Yearly Archives: 2013

The Farmer’s Daughter

Posted on March 23, 2013 by John Grant

It may not seem plausible that a Swedish maid (and farm girl) in the 1940s could run for Congress and do well for herself, but that’s exactly what happens in “The Farmer’s Daughter.”  The 1947 film stars Loretta Young as … Continue reading →

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The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)

Posted on March 20, 2013 by John Grant

Taking the story from a popular book by Anthony Hope, published in 1894, Selznick International Pictures made a fine film version of “The Prisoner of Zenda” in 1937.  The film stars Ronald Colman as Major Rudolf Rassendyll, an Englishman who … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a Murder

Posted on March 17, 2013 by John Grant

The stylish 1959 film “Anatomy of a Murder” ambles along for 2 hours and 40 minutes, with most of its content taken up with interviews of witnesses and long courtroom scenes.  Considered a classic among courtroom dramas, the film stars … Continue reading →

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Spies

Posted on March 14, 2013 by John Grant

Espionage films in general, including the ones featuring James Bond, owe their inspiration to Fritz Lang’s “Spies,” released in 1928.  The German film stars Willy Fritsch as Agent 326, who springs into action when a diabolical bank manager named Haghi … Continue reading →

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Baby Face

Posted on March 11, 2013 by John Grant

The quintessential Hollywood pre-code film, “Baby Face,” released in 1933, features Barbara Stanwyck as a harried waitress named Lily Powers in a speakeasy in Erie, Pennsylvania.  She caters to the the loud, boorish and dirty steelworkers who frequent the joint, and often … Continue reading →

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Limelight

Posted on March 8, 2013 by John Grant

Sometimes a serious comedy comes along written and directed by a serious director, in this case, Charlie Chaplin.  The movie, “Limelight,” came out 1952.  Limelight is not really a comedy but a movie about comedy.  It’s a sound picture that … Continue reading →

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Pordenone News

Posted on March 5, 2013 by John Grant

Pordenone, Italy — Le Giornate Del Cinema Muto announces a program of Mexican films for their 2013 silent film festival in Pordenone, Italy on October 5-12, 2013.  The Festival sent a press release in Italian saying they will be working … Continue reading →

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Warning Shadows

Posted on March 2, 2013 by John Grant

Director Arthur Robison makes shadows real in a 1923 German film called “Warning Shadows.”  The film features a wealthy Count (Fritz Kortner) and Countess (Ruth Weyher) who host a party in a 19th century mansion for three gentlemen and a … Continue reading →

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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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