Monthly Archives: February 2013

Battleship Potemkin

Posted on February 28, 2013 by John Grant

Lately, whenever I discuss silent movies, someone brings up “Battleship Potemkin,” the 1925 Soviet movie directed by Sergei M. Eisenstein.  Generally, people ask me about what I think of it, and I tell them that it’s an easily watchable great … Continue reading →

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The Hitchcock 9

Posted on February 25, 2013 by John Grant

The San Francisco Silent Film Festival plans a special event for June 14-16 at the Castro Theater, when they present 9 silent films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.  The schedule includes the following films: Blackmail (1929) Champagne (1928) Downhill (1927) — … Continue reading →

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My Best Girl

Posted on February 22, 2013 by John Grant

My 93 year-old neighbor, Charlie, tells me he fondly remembers seeing Mary Pickford in 1925 when she visited his hometown of Anaheim, California.  A huge crowd lined up to see her motorcade, and Charlie recalls the excitement of seeing Pickford … Continue reading →

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Faust

Posted on February 19, 2013 by John Grant

“Faust,” the 1926 silent film shown at this year’s Silent Film Festival “Silent Winter,” stars Emil Jannings in an impressive performance as Mephisto (the Devil).  Faust, a learned alchemist, can do nothing after Mephisto delivers the plague to his village. … Continue reading →

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The Thief of Bagdad

Posted on February 16, 2013 by John Grant

Douglas Fairbank’s wonderful “The Thief of Bagdad,” released in 1924, played in front of an enthusiastic crowd today at the Castro Theater in San Francisco.  The movie features Fairbanks as the title character, Ahmed, a witty and athletic burglar, pickpocket and … Continue reading →

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One Hour With You

Posted on February 13, 2013 by John Grant

Of all the Ernst Lubitsch musical comedy films I’ve seen, I’ve found that the one with the least subtlety may be “One Hour With You,” which was released in 1932.  Maurice Chevalier stars as Dr. Andre Bertier, a happily married … Continue reading →

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Mayerling

Posted on February 10, 2013 by John Grant

Anatole Litvak directed a film in France in 1936 called “Mayerling,” which tells the true story of the love affair between Crown Prince Rud0lf and Baroness Marie Vetsera.  The events occurred in the 1880s, and involved the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.  Tragically, the outcome … Continue reading →

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Treasure Island

Posted on February 7, 2013 by John Grant

A lot of thought and talent went into the 1934 version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island,” directed by Victor Fleming.  The story involves a sailing trip for buried pirate treasure by a boy named Jim Hawkins, the son of … Continue reading →

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Over the Moon

Posted on February 4, 2013 by John Grant

The film, “Over the Moon,” came out in 1939 with an interesting cast that includes Merle Oberon, Rex Harrison and Robert Douglas.  Oberon plays Jane Benson, a poor but generally happy woman that receives an inheritance of 18 million pounds. … Continue reading →

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Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

Posted on February 1, 2013 by John Grant

When I visited India in 2009, I expected to see a couple of dozen first-run films playing concurrently at the cinemas.  I found, however, that only about 3 new films normally screen at one time.  Perhaps that’s why Bollywood filmmakers … Continue reading →

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