Monthly Archives: September 2011

Lon Chaney

In “He Who Gets Slapped,” a 1924 film starring Lon Chaney, John Gilbert, and Norma Shearer, Lon Chaney is cheated out of his fortune (for a successful invention) and then becomes a clown in a circus.  His act consists of … Continue reading

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Shoes

“Shoes,” a 1916 drama directed by Lois Weber, tells the story of a poor girl working hard at a five and dime to support her family.  Her pay envelope barely keeps her family together and her father refuses to apply … Continue reading

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The Woman Men Yearn For

Marlene Dietrich plays the title role in “The Woman Men Yearn For,” a film directed in 1929 by Curtis Bernhardt.  Charles boards a train with his wife to their honeymoon destination, but spots Marlene Dietrich’s character (Stascha) and instantly falls … Continue reading

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Mr. Fix-It

Silent movies are not above having ridiculous plots, including ones that include mistaken identity.  In “Mr. Fix-It,” directed in 1918 by Allan Dwan, Douglas Fairbanks agrees to impersonate his Oxford University friend to his family.  The friend, who hasn’t seen his … Continue reading

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