Even for those with little knowledge of ballet, the name of early twentieth century Russian dancer Anna Pavlova evokes gauzy images of the grace and elegance of that most romantic of arts. But posed photographs and brief filmed excerpts of Pavlova dancing, however lovely, give little evidence of the … [Read more...] about The Dumb Girl of Portici
The Dragon Painter
Sessue Hayakawa’s name is not uttered with the same nostalgic awe as are those of Gilbert and Valentino. Yet, in his day his cinematic presence made the ladies swoon as much as any other silent screen lover. The Japanese-born actor starred opposite many popular leading ladies, among them Florence … [Read more...] about The Dragon Painter
Dragnet Girl
Yasujiro Ozu has a reputation as one of the greatest filmmakers in history. His legacy was forged almost exclusively from a series of films he made in the years between Japan’s defeat in World War II and the director’s death in 1963, at age 60. Fifteen films in as many years, virtually all … [Read more...] about Dragnet Girl
Downhill
After the critical and commercial success of The Lodger (1926), Gainsborough Pictures were keen to reunite director Alfred Hitchcock and star Ivor Novello. A convenient vehicle suggested itself in the stage play Down Hill, written by Novello with Constance Collier, under the combined alias David … [Read more...] about Downhill
The Donovan Affair
A Movie and Live Theater Event produced by Bruce Goldstein and performed by the Gower Gulch Players Frank Capra’s 1929 comedy whodunit The Donovan Affair was his very first all-talking picture. (His previous film, The Younger Generation, was a “part-talkie,” with alternating reels of silence and … [Read more...] about The Donovan Affair
The Doll
Deliciously weird for 1919 or any other year, Ernst Lubitsch’s Die Puppe (The Doll) declares its intent to please from the first shot. An appealing twenty-seven-year-old Lubitsch himself is the first person to appear, as he refuses to look his own camera in the eye. Instead, from a toy box he busily … [Read more...] about The Doll
Doctor Jack
Generally considered to be one of the greatest comedians of the silent era and certainly one of its biggest box-office draws, Harold Lloyd was also one of the most prolific. He appeared in more than 165 shorts between 1915 and 1921, and, from 1921 to 1928, he produced and starred in eleven … [Read more...] about Doctor Jack
The Docks of New York
Who knew that Josef von Sternberg had a heart? His critical reputation—elevated to legendary status thanks to his 1930s collaborations with Marlene Dietrich—was founded on a sensual visual sensibility that, when given free rein, veered into decadent fetishism. When people discuss von Sternberg’s … [Read more...] about The Docks of New York