Silent Movies I've Seen
by CJBx7 | created - 20 Feb 2014 | updated - 05 Oct 2015 | PublicThis is a more-or-less chronologically ordered list of the silent movies I have seen, with brief commentary. This deals only with feature-length films, not shorts. I don't have reviews for all of these because it has been a while since I have seen some of them. Enjoy, and feel free to leave a comment if you like!
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1. The Ace of Hearts (1921)
Passed | 75 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A romantic rivalry among members of a secret society becomes even tenser when one of the men is assigned to carry out an assassination.
Director: Wallace Worsley | Stars: Leatrice Joy, John Bowers, Lon Chaney, Hardee Kirkland
Votes: 1,325
My first experience with silent movies. A story of a secret society which plots to assassinate a wealthy industrialist, and a love triangle that has far-reaching consequences for all involved. Lon Chaney is marvelous and the score by Vivek Maddala is wonderful. SCORE: 8/10.
2. Metropolis (1927)
Not Rated | 153 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.
Director: Fritz Lang | Stars: Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge
Votes: 185,447 | Gross: $1.24M
Groundbreaking sci-fi spectacle that is still influential today. The acting is way over the top, according to the German Expressionist school, but the scenery, cinematography, and overall spectacle are still pretty amazing. SCORE: 9/10. NOTE: Brief partial nudity in a nightclub dancing scene.
3. Spite Marriage (1929)
Passed | 76 min | Comedy
An unimpressive but well intending man is given the chance to marry a popular actress, of whom he has been a hopeless fan. But what he doesn't realize is that he is being used to make the actress' old flame jealous.
Directors: Edward Sedgwick, Buster Keaton | Stars: Buster Keaton, Dorothy Sebastian, Edward Earle, Leila Hyams
Votes: 2,502
A late silent by Buster Keaton, full of fun moments. Been a while since I've seen it...I'll update this when I do. SCORE: 7/10.
4. Spies (1928)
Not Rated | 90 min | Romance, Thriller
The mastermind behind a ubiquitous spy operation learns of a dangerous romance between a Russian lady in his employ and a dashing agent from the government's secret service.
Director: Fritz Lang | Stars: Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Gerda Maurus, Willy Fritsch, Lien Deyers
Votes: 3,942
This movie's pretty long but it goes by really quick because there's so much happening. Lots of fun, intricately plotted...a nice piece of escapism. After all these years, still really entertaining. SCORE: 8/10.
5. Sherlock Jr. (1924)
Passed | 45 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meagre skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch.
Director: Buster Keaton | Stars: Buster Keaton, Kathryn McGuire, Joe Keaton, Erwin Connelly
Votes: 56,934 | Gross: $0.98M
Been a while since I saw this one, but I enjoyed it. Buster Keaton is funny and inventive, with some nice visual effects and sight gags. He plays a hapless young man who is accused of stealing, then does some detective work to clear is name. SCORE: 8/10.
6. The Artist (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 100 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.
Director: Michel Hazanavicius | Stars: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell
Votes: 248,570 | Gross: $44.67M
A wonderful homage to classic silent movies, concerning a famous star whose fortunes decline with the coming of sound in the late 1920's, and a young actress whose star rises while his fades. It terrifically recaptures the spirit and glamor of the era, and could easily take its place along the best work of the silent era. Fantastic! SCORE: 10/10.
7. The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927)
Not Rated | 92 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A landlady suspects that her new lodger is the madman killing women in London.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: June Tripp, Ivor Novello, Marie Ault, Arthur Chesney
Votes: 13,378
An early Alfred Hitchcock feature, considered the first film of his to bear his distinctive characteristics. This tale of a mysterious young man believed to be a serial killer features moody chiaroscuro lighting and a dark atmosphere, as well as a theme Hitchcock stuck with throughout his career - an innocent man unjustly accused of a heinous crime. Very evocative and haunting. SCORE: 8/10
8. I Was Born, But... (1932)
Not Rated | 90 min | Comedy, Drama
Two young brothers throw a tantrum when they discover that their father isn't the most important man in his workplace.
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Tatsuo Saitô, Tomio Aoki, Mitsuko Yoshikawa, Hideo Sugawara
Votes: 6,211
A much-heralded Japanese silent. Two mischevous boys contend with bullies at school, admire their father until they learn more about what he does for a living. Natural performances and lots of charm. SCORE: 8/10.
9. No Blood Relation (1932)
79 min | Drama
An actress returns to Tokyo after a successful stint in Hollywood to reclaim - with the help of her gangster brother - the daughter she abandoned years before.
Director: Mikio Naruse | Stars: Yoshiko Okada, Shin'yô Nara, Yukiko Tsukuba, Toshiko Kojima
Votes: 471
The story of a famous Japanese actress who comes back from America to reclaim the daughter the left behind years ago, who has bonded with the father's wife. It has a nice quietude to it, with very naturalistic performances, and is a fascinating glimpse into the Japan of many years ago. SCORE: 8/10.
10. Japanese Girls at the Harbor (1933)
72 min | Drama, Romance
Two schoolgirl friends drift apart when one of them falls for a handsome boy.
Director: Hiroshi Shimizu | Stars: Michiko Oikawa, Yukiko Inoue, Ureo Egawa, Ranko Sawa
Votes: 747
Two friends fall for the same man, with life-altering consequences when one of them confronts him. Nice cinematography and a story that refuses to be predictable. SCORE: 8/10.
11. Male and Female (1919)
Not Rated | 116 min | Adventure, Drama
Lady Mary Lasenby is a spoiled maiden who always gets her way until shipwrecked with her butler, then learns which qualities are really admirable in a person.
Director: Cecil B. DeMille | Stars: Thomas Meighan, Theodore Roberts, Raymond Hatton, Robert Cain
Votes: 1,974
Interesting feature from 1919 dealing with role reversal between the upper class and a resourceful servant when they are left to fend for themselves on a desert island. Nice turns by Thomas Meighan and Gloria Swanson. Good early feature by Cecil B DeMille - although the Babylon fantasy sequence could have been shorter. SCORE: 7/10.
12. The Regeneration (1915)
Passed | 72 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A boy surrounded by violence grows up to become an infamous gangster.
Director: Raoul Walsh | Stars: Rockliffe Fellowes, Anna Q. Nilsson, William Sheer, Carl Harbaugh
Votes: 1,430
The tale of Owen, a tenement orphan who has only known the brutal side of life and drifts towards crime. He meets a beautiful social worker and love blossoms, but making a new start in life won't be easy. A very early and effective example of cinematic realism, featuring location shooting, expert cinematography and editing, and restrained, credible performances by all involved. The film stock shows its age at times, but the movie itself has held up beautifully. SCORE: 9/10.
13. White Shadows in the South Seas (1928)
Passed | 88 min | Drama, Romance
An alcoholic doctor on a Polynesian island, disgusted by white exploitation of the natives, finds himself marooned on a pristinely beautiful island.
Directors: W.S. Van Dyke, Robert J. Flaherty | Stars: Monte Blue, Raquel Torres, Robert Anderson, Renee Bush
Votes: 962
A quite progressive movie for its time, which deals with the negative consequences of imperialism on the inhabitants of an idyllic Pacific island and a white doctor's attempt to avert the inevitable ruin of their island paradise. Beautiful scenery and a nice performance by Monte Blue as the doctor. The ending may surprise you. SCORE: 8/10.
14. Sunrise (1927)
Passed | 94 min | Drama, Romance
A sophisticated city woman seduces a farmer and convinces him to murder his wife and join her in the city, but he ends up rekindling his romance with his wife when he changes his mind at the last moment.
Director: F.W. Murnau | Stars: George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, Bodil Rosing
Votes: 53,834 | Gross: $0.54M
Another masterpiece from Murnau, the director of THE LAST LAUGH. One of the best movies I've ever seen! Laughter and tears abound in this story of a marriage at the breaking point, who struggle towards reconciliation. This movie is as good as the critics say it is. Wonderful. SCORE: 10/10.
15. Sally of the Sawdust (1925)
Not Rated | 104 min | Comedy
Judge Foster throws his daughter out because she married a circus man. She leaves her baby girl with Prof. McGargle before she dies. Years later Sally is a dancer with whom Peyton, a son of... See full summary »
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Carol Dempster, W.C. Fields, Alfred Lunt, Erville Alderson
Votes: 592 | Gross: $0.30M
Carol Dempster and WC Fields shine in this tale of an orphaned circus performer and her relationship with her adoptive father, and what happens when she meets her well-to-do grandparents. Not characteristic of DW Griffith at all, with some awkward editing and overlong chase scenes. Still, the movie has heart and is quite charming overall. SCORE: 7/10.
16. Isn't Life Wonderful (1924)
115 min | Drama, Romance
A family of Polish refugees tries to survive in post-World War I Germany. For a while it seems that they are making it, but soon the economic and political deterioration in the country begins to take their toll.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Carol Dempster, Neil Hamilton, Erville Alderson, Helen Lowell
Votes: 405
One of Griffith's best pictures, but not as well known as his earlier work with Lillian Gish. Carol Dempster gives a superbly convincing performance as the heroine, and the story has very few melodramatic moments. The camerawork is rather stagy at times, but the film has a warmth and humanity that makes it worth watching. SCORE: 8/10.
17. Broken Blossoms or the Yellow Man and the Girl (1919)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama, Romance
A frail waif, abused by her brutal boxer father in London's seedy Limehouse District, is befriended by a sensitive Chinese immigrant with tragic consequences.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess, Donald Crisp, Arthur Howard
Votes: 11,059
A bold move by Griffith, depicting an interracial romance between a Chinese man and a white girl during the height of Yellow Peril. I wasn't so taken with it the first time, although I did find it intriguing, but the tragic beauty of the movie revealed itself to me more fully the second time around. A masterpiece of silent cinema. SCORE: 9/10.
18. The Love Flower (1920)
Not Rated | 95 min | Drama
A man murders his wife's lovers, escapes with his daughter to the South Pacific. A detective pursues him, joined by a young man who eventually falls in love with the daughter.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Carol Dempster, Richard Barthelmess, George MacQuarrie, Anders Randolf
Votes: 185
This movie features beautiful island locations and underwater scenery, and the South Seas setting makes it a rarity in Griffith's body of work. Unfortunately the story asks us to root for the daughter's attempts to kill a policeman and there are some over-the-top, melodramatic moments in the performances. Still, it does have some entertaining moments. SCORE: 6/10.
19. The General (1926)
Passed | 78 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
After being rejected by the Confederate military, not realizing it was due to his crucial civilian role, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized by Union spies and return it through enemy lines.
Directors: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton | Stars: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley
Votes: 98,098 | Gross: $1.03M
Often considered Buster Keaton's masterpiece. Not necessary always laugh-out-loud hilarious, but very inventive and visually stunning. Also, one of the sharpest, cleanest transfers that you'll ever see of a silent film. SCORE: 9/10.
20. Within Our Gates (1920)
Not Rated | 79 min | Drama, Romance
Abandoned by her fiancé, an educated black woman with a shocking past dedicates herself to helping a near bankrupt school for impoverished black youths.
Director: Oscar Micheaux | Stars: Evelyn Preer, Flo Clements, James D. Ruffin, Jack Chenault
Votes: 3,624
The earliest surviving work of Oscar Micheaux, pioneering African-American filmmaker. It deals with a young woman's attempts to save her school in a small town in the American South, and her travails along the way. The last reel shows her backstory, which can be read as a condemnation of the dismal racism of BIRTH OF A NATION. The narrative is a bit awkward and some of the acting is broad, but overall the film is quite rewarding as a portrait of the realities of black life in 20th century America. SCORE: 7/10.
21. Stella Maris (1918)
Unrated | 84 min | Drama
Two young women - a paraplegic girl sheltered by her wealthy guardians and a more experienced orphan - fall in love with a man separated from his violent wife.
Director: Marshall Neilan | Stars: Mary Pickford, Ida Waterman, Herbert Standing, Conway Tearle
Votes: 1,563
One of the best silents I've seen so far. Mary Pickford does extraordinary work in a dual role as Stella, a disabled yet cheerful girl who believes that the world is a happy place, and Unity, an orphan who has been treated harshly by the world, and what happens when their lives converge. Excellent in every way - stunning cinematography, a moving story and superb, naturalistic performances. A masterpiece. SCORE: 10/10.
22. The Cheat (1915)
Not Rated | 59 min | Drama, Romance
A venal, spoiled stockbroker's wife impulsively embezzles $10,000 from the charity she chairs and desperately turns to a Burmese ivory trader to replace the stolen money.
Director: Cecil B. DeMille | Stars: Fannie Ward, Sessue Hayakawa, Jack Dean, James Neill
Votes: 2,762 | Gross: $0.21M
An instance where I disagree with critical consensus. THE CHEAT is acclaimed as an early masterpiece of feature film. While it shows technical competence and features a star-making turn by Sessue Hayakawa, the central heroine is very off-putting and is rather broadly portrayed by Fanny Ward. There is some interesting chiaroscuro lighting in some scenes, but nothing can overcome the film's fatal flaw - a sloppy, overly contrived story. SCORE: 5/10
23. The Last Laugh (1924)
Not Rated | 90 min | Drama
An aging doorman is forced to face the scorn of his friends, neighbors and society after being fired from his prestigious job at a luxurious hotel.
Director: F.W. Murnau | Stars: Emil Jannings, Maly Delschaft, Max Hiller, Emilie Kurz
Votes: 15,198 | Gross: $0.09M
This, to me, is the ultimate silent movie. There is only 1 title card in the whole movie - the story is told entirely through visual means, with expressive acting and superb cinematography. It's quite moving indeed. The pinnacle of the use of visual means to tell a story. SCORE: 10/10.
24. It (1927)
Passed | 72 min | Comedy, Romance
A salesgirl pursues a handsome playboy.
Directors: Clarence G. Badger, Josef von Sternberg | Stars: Clara Bow, Antonio Moreno, William Austin, Priscilla Bonner
Votes: 3,568 | Gross: $0.41M
Clara Bow's most famous movie, it's a breezy romantic comedy that plays pretty well today. Clara shows why she was the It Girl and displays abundant charm and charisma that resonates today. A little cheesy and forced in some places, but still pretty engaging. SCORE: 7/10.
25. Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
Not Rated | 68 min | Documentary
A man travels around a city with a camera slung over his shoulder, documenting urban life with dazzling invention.
Director: Dziga Vertov | Stars: Mikhail Kaufman, Elizaveta Svilova
Votes: 27,967
An intriguing and ambitious movie, one of the earliest features of Cinema Pur, which seeks to dispense with any ties to literary or theatrical tradition in order to create a purely visual narrative that can only be realized through cinematography and editing. The movie is definitely steeped in Soviet aesthetics but its theme is life as a whole in a city, from birth to death, marriage to divorce, work to play, etc. Utterly fascinating. SCORE: 10/10. NOTE: It does feature a brief, yet graphic childbirth scene and very brief nudity at a beach.
26. Battleship Potemkin (1925)
Not Rated | 66 min | Drama, History, Thriller
In the midst of the Russian Revolution of 1905, the crew of the battleship Potemkin mutiny against the brutal, tyrannical regime of the vessel's officers. The resulting street demonstration in Odessa brings on a police massacre.
Director: Sergei Eisenstein | Stars: Aleksandr Antonov, Vladimir Barskiy, Grigoriy Aleksandrov, Ivan Bobrov
Votes: 61,432 | Gross: $0.05M
One of the landmarks of cinematic innovation thanks to its famous Odessa Steps sequence. It deals with the mutiny of the crew of a Russian battleship who tires of their repressive officers, the mutiny being a metaphor for the revolution that ended the rule of the tsars in 1917. Propagandistic, to be sure, but dramatically effective with innovative editing and moments of almost unbearably tense anticipation. SCORE: 8/10.
27. The Symbol of the Unconquered (1920)
TV-PG | 54 min | Drama, Romance
Racists learn that the land a negro owns lies over a vast oil field, and threaten his life when he refuses to sell.
Director: Oscar Micheaux | Stars: Iris Hall, Walker Thompson, Lawrence Chenault, Mattie Wilkes
Votes: 572
Another Micheaux film, dealing with a black landowner in the American South who has to contend with a plot by a vengeful mulatto and his KKK friends who connive to steal his land. The premise was promising but the story wanders and there's a lot of hammy acting, with some unintentionally hilarious moments. SCORE: 6/10.
28. Intolerance (1916)
Passed | 163 min | Drama, History
The story of a poor young woman separated by prejudice from her husband and baby is interwoven with tales of intolerance from throughout history.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Mae Marsh, F.A. Turner
Votes: 16,716 | Gross: $2.18M
Great cinematography and production, acting of variable quality, and a rather strained central idea. Still, for spectacle it can't be beat. SCORE: 7/10.
29. Way Down East (1920)
Passed | 145 min | Drama, Romance
A naive country girl is tricked into a sham marriage by a wealthy womanizer, then must rebuild her life despite the taint of having borne a child out of wedlock.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess, Mrs. David Landau, Lowell Sherman
Votes: 5,893 | Gross: $4.50M
In my opinion, one of Griffith's better movies, based on an old melodrama. Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess, and Lowell Sherman all give great performances in this film. I was especially impressed by Lowell Sherman's performance. The "comic relief" parts haven't aged well but the central story is still quite effective and moving, and the cinematography is beautiful. SCORE: 8/10.
30. America (1924)
Passed | 141 min | Drama, History, War
The story of a family caught up in the American Revolutionary War.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Neil Hamilton, Carol Dempster, Erville Alderson, Charles Emmett Mack
Votes: 471
Griffith seems to be trying to remake BIRTH OF A NATION without the racism (or a lot less, at any rate) in this American Revolutionary War epic. It's a more agreeable watch because of that, but it feels rather stagy, sterile and detached, and the performances lack charisma (except for Lionel Barrymore). Still, some nice scenes, including Paul Revere's ride. SCORE: 5/10.
31. Wild Oranges (1924)
Passed | 88 min | Drama, Romance
Millie Stope lives with her grandfather on a remote island. Her grandfather fled there for political reasons. But they're not alone. An escaped prisoner, Nicholas, is terrorizing them, and ... See full summary »
Director: King Vidor | Stars: Frank Mayo, Virginia Valli, Ford Sterling, Nigel De Brulier
Votes: 565
A nice, intimate and tender film about a seafaring widower and a lonely girl on an isolated island who struggle against their fears in order to find love. Very picturesque, with beautiful cinematography and touching performances, especially by Virginia Valli as the heroine. Accompanied by a wonderful score by Vivek Maddala. SCORE: 9/10.
32. The Scar of Shame (1929)
Passed | 68 min | Crime, Drama, Romance
An educated, upscale young black musician marries a woman from a lower socioeconomic class to get her out of the clutches of her stepfather, who beats and abuses her. However, once he "... See full summary »
Director: Frank Peregini | Stars: Harry Henderson, Norman Johnstone, Ann Kennedy, Lucia Lynn Moses
Votes: 449
One of the best surviving silents to feature an African-American cast. Somewhat implausible at times, but skillfully directed and well acted by all, remarkable considering that most of the cast and crew had little film experience. A nice look at some of the realities of black life that still persist today. SCORE: 8/10.
33. Body and Soul (1925)
Not Rated | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A malevolent phony preacher plots to take advantage of a woman from his congregation who happens to be in love with his long-estranged identical twin brother.
Director: Oscar Micheaux | Stars: Paul Robeson, Marshall Rogers, Lawrence Chenault, Chester A. Alexander
Votes: 1,192
In my opinion, this is the best of Micheaux's surviving silents. Paul Robeson delivers an outstanding performance and several other actors do fine work as well. There are some awkward moments in the editing and performances, but also some powerful and unforgettable ones. SCORE: 8/10.
34. City Girl (1930)
Passed | 90 min | Drama, Romance
A Chicago waitress falls in love with a Minnesota farmer, and decides to face a life in the country.
Director: F.W. Murnau | Stars: Charles Farrell, Mary Duncan, David Torrence, Edith Yorke
Votes: 3,726
Another fine film from FW Murnau, made at the tail end of the silent era. The story of a young man from the country who meets a waitress in the city. They fall in love and marry quickly, but the girl finds that country life isn't as easy as she thought when her father-in-law makes his disapproval known. Fine performances, especially from charismatic and beautiful leading lady Mary Duncan, and beautifully evocative cinematography. SCORE: 9/10.
35. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
Passed | 93 min | Horror
A mad, disfigured composer seeks love with a lovely young opera singer.
Directors: Rupert Julian, Lon Chaney, Ernst Laemmle, Edward Sedgwick | Stars: Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry, Arthur Edmund Carewe
Votes: 20,093 | Gross: $3.75M
Famous today mostly for Lon Chaney's dramatic performance and the unforgettable unmasking scene, which still has the power to shock after all these years. A pretty good adaptation of Gaston Leroux's novel, although Mary Philbin's performance is a bit too florid and theatrical for my taste. Beautifully tinted, with an exquisite early color sequence. SCORE: 8/10.
36. The Lost World (1925)
Passed | 110 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Horror
The first film adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel about a land where prehistoric creatures still roam.
Director: Harry O. Hoyt | Stars: Wallace Beery, Bessie Love, Lloyd Hughes, Lewis Stone
Votes: 5,812 | Gross: $1.19M
The original dinosaur movie. It has its moments, but strikes me as of more historical than entertainment value. The special effects look quaint now but were quite groundbreaking, anticipating KING KONG and many other monster movies. SCORE: 6/10.
37. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
TV-PG | 195 min | Drama, History, War
The Stoneman family finds its friendship with the Camerons affected by the Civil War, both fighting in opposite armies. The development of the war in their lives plays through to Lincoln's assassination and the birth of the Ku Klux Klan.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Henry B. Walthall, Miriam Cooper
Votes: 26,331 | Gross: $10.00M
Although critics laud this movie for laying the foundation of modern cinematic narrative, I for one cannot praise it as a masterpiece due to its toxic racism, ludicrous melodrama, and biased, thoroughly irresponsible historical revisionism. Its very negative, stereotypical portrayal of African-Americans led to rioting and the resurgence of the KKK, and did much damage to race relations in the USA. No star rating given.
38. The Big Parade (1925)
Not Rated | 151 min | Drama, Romance, War
A young American soldier witnesses the horrors of the Great War.
Directors: King Vidor, George W. Hill | Stars: John Gilbert, Renée Adorée, Hobart Bosworth, Claire McDowell
Votes: 7,272 | Gross: $11.00M
The first Hollywood movie to depict war without allegory or propaganda, it shows the experience of a young man who goes to fight in WWI and how his life is changed by it. It has drama, battle scenes, romance, and humor. THE BIG PARADE set the standard for antiwar films and still has relevance today. SCORE: 9/10
39. Traffic in Souls (1913)
TV-PG | 88 min | Crime, Drama
With aid from her police-officer sweetheart, a woman endeavors to uncover the prostitution ring that has kidnapped her sister and the philanthropist who secretly runs it.
Director: George Loane Tucker | Stars: Jane Gail, Ethel Grandin, William H. Turner, Matt Moore
Votes: 729 | Gross: $0.43M
A definitive early feature film, I feel that this movie deserves more recognition than it has received. It features a complex narrative, naturalistic acting, brisk editing and location shooting, and it holds up much better than many other pre-BIRTH OF A NATION feature films (basically filmed plays with little editing or camera movement). It does feel a bit detached at times and some of the editing is choppy, but it's still worthwhile. SCORE: 9/10.
40. The Italian (1915)
Passed | 72 min | Drama
An Italian immigrant and his sweetheart search for a better life in America, but the harsh realities of life in the slums of New York City lay waste to their hopes and dreams.
Director: Reginald Barker | Stars: George Beban, Clara Williams, J. Frank Burke, Leo Willis
Votes: 458
A very moving early feature film, also predating BIRTH OF A NATION. George Beban and Clara Williams are superbly naturalistic and moving in their portrayals of a hopeful couple who face joys and sorrows in their new life in America. The cinematography is polished and beautiful, and the film as a whole displays abundant humanity and warmth. SCORE: 9/10.
41. A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate (1923)
Passed | 82 min | Drama, Romance
A kept woman runs into her former fiancé and finds herself torn between love and comfort.
Director: Charles Chaplin | Stars: Edna Purviance, Clarence Geldert, Carl Miller, Lydia Knott
Votes: 6,159 | Gross: $1.38M
This movie, which details a woman's fall into decadence and her chance at true love, is quite surprising for a couple of reasons. First of all, it was a straight drama directed by Charlie Chaplin, who doesn't have a part in the movie. Second, it is very sober-minded, without lapsing into excess melodramatics or emotional manipulation. Fine performances by all, especially Edna Purviance and Adolphe Menjou. SCORE: 8/10.
42. Safety Last! (1923)
Not Rated | 74 min | Action, Comedy, Thriller
A boy leaves his small country town and heads to the big city to get a job. As soon as he makes it big his sweetheart will join him and marry him. His enthusiasm to get ahead leads to some interesting adventures.
Directors: Fred C. Newmeyer, Sam Taylor | Stars: Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis, Bill Strother, Noah Young
Votes: 22,898 | Gross: $1.36M
One of Harold Lloyd's most famous movies, it has lots of comic charm, good performances and some very funny sight gags. The climax, with Harold's character climbing up a skyscraper, is worth the price of admission. Very good cinematography as well, with a good deal of camera movement in the outdoors shots. SCORE: 8/10.
43. The Unknown (1927)
Unrated | 68 min | Drama, Horror, Romance
A criminal on the run hides in a circus and seeks to possess the daughter of the ringmaster at any cost.
Director: Tod Browning | Stars: Lon Chaney, Norman Kerry, Joan Crawford, Nick De Ruiz
Votes: 9,149 | Gross: $0.41M
This movie, about a love triangle between an armless knife-thrower, a woman who recoils at the touch of men, and a circus strongman, is fascinatingly bizarre. Lon Chaney gives an unforgettable performance. This movie is quite brief (not even an hour) but makes more of an impression than many longer films. SCORE: 8/10.
44. Wings (1927)
PG-13 | 144 min | Drama, Romance, War
Two young men, one rich, one middle class, who are in love with the same woman, become fighter pilots in World War I.
Directors: William A. Wellman, Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast | Stars: Clara Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Richard Arlen, Jobyna Ralston
Votes: 14,530 | Gross: $6.59M
This movie is a high-water mark in cinema history. The cinematography and production of WINGS is still oustanding today, and the acting is very engaging. The film could have been trimmed a bit without hurting anything, but it still stands as one of the definitive classics of its era. SCORE: 9/10. NOTE: It does have quite a bit of war violence and some very brief glimpses of nudity.
45. The Navigator (1924)
Unrated | 59 min | Action, Comedy, Romance
Two spoiled rich people find themselves trapped on an empty passenger ship.
Directors: Donald Crisp, Buster Keaton | Stars: Buster Keaton, Kathryn McGuire, Frederick Vroom, Clarence Burton
Votes: 11,063 | Gross: $1.48M
A hilarious Buster Keaton film. It clocks in at less than an hour, but the story moves along quickly. Bursting with comedic invention, THE NAVIGATOR is one of Keaton's best. The set pieces and imaginative gags are richly comic. Don't miss it! SCORE: 9/10.
46. Carmen (I) (1915)
Not Rated | 59 min | Drama
In order to help her smuggler kinsmen, a sultry gypsy seduces and corrupts an officer of the Civil Guard turning him into a traitor and murderer.
Director: Cecil B. DeMille | Stars: Geraldine Farrar, Wallace Reid, Pedro de Cordoba, Horace B. Carpenter
Votes: 1,079 | Gross: $0.15M
Geraldine Farrar stars in this condensation of the famed opera. Farrar displays great charisma as the sultry Carmen, who lures an idealistic young army officer into a web of crime and betrayal. The cinematography by and large isn't outstanding, although some scenes are nicely tinted. One of DeMille's early efforts, basically kept afloat by Farrar's performance. SCORE: 8/10.
47. Sumerki zhenskoy dushi (1913)
48 min | Drama
A young, rich woman decides to dedicate her life to helping the poor, but a tragic incident changes her life.
Director: Yevgeny Bauer | Stars: Nina Chernova, A. Ugrjumov, V. Demert, V. Brianski
Votes: 705
An early feature by Yevgeni Bauer. This film represents a transition from the stage-bound nature of many early features to a more cinematic style. The story of a young noblewoman's descent into despair is concise and compelling. The performances do hark back to the stage but are scaled more appropriately for the camera, and the film features expressive lighting and polished editing. SCORE: 7/10.
48. Underworld (1927)
Not Rated | 80 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
Boisterous gangster kingpin Bull Weed rehabilitates his former lawyer from his alcoholic haze, but complications arise when he falls for Weed's girlfriend.
Directors: Josef von Sternberg, Arthur Rosson | Stars: George Bancroft, Clive Brook, Evelyn Brent, Fred Kohler
Votes: 3,475 | Gross: $1.64M
This is the grandfather of gangster movies, and an impressive debut effort by Josef von Sternberg. Hard hitting and concise, with fine performances especially by Clive Brook and George Bancroft, and a superb script by Ben Hecht. This is one of the landmark movies of 1927, a pivotal year in film history. SCORE: 9/10.
49. The Kid (1921)
Passed | 68 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
The Tramp cares for an abandoned child, but events put their relationship in jeopardy.
Director: Charles Chaplin | Stars: Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Jackie Coogan, Carl Miller
Votes: 134,771 | Gross: $5.45M
A warm, funny tale, mixing humor and poignancy in a groundbreaking way. Charlie Chaplin is comical and charming as always, but the revelation here is child star Jackie Coogan in a remarkable, unforgettable performance. Except for an out-of-place dream sequence near the end, the movie was superb. SCORE: 8/10.
50. The Freshman (1925)
Not Rated | 77 min | Comedy, Family, Romance
A nerdy college student will do anything to become popular on campus.
Directors: Fred C. Newmeyer, Sam Taylor | Stars: Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Brooks Benedict, James H. Anderson
Votes: 6,067 | Gross: $0.00M
One of Harold Lloyd's most popular and enduring movies, a wonderful display of his nerdy yet plucky comic persona and his genius for gags. Also featuring a nice turn by Jobyna Ralston as his girlfriend. This movie has a lot of character types that are still employed today, and it's very entertaining. SCORE: 8/10.
51. Seven Chances (1925)
Passed | 56 min | Comedy, Romance
A man learns that he will inherit a fortune if he marries by 7PM that evening.
Director: Buster Keaton | Stars: Buster Keaton, Ruth Dwyer, T. Roy Barnes, Snitz Edwards
Votes: 11,727 | Gross: $1.30M
This film takes a while to get going, and has some unfortunate blackface humor, but overall is quite funny. A slow buildup leads to a dazzling payoff of hilarious comic inventiveness and athleticism. LOts of laughs. SCORE: 8/10
52. The Last Command (1928)
Not Rated | 88 min | Drama, History, Romance
A former Imperial Russian general and cousin of the Czar ends up in Hollywood as an extra in a movie directed by a former revolutionary.
Director: Josef von Sternberg | Stars: Emil Jannings, Evelyn Brent, William Powell, Jack Raymond
Votes: 4,516
This film features strong, compelling performances from its leads, most particularly from Emil Jannings, in this tale of an expatriate Russian general who ekes out a living as a movie extra in Hollywood. The film does require some patience, but it pays off, and Jannings is highly memorable as always. SCORE: 8/10.
53. Speedy (1928)
Passed | 85 min | Action, Comedy, Family
Harold "Speedy" Swift, a fan of Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees, saves from extinction the city's last horse-drawn trolley, operated by his girlfriend's grandfather.
Director: Ted Wilde | Stars: Harold Lloyd, Ann Christy, Bert Woodruff, Babe Ruth
Votes: 4,268
A wonderful comedy classic featuring Harold Lloyd, with a blend of humor, tenderness, and excitement. It features winning performances, lots of hilarious scenes, and dazzling cinematography. Lots of great chases and location shots of 1920s New York City, but most of all, full of charm and warmth. SCORE: 10/10
54. Our Hospitality (1923)
Passed | 65 min | Comedy, Romance, Thriller
A man returns to his Appalachian homestead. On the trip, he falls for a young woman. The only problem is her family has vowed to kill every member of his family.
Directors: John G. Blystone, Buster Keaton | Stars: Buster Keaton, Natalie Talmadge, Joe Keaton, Joe Roberts
Votes: 12,493 | Gross: $1.17M
An early Buster Keaton feature, with some funny sight gags as always. This one took a little while to get going, and it's not as polished as his later features, but still worth a look. SCORE: 7/10.
55. The Circus (1928)
Passed | 72 min | Comedy, Family, Romance
The Tramp finds work and the girl of his dreams at a circus.
Director: Charles Chaplin | Stars: Charles Chaplin, Merna Kennedy, Al Ernest Garcia, Harry Crocker
Votes: 36,028
Another winner from Charlie Chaplin, blending humor and pathos in his trademark style. The Tramp unknowingly becomes the hit at a failing circus, and falls in love with a beautiful acrobat with a bullying father. As always, Chaplin shows charm and grace, and the circus humor is quite funny. SCORE: 8/10.
56. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (I) (1920)
Unrated | 69 min | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Dr. Henry Jekyll experiments with scientific means of revealing the hidden, dark side of man and releases a murderer from within himself.
Director: John S. Robertson | Stars: John Barrymore, Martha Mansfield, Brandon Hurst, Charles Lane
Votes: 6,043
John Barrymore plays the dual role in an adaptation of this often-filmed story. The direction is rather pedestrian for the most part, but John Barrymore shows great charisma even in quiet moments, and his transformation into the evil Hyde is quite chilling. SCORE: 7/10.
57. The Man Who Laughs (1928)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
When a proud noble refuses to kiss the hand of the despotic King James in 1690, he is cruelly executed and his son surgically disfigured.
Director: Paul Leni | Stars: Mary Philbin, Conrad Veidt, Julius Molnar, Olga Baclanova
Votes: 8,067
Conrad Veidt is compelling and expressive in this film about a disfigured carnival performer in 17th century England. I found the story most moving when it dealt with his plight, and somewhat unclear when dealing with the court intrigue surrounding him. Still, very memorable and unique. SCORE: 8/10.
58. Chicago (1927)
Passed | 105 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A wild jazz-loving and boozing wife Roxie Hart, kills her boyfriend in cold blood after he leaves her.
Director: Frank Urson | Stars: Phyllis Haver, Victor Varconi, Virginia Bradford, Robert Edeson
Votes: 545 | Gross: $1.05M
CHICAGO is a skillful blend of satire and drama that boasts a razor-sharp script, excellent performances, and highly accomplished direction. The message of the movie has just as much resonance now as it did in its time. A classic! SCORE: 10/10.
59. The Black Pirate (1926)
Not Rated | 88 min | Adventure, Action
Seeking revenge, an athletic young man joins the pirate band responsible for his father's death.
Director: Albert Parker | Stars: Douglas Fairbanks, Billie Dove, Tempe Pigott, Donald Crisp
Votes: 2,140 | Gross: $0.68M
A swashbuckling action movie starring Douglas Fairbanks. Mostly notable for its pioneering use of Technicolor. Fairbanks is definitely worth watching here, along with the supporting cast. Great stuntwork and some nice color photography, but I found the direction rather pedestrian. SCORE: 7/10.
60. Dream Street (1921)
Passed | 102 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Three men in London compete for the love of a dance-hall girl.
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Carol Dempster, Ralph Graves, Charles Emmett Mack, Edward Peil Sr.
Votes: 210
I couldn't make it all the way through this dreadful misfire. D W Griffith attempts to evoke the Limehouse, London atmosphere of his masterpiece BROKEN BLOSSOMS, but fails spectacularly. The plot is histrionic tripe, full of third-rate melodramatic plot devices and a heavy-handed attempt at religious allegory, and the acting by the leads is woefully poor. After about 40 minutes or so, I had to bail. Recommended only for those with masochistic tendencies. SCORE: 3/10.
61. A Man There Was (1917)
Not Rated | 65 min | Drama, War
Terje Vigen, a sailor, suffers the loss of his family through the cruelty of another man. Years later, when his enemy's family finds itself dependent on Terje's beneficence, Terje must decide whether to avenge himself.
Director: Victor Sjöström | Stars: Victor Sjöström, August Falck, Edith Erastoff, Bergliot Husberg
Votes: 2,321
Victor Sjostrom takes on the dual role of director and star in this adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's poem TERJE VIGEN. A compelling story of the effects of man's inhumanity to man on an individual level, and moral dilemmas. The story is told with concision, the acting is superb, and the cinematography is beautiful and evocative. SCORE: 10/10.
62. Hell's Hinges (1916)
Unrated | 64 min | Romance, Western
In the wayward western town known as Hell's Hinges, a local tough guy is reformed by the faith of a good woman.
Directors: Charles Swickard, William S. Hart, Clifford Smith | Stars: William S. Hart, Clara Williams, Jack Standing, Alfred Hollingsworth
Votes: 1,079
Starring William S Hart. A weak-willed minister and his pious sister come to a rowdy frontier town. Hart plays a hardened gunman that begins to believe in God, and he finds himself in the middle of a conflict between the churchgoers and the rowdy townsfolk. The acting is first-class, the story is told with brevity, and the movie is expertly directed, with an unforgettable climax. SCORE: 10/10
63. True Heart Susie (1919)
Not Rated | 87 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Susie, a plain young country girl, secretly loves a neighbor boy, William. She believes in him and sacrifices much of her own happiness to promote his own ambitions, all without his ... See full summary »
Director: D.W. Griffith | Stars: Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Wilbur Higby, Loyola O'Connor
Votes: 1,990
Lillian Gish stars as the title character in TRUE HEART SUSIE (1919), a bucolic romance about unrequited love. Also starring Robert Harron and Clarine Seymour. Gish is moving, sympathetic, and believable in this tale of a plain country girl who strives to help the man she loves, but helplessly watches as he falls for someone else. It contrasts domesticity, constancy and self-sacrifice with the values of fast-paced city dwellers, and benefits from skillful cinematography by Billy Bitzer. SCORE: 9/10.
64. The Toll of the Sea (1922)
Unrated | 54 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
While visiting China, an American man falls in love with a young Chinese woman, but he then has second thoughts about the relationship.
Director: Chester M. Franklin | Stars: Anna May Wong, Kenneth Harlan, Beatrice Bentley, Priscilla Moran
Votes: 897
Anna May Wong stars in this adaptation of the tragedy MADAME BUTTERFLY. Notable for being filmed in early Technicolor, this movie features a compelling, naturalistic performance by Wong, whose presence here is comparable to Lillian Gish at her best. The early color is vivid and dreamy, complementing to haunting nature of this tragic tale of interracial romance torn apart by society's constraints. SCORE: 8/10.
65. The Oyster Princess (1919)
Not Rated | 60 min | Comedy
An American heiress seeks the hand of an impoverished German prince.
Director: Ernst Lubitsch | Stars: Victor Janson, Ossi Oswalda, Harry Liedtke, Julius Falkenstein
Votes: 2,162
A hilarious, absurdist satire of wealth and excess. This features wonderful performances by all, especially lead actress Ossi Oswalda. Also boasts inventive cinematography and a sharp, funny script. SCORE: 8/10
66. City Lights (1931)
G | 87 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
With the aid of a wealthy erratic tippler, a dewy-eyed tramp who has fallen in love with a sightless flower girl accumulates money to be able to help her medically.
Director: Charles Chaplin | Stars: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee, Harry Myers
Votes: 195,989 | Gross: $0.02M
One of Charlie Chaplin's two silent features during the 1930s. This story of the Tramp's friendship with a blind flower girl and an eccentric millionaire wrings out every opportunity the screenplay provides for both comedy and poignancy. Chaplin is as good as always, but the revelation here is newcomer Virginia Cherrill, who provides a luminous and tender performance as the flower girl. A genuine classic, Chaplin at his very best. SCORE: 10/10.
67. The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)
Not Rated | 78 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
The wealthy but selfish parents of a lonely young girl begin to rethink what is important to them after a servant's irresponsibility results in a crisis.
Director: Maurice Tourneur | Stars: Mary Pickford, Madlaine Traverse, Charles Wellesley, Gladys Fairbanks
Votes: 1,548
THE POOR LITTLE RICH GIRL is a wonderful vehicle for Mary Pickford that helped solidify her trademark "little girl" persona. Pickford is full of charm, spunk, and poignancy in her characterization of a lonely rich girl who is neglected by her parents. Fine performances by all, a winning script by Frances Marion, and top-notch direction by Maurice Tourneur. This movie was not only funny but also lovely to watch. SCORE: 9/10.
68. Going Straight (1916)
60 min | Crime, Drama
A man and his wife both have criminal pasts, but have quit crime and are now respectable citizens. One day a member of their old gang shows up and threatens to expose them if they don't help him pull a heist.
Directors: Chester M. Franklin, Sidney Franklin | Stars: Norma Talmadge, Ralph Lewis, Ninon Fovieri, Francis Carpenter
Votes: 664
A crime drama featuring Norma Talmadge and Ralph Lewis as a couple whose criminal past threatens to destroy their happiness when an old acquaintance comes back into their life. Talmadge is in fine form, realistic and expressive, and Eugene Pallette plays a memorable villain. Briskly paced, well acted and quite solid overall. SCORE: 8/10
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