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Relive the silent film days while enjoying An Armchair Theater
Production of The Golden Age of Silent Films. You host, Dale
Reed, introduces each of these six timeless classics with a
memorable and entertaining history of each film and their stars.
As you watch each film enjoy an original music score written
and recorded to help bring back the authentic feeling of an old
time nickelodeon showing.
Observe Douglas Fairbanks as the masked crusader in the 1920
classic version of The Mask Of Zorro in our first volume of this
series. Watch as Rudolph Valentino stars as The Toreador in the
1922 production of Blood and Sand.
Watch the genius of Lon Chaney in the Hunchback Of Notre Dame,
made for Universal in 1923, which remains today the most famous
version of the classic Victor Hugo tale. Take in the expertise of
John Barrymore in the 1920 Paramount release of Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde. John Barrymore played as the respected London
physician who
experiments with a drug succeeding in separating
the good and evil personalities in his soul. Watch how much
Barrymore enjoyed himself in this jewel by the astounding zest with
which he throws himself into the more gruesome moments. This
version still remains the one to beat!
Experience the daring tale of a Civil War raid of a rebel train in
Buster Keaton's 1927 film The General. Enjoy the comic genius
of Keaton as he uses his famous stunts to create a magnificent
chase scene that lasted for seven of the original eight reels of film.
Follow the innocence of "America's Sweetheart," Mary Pickford,
in the 1920 children's classic tale, Pollyanna, as written by Eleanor
H. Porter in 1913. As in many of Pickford's films, she plays the part
of a plucky, innocent young girl, rich in spirit for whom a happy
ending awaits.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the exceptional Blood and Sand, The Hunchback of Notre Dame,
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, and experience adventures with The Mark Of Zorro, The General,
and Pollyanna.
Disc 1
THE MARK OF ZORRO
Enjoy this exciting 1920 classic version The Mark Of Zorro, starring Douglas Fairbanks. When Fairbanks made this film he was not sure how the public would react to it. he was attracted to Johnson McCully's story The Curse of Capistrano because it was a lively saga that provided ample room for both comedy and action. As The famous Mexican Robin Hood, Douglas Fairbanks had a chance to spring into frequent action as Zorro, crusader for the rights of the oppressed Mexicans. Watch Marguerite de la Motte starring as Fairbanks' leading lady and Noah Beery playing the films number one villain, Garcia.
BLOOD AND SAND
Blood And Sand was a 1922 production that starred Rudolph Valentino in what critics have called Valentino's greatest acting achievement. Watch as Valentino's character, Juan Gallardo, develops from an adventurous farm boy to a famed bullfighter. Experience the struggle Juan creates for himself not only as The Toreador but also as husband and lover. Enjoy Lila Lee as she plays his courageous wife, Carmen, and Nita Naldi plays his bewitching lover, Dona Sol.
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Disc 2
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, made for Universal in 1923 by Director Wallace Worsley and starring Lon Chaney, remains today the most famous version of the classic Victor Hugo tale. Chaney's pathetic dog-like performance as the hapless Quasimodo was a masterpiece and must certainly rank among the great screen portrayals of all time. Thanks to Chaney's marvelous acting, audiences are at first frightened by his fearsome appearance, but, like the film's heroine, played by Patsy Ruth Miller, they soon came to understand and sympathize with him.
DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
The year was 1920 as Paramount released Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with John Barrymore as the respected London physician who experiments with a drug succeeding in separating the good and evil personalities in his soul. When evil predominates, Barrymore becomes a rampaging monster. The thirteenth of Barrymore's films, it was the first to present him in a bizarre role calling for horrific makeup. Watch how much Barrymore enjoyed himself in this jewel by the astounding zest with which he throws himself into the more gruesome moments. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde remains a powerful and effective film despite several ambitious later versions. it still remains the one to beat!
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Disc 3
THE GENERAL
Buster Keaton's The General refers not to Keaton, but to his locomotive. The story is the tale of a daring Civil War raid led by Captain Anderson, a Northern spy, who steals a rebel train and tries to wreck their communications. Watch as Keaton uses his famous comedic stunts to create a magnificent chase scene that lasted for seven of the original eight reels of film. No movie chase has ever been sustained so long, so successfully, or with such an expert intermingling of genuine thrills and funny situations. The General represents just about the last great comedy of the silent screen.
POLLYANNA
Pollyanna, the 1920 film starring 'America's Sweetheart,' Mary Pickford, is the story of a young girl who, left as an orphan after her father passed away, comes to live with her namesake, Aunt Polly. Katherine Griffith plays the part of Aunt Polly who starts out as a bitter single woman and is dramatically changed, as are the rest of the townspeople, as the story progresses. As in many of Pickford's films, Mary plays the part of a plucky, innocent young girl, rich in spirit for whom a happy ending waits. Enjoy watching Mary Pickford as she portrays this classic childhood story by author Eleanor H. Porter.
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