Transferring photos date again to the late 1800s, which implies filmmaking has been round for nicely over a century. This yr, films made in 1925 flip 100 years previous. A few of these classics are nonetheless taught in movie programs, whereas others are primarily remembered as a result of they had been remade years later. The titles would possibly sound acquainted, however until you’re a movie buff, you possible have not seen these renditions earlier than.
The preferred films in 1925 stretch throughout a powerful vary of genres — from comedy and drama to melodrama, sci-fi, horror, and fantasy. If you are interested in movie historical past, these early films are positively price trying out.
Listed here are the ten finest films launched in 1925 which are nonetheless required viewing for movie buffs 100 years later.
10
‘The Large Parade’
Operating Time: 2 hours 21 minutes
King Vidor, who went on to make films like Present Individuals (1928) and Warfare and Peace (1956), directed this silent conflict drama. The state of affairs was written by Harry Behn (The Crowd), and the title playing cards had been written by Joseph W. Farnham (Alias Jimmy Valentine). Set throughout World Warfare I, the movie stars John Gilbert (Monte Cristo) as James Apperson, who experiences the horrors of conflict as an American soldier abroad. The solid consists of Renée Adorée (Monte Cristo), Tom O’Brien (The Gentleman from America), Karl Dane (The Large Home), and Claire Adams (The Evening Hawk).
The movie was an enormous success for MGM, regardless of being twice so long as the common characteristic of the time. The Large Parade made thousands and thousands on the field workplace. Earlier than the Oscars (which began in 1929), the Photoplay Awards (distributed month-to-month) had been among the many hottest on the town. The Large Parade received 4 Photoplay Awards — together with Greatest Image of the Month. Whereas the unique 1925 print of the film is now misplaced to time, the film was re-released with music in 1930. This model can nonetheless be watched right this moment.
9
‘The Monster’
Operating Time: 1 hour 26 minutes
The Monster is a horror comedy directed by well-liked proto-noir filmmaker Roland West (The Bat). It’s based mostly on Crane Wilbur’s 1922 play of the identical identify, with a state of affairs written by Willard Mack (The Voice of the Metropolis) and Albert Kenyon (The Lady within the Darkish). Lon Chaney, the actor and make-up artist generally known as “The Man of a Thousand Faces” within the style sphere, seems as “mad scientist” Dr. Gustave Ziska. When a farmer goes lacking, novice detective and main man Johnny Goodlittle (Johnny Arthur) follows clues that carry him to Dr. Ziska’s hidden laboratory.
The Monster is likely one of the earlier “mad scientist” films and was among the many first to introduce an “previous darkish home” as a menacing setting. Arthur’s abilities as a comic had been used to create a protagonist who might perform as comedian reduction even because the horrors continued. It’s positively not Chaney’s finest movie, and he is not in it as a lot as some followers would really like, however it did do nicely on the field workplace — particularly for a horror film on the time.
8
‘The Merry Widow’
Operating Time: 2 hours half-hour
Primarily based on the 1905 operetta by Franz Lehár, The Merry Widow is a romantic drama directed by Erich von Stroheim (The Honeymoon), who additionally wrote the movie with Benjamin Glazer (seventh Heaven). Mae Murray, who’d beforehand appeared in Candy Kitty Bellairs and To Have and to Maintain, stars as Sally O’Hara. Prince Danilo Petrovich (John Gilbert) falls in love with Sally. Nonetheless, his uncle and aunt, King Nikita I of Monteblanco and Queen Milena, object to the union. When Sally turns into a rich widow years later, abruptly the King and Queen resolve that Prince Danilo should marry her as a way to save the financial system.
The movie was a industrial and significant success for MGM, regardless of battle between Mae and Stroheim throughout manufacturing. The success of The Large Parade and The Merry Widow in the identical yr made John Gilbert an enormous star. The Merry Widow received Greatest Image, Greatest Efficiency for John Gilbert, and Greatest Efficiency for Mae Murrau from the Photoplay Awards within the month of October.
7
‘Little Annie Rooney’
Operating Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Little Annie Rooney is a silent comedy-drama written by and starring Mary Pickford (A Little Princess), some of the profitable performers of the silent period who stays the face of silent films to at the present time. William Beaudine (Sparrows) directed the image. Pickford performs the mischievous Annie Rooney, a younger woman whose tenement group is threatened by a harmful gang. The solid consists of William Haines (Present Individuals), Gordon Griffith (Huckleberry Finn), and Walter James (The Monster).
Pickford was 33 years previous when she starred as a toddler in Little Annie Rooney. By this time, she was a robust girl in Hollywood and one of many founders of United Artists, which made the movie. Nonetheless, followers nonetheless liked to see her play the scrappy little women of her youth. Pickford based mostly the character on the music corridor track “Little Annie Rooney” and the movie was successful. It was voted one of many Greatest Footage of October by the Photoplay Awards, with Pickford successful an award for her efficiency.
6
‘Battleship Potemkin’
Operating Time: 1 hour 6 minutes
Battleship Potemkin is a silent epic directed by Sergei Eisenstein (Alexander Nevsky), produced by the Moscow movie studio Mosfilm. The script was written by Nina Agadzhanova (Deserter) beneath the identify N. F. Agadzhanovoy-Shutko. Set through the Russian Revolution in 1905, the movie follows the crew of the Potemkin as the lads mutiny in opposition to the ship’s officers. These occasions result in a devastating bloodbath in opposition to civilians on the port of Odessa. The solid consists of Aleksandr Antonov (Demon of the Steppes), Vladimir Barskiy (Metskhre talga), and Ivan Bobrov (Adventures in Bokhara).
On a technical stage, Battleship Potemkin has been known as one of many biggest movies ever made. The sequence that takes place on The Odessa Steps continues to be studied in movie lessons right this moment. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford noticed a screening in Moscow in 1926, and Fairbanks was concerned in getting the movie distributed in the US. Battleship Potemkin is usually famous as among the best propaganda movies ever made. Many well-known administrators take into account it amongst their favorites, together with Citizen Kane‘s Orson Welles.
5
‘Stella Dallas’
Operating Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Primarily based on the 1923 novel by Olive Higgins Prouty, Stella Dallas is a silent drama directed by Henry King (The Tune of Bernadette). Frances Marion, the primary girl to ever win an Academy Award for writing and the primary author to ever win twice, penned the screenplay. Belle Bennett (The Manner of All Flesh) stars within the title function as a small-town woman who falls in love with a socialite just for the wedding to bitter. Because the years cross, Stella worries about her daughter’s future. The solid options Ronald Colman (Misplaced Horizon), Alice Joyce (Beau Geste), Lois Moran (Padlocked), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (The Prisoner of Zenda), and Jean Hersholt (Heidi).
The 1925 Stella Dallas did nicely upon launch. It received three Photoplay Awards for the month of December: Greatest Image, Greatest Efficiency by Belle Bennett, and Greatest Efficiency for Lois Moran. Stella Dallas has been tailored for the display thrice, this being the primary one. Essentially the most well-known model is the 1937 King Vidor movie starring Barbara Stanwyck (The Girl Eve). In 1990, a brand new adaptation starring Bette Midler (Hocus Pocus) was launched beneath the title Stella.
4
‘The Misplaced World’
Operating Time: 1 hour 4 minutes
This isn’t the 1997 Jurassic Park sequel, however it’s nonetheless about dinosaurs. Primarily based on the 1912 novel by thriller author Arthur Conan Doyle, The Misplaced World is a silent fantasy/sci-fi journey movie directed by Harry O. Hoyt (The Belle of Broadway) and written by Marion Fairfax (Lilies of the Subject). Bessie Love (The Starvation) stars as Paula White, the daughter of explorer Maple White. When her father’s misplaced journal is recovered, Paula brings it to Professor Challenger (Wallace Beery) in London. Challenger determines that the explorer’s sketches counsel that dinosaurs nonetheless exist. Whereas nobody believes him, he does get funding for a rescue mission to seek out the lacking Maple White. On this expedition, the vacationers encounter pre-historic creatures believed to be lengthy extinct.
The Misplaced World was the primary American characteristic movie to make use of stop-motion animation for particular results. King Kong, some of the well-known stop-motion movies of all time, wouldn’t be launched till 1933. Combining live-action and stop-motion footage, animator Willis H. O’Brien (who additionally labored on King Kong a decade later) helped to carry The Misplaced World to life. The movie was met with vital acclaim and explicit reward was given for the particular results. It received Greatest Image for the month of April on the Photoplay Awards. In 1998, the film was honored by the Nationwide Movie Preservation Board.
3
‘The Phantom of the Opera’
Operating Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
Primarily based on the 1910 Gaston Leroux novel, The Phantom of the Opera is a silent horror movie directed by Rupert Julian. Lon Chaney stars as The Phantom in considered one of his most iconic appears, reverse Mary Philbin (The Man Who Laughs) as opera singer Christine Daaé. Vicomte Raoul de Chagny (Norman Kerry) desires Christine to retire and marry him, however she refuses to surrender the stage. In the meantime, the ghostly determine stalking the theater at evening, revealed to be The Phantom, is mesmerized by Christine and her lovely voice.
The film did nicely and critics favored it, however nobody thought-about this one to be a superior film. Nonetheless, the movie received Greatest Image and Greatest Efficiency for Lon Chaney within the month of Could on the Photoplay Awards. As we speak, critics have a a lot totally different view of the film and have praised the Gothic ambiance and technical ability. Together with the 1925 model, The Phantom of the Opera has been tailored for the display eight instances and for theater thrice. Essentially the most well-known adaptation is the 1986 stage musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
2
‘The Wizard of Oz’
Operating Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
Do you know that Judy Garland wasn’t the primary to put on these ruby slippers? Written and directed by Larry Semon, the 1925 The Wizard of Oz is the sixth live-action adaptation for the display of L. Frank Baum’s traditional novel. Dorothy Dwan (The Drifter), who later grew to become a columnist for Photoplay, performs Dorothy. Director Larry Semon performed the Scarecrow, Oliver N. Hardy (of Laurel and Hardy fame) performed the Tin Man, Curtis McHenry (The Final Frontier) performed the Lion, and Mary Carr (Oregon Path) performed Aunt Em.
Critics and audiences didn’t take into account the movie to be excessive artwork, and a few even criticized the film, however the adaptation was typically thought-about to be a enjoyable journey total. It did find yourself successful Greatest Image from the Photoplay Awards for the month of July. Since 1925, there have been eight live-action movie diversifications of the work. The 1939 musical starring Judy Garland (A Star Is Born) stays essentially the most well-known and launched Garland into stardom.
1
‘The Gold Rush’
Operating Time: 1 hour 28 minutes
Comic Charlie Chaplin (Metropolis Lights) wrote, directed, and starred on this silent 1925 comedy. Set through the Klondike Gold Rush within the late 1800s, Chaplin performs The Lone Prospector (as his iconic “The Tramp” character). Chaplin’s character is hoping to make his fortune, however quickly falls in love with a dance corridor woman named Georgia, performed by Georgia Hale (The Salvation Hunters).
Between issues with manufacturing and re-shoots, The Gold Rush in the end price over $900,000 to make and stands as the most costly silent comedy ever made. It was additionally one of many highest-grossing silent movies, incomes over $4.25 million within the first yr. Critics on the time thought-about it to be Chaplin’s masterpiece. That mentioned, there was numerous scandal surrounding Chaplin throughout manufacturing. Midway via, Hale changed 16-year-old main actress Lita Gray — whom Chaplin married throughout manufacturing and changed when he obtained her pregnant. Across the similar time, Chaplin was rumored to have been current for the mysterious dying of filmmaker Thomas H. Ince. The Gold Rush received two Photoplay Awards in September 1925 for Greatest Image and Greatest Efficiency for Chaplin.
The Gold Rush
- Launch Date
-
August 15, 1925
- Runtime
-
95 Minutes
- Director
-
Charlie Chaplin
-
Charlie Chaplin
The Lone Prospector
-
-
-
Henry Bergman
Hank Curtis
