter, played by Runa Hodges. While onboard, the vamp spends some time with Schuyler. Just a glimpse of the vamp’s bare ankles fills Schuyler with desire, and he succumbs to her. The month long trip lasts two months. Schuyler is now addicted to the sex and drugs provided by the vamp. Will the vamp destroy Schuyler’s life?










Born Theodosia Goodman on July 29, 1885, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Theda Bara was not the first screen vamp but the foremost. Theda Bara’s reign as the queen vampire of American films began in 1915. Her first film took its title directly from the first line of Rudyard Kipling’s poem, “A Fool There Was.” The word “vamp” is certainly a movie-inspired word, and although the raven-haired Theda Bara with her smouldering dark eyes, became the embodiment of the wicked, scheming woman, she was not the screen’s first by several years. In fact, the key film of the vamp genre was “The Vampire” (1913) starring Alice Hollister as the seductress. From “A Fool There Was” (1915) on, Theda took screen sex seriously and aggressively. Even though she made historical spectacles and non-vamp films, too, it was the vamp films that were the most successful. Unfortunately, most of Theda’s films were lost to a fire at Fox Studios in 1937. As a result, far too little footage has survived to allow us to make reliable observations on the merits of her work. In fact, of all the major Hollywood stars from any period, she is the most poorly represented in terms of surviving films. However, from what does survive, one can draw the conclusion that her films were exaggerated only for dramatic effect. Bara was a dynamic personality, and even in “A Fool There Was” (1915), one of her earliest and more primitive films, one has no urge to laugh at its lack of restrain. If “A Fool There Was” gave a clear-cut definition of Theda Bara as a death-dealing, smouldering-eyed vampire, William Fox of Fox Pictures poured out to the press a portrait of Theda that was easily as exaggerated and outlandish as her screen portrayals. I found the historical details in “A Fool There Was” fascinating, especially in the scene where the Ford Model T’s intermingle with horse-drawn vehicles. Even though it’s primitive by silent standards, “A Fool There Was” (1915) is worth watching just for the screen magnetism of Theda Bara in one of her few surviving films.

“The Pagan” (1929)

“The Pagan” (1929) is a silent romantic drama starring Ramon Novarro, Renee Adoree, Donald Crisp, and Dorothy Janis. Directed by W.S. Van Dyke, this film gave Hollywood one of its first hit tunes.

In this film, Ramon Novarro plays Henry Shoesmith, Jr., the son of a white father and Polynesian mother who owns the largest cocoanut plantation in Tahiti. Henry is a wealthy man that would rather spend his time lounging in the sun than conducting business. He meets a beautiful girl named Tito, played by Dorothy Janis, who is also half white half Polynesian like himself. Henry and Tito fall in love and want to get married, but Tito’s guardian, Roger Slater, played by Donald Crisp, is consumed with lust for her and hates Henry.





“The Pagan” (1929) is a beautifully made film that helped propel Ramon Novarro into the talkies and his fine tenor turned Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed’s “The Pagan Love Song” into a hot-selling Victrola sensation. “The Pagan” was Novarro’s last silent film, and he gives one of his best performances. The supporting cast is excellent, especially Renee Adoree, who gives a moving performance as a prostitute with principles and who also loves Novarro. Donald Crisp is very effective as the lecherous Roger Slater, who has an eye for the beautiful and innocent Dorothy Janis. I liked how the film doesn’t attack religion, but the hypocrisy portrayed by the villain who hides his lust as an act of Christian charity.

Superbly shot in Tahiti and with synchronized score, “The Pagan” is a visually stunning film which showcases Novarro’s fine singing voice.



Ramon Novarro was born Jose Ramon Gil Samaniegos on February 6, 1899 in Durango, Mexico. The son of a prosperous dentist, Novarro came to Los Angeles in 1915, at the age of sixteen, hoping to make music his life’s work. His first years in Hollywood were difficult; he had to work at a variety of odd jobs to make ends meet. He appeared as an extra in more than one hundred films before he got his first credited role in “Mr. Barnes of New York” (1922), under the name of Ramon Samaniegos. By the time he made “The Prisoner of Zenda” later that year, with his mentor and lifelong friend, Rex Ingram, he was working as Ramon Novarro. By 1923, Novarro was receiving 1,300 fan letters a week. By the time his next picture, “Scaramouche,” was released later that year, he was being described as a matinee idol, and his success was said to earn him a million dollars a year. His popularity extended throughout the world, and he often had to travel in disguise in Europe and elsewhere. Novarro was not just a pretty face. He was involved in the purchase and development of real estate. Fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian, he enjoyed reading, travel, and the opera. He directed, acted in, and composed the music for the French and Spanish versions of “Call of the Flesh” (Le Chanteur de Seville 1930) and (La Sevillana 1931). Even though Novarro did play a number of roles as sheik and Latin lover, he was most recognized for his roles in other films including the epic, “Ben-Hur” (1925), in which he played a Jewish prince. Novarro never achieved the same heights of popularity in talking pictures, but he continued his career as a character actor in films and television. Novarro met a grisly and tragic end on October 30, 1968, when he was savagely murdered at his Hollywood Hills home by two men who sought to rob him of $5,000. Novarro was 69 years old.

“The Black Pirate” (1926)

“The Black Pirate” (1926) is a silent action drama starring Douglas Fairbanks, Billie Dove and Donald Crisp. Directed by Albert Parker and written by Douglas Fairbanks, this film is a particular favorite of many of Fairbanks’ loyal fans.

The story begins with a lot of treacherous pirates having just captured and looted another ship. They then tie their captives to the mast and use the powder to blow up the ship. However, a father and son, played by Douglas Fairbanks, escape. When the father dies, the son vows revenge on the murderers responsible for his father’s death. Becoming the Black Pirate, he joins the crew and becomes their leader. However, his plans for revenge become more complicated when he meets his first captive, Princess Isobel, a beautiful Spanish princess, played by Billie Dove.


“The Black Pirate” was a huge hit, receiving both critical raves and box office patronage. The film is greatly enhanced by its beautiful two-strip Technicolor photography. The underwater photography sequences were spectacular in their day, and are still highly effective. Fairbanks looks terrific in “The Black Pirate.” He is amazing, especially when he executes a grand stunt in which he slides down a ship’s sail. Fairbanks was an accomplished boxer, gymnast, fencer, and horse rider offscreen, and his onscreen stunts presented few problems. With its impressive stunts by Fairbanks, sword fights, a damsel in distress and a last minute rescue, this silent gem is definitely worth discovering.


Born Lillian Bohny,Billie Dove was born in New York City on May 4, 1903. Billie was an exceptional beauty, and her brown hair lightly streaked with gray added to the dramatic effect. In 1927, Billie starred in a feature titled “The American Beauty” and became known by the nickname. Billie worked as an extra at Fort Lee, New Jersey, before receiving her first screen credit, “Get-Rich-Quick-Wallingford” (1921) and came to prominence with “All the Brothers Were Valiant” (1923). Billie was featured in two early Technicolor features, “Wanderer of the Wasteland” (1924) and “The Black Pirate” (1926), where she is “doubled” in the final love scene by Mary Pickford, who probably did not want her husband too close to the sultry Billie Dove. By 1926, Billie had become a star, but as she would be the first to admit, she was not a great actress. Billie credited director Lois Weber as the woman who taught her to act. For Weber, Billie starred in “The Marriage Clause” (1926) and “Sensation Seekers” (1927). Neither is a great film and does little to enhance Weber’s reputation as the major directorial talent that she was. Billie made in all 45 feature films, starring in 23 after she left Weber. As Howard Hughes’ mistress, Billie starred in two films, “The Age for Love” (1931) and “Cock of the Air” (1932). Billie was not particularly good in either film, and Hughes lost interest in her. Following the breakup with Howard Hughes and completion of “Blondie of the Follies” (1932), Billie married wealthy rancher Robert Kenaston in 1933 and settled down to a life of luxury. Billie died on December 31, 1997. She was 94 years old.

Frank Capra "Long Pants" (1927)

“Long Pants” (1927) is a silent comedy starring Harry Langdon, Priscilla Bonner and Alma Bennett. Directed by Frank Capra, this is Harry Langdon’s last memorable film. In “Long Pants” (1927), Harry Langdon is Harry Shelby, a compulsive reader of romantic fiction who imagines himself as a Don Juan. Once he gets, with his father’s help, a set of trousers of the appropriate size, he is smitten with desire for a world-weary woman, Bebe Blair, played by Alma Bennett, whose car has a flat tire in front of Harry’s house. Harry performs for her on his own bicycle, and gets her attention, but she goes away. Having read in the paper that Bebe has been arrested, he is determined to save her from the clutches of the law. Since it is his wedding day with his childhood sweetheart Priscilla, played by Priscilla Bonner, Harry feels he must get rid of his unsophisticated bride by killing her. I have to admit that I wasn’t amused by this film; I found it disturbing. Even though Frank Capra’s direction is worthy of acclaim with clever camera angles, the macabre scenes of comedy were influenced by gag writer, Arthur Ripley, who was being favored by Langdon over director Frank Capra. Capra had an amazing ability to convey the human condition with a positive message which is certainly not present in this film. In “Long Pants”(1927), we see Harry Langdon as a terribly lonely and melancholy poor soul lost in a dark world. A lonely, melancholy character was not one that most Americans wanted to watch, much less identify with. I think Harry Langdon wasn’t as successful as the other silent comedians, Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd, because he was very depressing to say the least. In contrast, Lloyd, the all-American boy in action, always overcame his limitations while Keaton, the great stone face, was hardworking and optimistic. Even Chaplin’s little tramp offered both the joy and the tragedy of human life. Langdon certainly deserves to be remembered as one of the best comedians of the silent era, but for those who are being introduced to him, it is best to start with “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp” (1926) and “The Strong Man” (1926).

Born in 1884, Harry Langdon grew up in Nebraska. At thirteen, Langdon joined a traveling medicine show. For a couple of years, on the road and in Omaha, he did comedy routines and later joined a circus. Eventually Langdon’s sure-fire act was seen in Los Angeles. Harold Lloyd praised him to Hal Roach, who made an offer which Langdon turned down. Sol Lesser met his demands, then sold his contract to Mack Sennett. Sennett took the Langdon person, still undeveloped, and put it through familiar Sennett situations. Unfortunately, it was mostly a mismatch because a character pattern like Chaplin’s was needed. With no inkling of his future fame as a comedy director, Frank Capra was hired as a gag writer along with Arthur Ripley working on Langdon’s first First National feature length film, “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp” (1926). Capra saw Langdon as the little elf, in contrast to Chaplin’s little tramp. Unlike Chaplin, who might be beset by hopeless odds but could often take arms against a sea of troubles, Langdon was funny because he was unable to take action. He would have things happen to him, and these surprises would be entertaining. The solid success of this hour-long feature fed the confidence of both Capra and Langdon. His conflict with Capra began with the beginning of his second feature film, “The Strong Man” (1926), which was a very big hit and prompted Photoplay magazine to place Langdon in the select company of the top money-making comedians, Chaplin and Lloyd. Langdon’s third feature film, “Long Pants” (1927) was some kind of early film noir-a Ripley film, not a Capra film. When Ripley and Capra had disagreements on the script or the performance, Langdon evidently sided with Ripley. The long-term result was that each of them spread the word around Hollywood that the other one was impossible to work with. Capra was unemployable for months. He managed to direct an independent film in New York, then rejoined Mack Sennett at his old salary as a gag man, until Harry Cohn picked him out of a list of directors to come to Columbia Pictures. Langdon’s three memorable films were not enough to make him rich, but after the failure of the next three, he continued to be in fairly comfortable circumstances through the 1930’s and early 40’s, starring in short subjects for Hal Roach, Paramount, and for Jules White at Columbia.

Spite Marriage (1929).

Spite Marriage (1929). Silent comedy film. Cast: Buster Keaton and Dorothy Sebastian and Leila Hyams. Keaton and Edward Sedgwick co-directed.

Elmer, works for a dry cleaner, who idolizes stage actress, Trilby Drew . She, is in love with actor, Lionel Benmore. He dumps her for the younger Ethyl Norcrosse. On impulse, Trilby marries Elmer. Her handlers get her out of the marriage and Elmer finds himself in trouble with some criminals. What will become of Elmer?

Video 1 of 7.

“Her Sister from Paris” (1925)

“Her Sister from Paris” (1925) is a silent romantic comedy starring Constance Talmadge, Ronald Colman and George K. Arthur. Directed by Sidney Franklin, this film allowed Constance Talmadge to demonstrate her comic range in dual roles.

The story begins with an Austrian couple, Joseph Weyringer, played by Ronald Colman, and his wife, Helen, played by Constance Talmadge, having serious problems in their relationship. Helen feels that her husband doesn’t appreciate her. Upset with how the two keep arguing, Helen tells Joseph that she will be staying with her mother and leaves their home. Joseph’s friend, Robert, played by George K. Arthur, encourages him to have some fun while Helen is away. When both men discover a photo of Helen’s twin sister, they are both shocked that she is a professional dancer living in Paris and will be performing in Vienna. Joseph points out to Robert that Helen’s twin sister, who is also known as Madame La Perry, is quite attractive and both men decide to have fun by watching La Perry perform live. Meanwhile, Helen goes to see her sister in her dressing room and tells her about her marital problems. La Perry thinks her sister needs to get away from her old fashioned style and gives her a bobbed haircut. After La Perry’s performance, Helen is happy about how the audience supported her sister. However, she is upset to see Joseph in the audience having fun so soon after leaving him. Back in the dressing room, Helen is reduced to tears and believes that Joseph is no longer interested in her. La Perry comes up with an idea to teach Joseph a lesson by having Helen pretend to be her twin sister. Helen immediately starts playing the part of her twin sister. Will Helen find out if her husband loves her or La Perry?
















“Her Sister from Paris” (1925) reunited Constance Talmadge with the “Her Night of Romance” (1924) team: Hans Kraly wrote the story, Sidney Franklin directed and Ronald Colman costarred. The plot is not unfamiliar; it was made in 1934 as “Moulin Rouge” with Constance Bennett and in 1941 as “Two-Faced Woman” with Greta Garbo. Even though it might seem a predictable and not very original film, “Her Sister from Paris” is a delightful comedy. Constance’s acting abilities come through in many scenes especially when she is trying to seduce Colman. Constance and Colman give top-notch performances and they have great onscreen chemistry. I thought the gowns and lingerie designed by Adrian very early in his career were absolutely gorgeous. Even though the film suffers from nitrate decompositon in some scenes, it is still a joy to watch. Constance was clearly a natural comedienne, and it’s a shame that so many of her films have been lost and so few are available on DVD.


Born on April 19, 1898, in Brooklyn, New York, Constance Talmadge was one of Hollywood’s most popular comediennes. She achieved film immortality as the Mountain Girl of ancient Babylon in D.W. Griffith’s “Intolerance” (1916). Her older sister, Norma Talmadge, had become a star several years before her as a dramatic actress, while Constance’s specialty was sharp, witty comedies. When Norma married producer Joseph Schenck, it proved to be beneficial to both sisters. Schenck and Lewis J. Selznick bought up Constance’s contract and distributed her films through Select, First National, and United Artists for the rest of her career. With the coming of sound, the First National agreement was terminated in 1927. She made one last silent film, “Venus” (1929) for United Artists release and happily retired. Constance made a total of 84 films from 1914 to 1929. Constance died of pneumonia on November 23, 1973. She was 75 years old.

“Sally of the Sawdust” (1925)

“Sally of the Sawdust” (1925) is a silent comedy starring Carol Dempster, W.C. Fields and Alfred Lunt. Directed by D.W. Griffith, this film is a fascinating departure from the austere moral drama in which he specialized.












The story opens with the circus coming to town. Sally, played by Carol Dempster, is a circus waif who has been raised by a lovable con man, Professor Eustace McGargle, played by W.C. Fields, a sideshow juggler and entertainer. Flashbacks reveal that Sally’s mother had married a circus man against her father’s wishes and was ordered never to return home. Later, Sally’s mother became a widow with a child, and on her death bed entrusted her little girl to their best friend, McGargle. Now that Sally is a teenager, McGargle decides to return her to her grandparents who now live in Green Meadow. Stranded and broke in the town of Burryville, McGargle and Sally steal a ride on a train. Once they arrive in Green Meadow, McGargle and Sally both stir controversy when attending a charity event for homeless children near the estate of the very wealthy Judge Henry L. Foster, played by Erville Anderson and his wife, played by Effie Shannon, Sally’s grandparents. Complications arise when Peyton Lennox, the son of a respected citizen from Green Meadow, played by Alfred Lunt, meets and falls in love with Sally. Even though McGargle escapes arrest for dealing in a crooked card game, Sally is arrested for being his accomplice and must stand trial to be placed in a home for delinquent girls. Meanwhile, Peyton is sent out of town by his father in the hope that he will forget Sally. The ending is quite surprising.



“Sally of the Sawdust” was based on W.C. Fields’ popular play, “Poppy.” W.C. Fields in his second appearance on the screen made a standout characterization within a story that had mystery, jazz, comedy, romance and drama. Although it is remembered solely as a Fields’ comedy, Carol Dempster acquires most of the attention under Griffith’s careful supervision. Even though much has been said against the actress about her looks and talent, her plain looks only add to her role as Sally. One of my favorite scenes is during the charity event when Carol gets a complete makeover with styled hair, sparkling jewelry, and an evening gown. I think Carol was quite comical in many of the scenes with Fields. However, she gives a touching performance during the final courtroom battle. I liked, in particular, how Fields showcases his skills as a physical comedian in this film. He does a few inventive juggling acts and he is so graceful. Even though “Sally of the Sawdust” is not one of Griffith’s masterpieces, it is an enjoyable film to watch with its pristine quality print and the screen presence of W.C. Fields and Carol Dempster.




Born in Duluth, Minnesota, on December 9, 1901, Carol Dempster moved with her family to California, where she came to the attention of Ruth St. Denis and joined her dance school. She is apparently one of the dancers in the Babylonian sequence of “Intolerance” (1916), but whether Griffith noticed her at this point is unknown. Within three years, Carol was featured in Griffith’s productions of “A Romance of Happy Valley,” “The Girl Who Stayed at Home,” and “True Heart Susie,” all released in 1919. “The Love Flower” (1920) was Carol’s first starring role followed by “Dream Street” (1921). She gave one performance in a non-Griffith production, “Sherlock Holmes” (1922) starring John Barrymore. Carol ended her career starring in six of Griffith’s last films, “The White Rose” (1923), “America” (1924), “Isn’t Life Wonderful” (1924), “Sally of the Sawdust” (1925), “That Royle Girl” (1925) and “The Sorrows of Satan” (1926). Carol Dempster was the last star created by the man credited with creating the American motion picture as we know it today. Carol Dempster died on February 1, 1991. She was 89 years old.