Finances of the Grand Duke (1924)

Run Time: 80 minutes. Studio: UFA. Director: F.W. Murnau. Writer: Thea Van Harbou. Adapted from a novel by Frank Heller. Producer: Erich Pommer. Main Cast: Mady Christians, Harry Liedtke, Robert Scholtz, Alfred Abel.

F.W. Murnau has become probably the most popular German film maker of the silent era, and with good reason. His films such as Nosfertu, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Faust and The Last Laugh have been praised as some of the greatest masterpieces of the German cinema. Fans of these great films though might be surprised to see The Finances of the Grand Duke. The reason for this is that it is a film that is very different from what Murnau is usually associated with. Unlike the horrifying Nosfertu or the unmatched beauty of Sunrise, this film is a rather unassuming little lighthearted comedy, and it successes very well at being just that. This is in fact F.W. Marnau's only comedy.

Besides F.W. Murnau, another name that might be familier to fans of classic German cinema is this films writer Thea Van Harbou. Thea Van Harbou was the wife of the great German director Fritz Lang, and wrote many of Lang's German films, including his two most popular Metropolis and M. Finances of the Grand Duke is one of the only two films Harbou wrote for Murnau, the other was the 1922 film Phantom. The two cinematographers on this film also have a very impressive body of work. Karl Freund would later be the cinematographer for Fritz Lang's Metropolis, Tod Browning's Dracula, John Huston's Key Largo and every episode of I Love Lucy. He also worked with Murnau on The Last Laugh and Tartuffe. The other cinematographer for this film was Franz Planner. Franz Planner would later work on such films as The Cain Mutiny, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Disney's version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  

The story begins with the grand duke (played by Harry Liedtke), a benevolent dictator (?) being in great debt. Because of this he plans to marry Princess Olga (played by Mady Christians), who offers to marry him through a letter, despite having never meet him. A letter about this engagement has been stolen. On top of this many greedy men opposed to the Grand Duke conspire against him. Both the grand duke and Princess Olga have to save the country Abacco from greedy men who want to exploit the country for their own gain.

Overall while Finances of the Grand Duke isn't the masterpiece Nosfertu or Sunrise are, it is a very entertaining movie. It has very likable characters, the humor while not constantly hilarious can quite funny at times, the story is fun, and the film looks great visually. Interestingly this film was made the same year as The Last Laugh. The Last Laugh would be a film completely without intertitles. However in Finances of the Grand Duke too many intertitles is the film's biggest fault. This film seems very much in the style of a classic movie serial and is just as fun. In a visual sense this film is very much a Murnau film. The cinematography and sets are as beautiful as you would expect from a Murnau film It is sad this film is so overlooked because it remains a very enjoyable movie, and should get more attention from silent film fans.

This film has gained a following in recent years for a few reasons one that it is so different from a regular F.W. Murnau film, making it very fascinating peek into a different side of one of Germany's greatest filmmakers. It also shows Max Shreck out of his Count Orlok makeup from Nosfertu. This is also the reason that it is a darn good film.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Recourses Used
Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide by Leonard Maltin
connormartinsmith.blogspot.com/2010/01/finances-of-grand-duke.html
seul-le-cinema.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-finances-of-grand-duke.html
imdb.com/title/tt0014900/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
DVD Audio Commentary by David Kalat

100% American (1918)

Run Time: 14 minutes. Studio: Paramount.  Director:Arthur Rosson. Cinematographers: Hugh McClung, Glen MacWilliams. Main Cast: Mary Pickford, Loretta Blake, Monte Blue, Henry Bergman, Ted Reed.

I feel that for July since we celebrate America's birth this month, it feels natural for the silent film of the month to be a patriotic film. So today we are going to look at a short film made to help sell Liberty Loan bonds for World War 1, called 100% American. 

This is not the only film made to sell these bonds. Hollywood supported the war effort strongly, and made many short films to help sell bonds. It was very common for these shorts to star some of Hollywood's biggest names. This film stars America's Sweetheart, Mary Pickford, who was declared the country's favorite star in 1918 the year this film was made. Pickford was especially strongly in support of the war effort, and was glad to be in this film.

This film was directed by Arthur Rosson. He is best known today for be the co-director of Red River (Howard Hawks was the other director). He was also a unit director on Cecil B. Demille's The Ten Commandments (the 1956 version). Most of his career was spent directing westerns such as Boots of Destiny, Trailin' Trouble,  The Burning Trail and Taming The West.

In this film Mayme (played by Mary Pickford) tries to contribute to the war effort in any way she can. She gives up more expensive things to save money for bonds. There is a ball held for Patriotic Americans. Mayme friend (played by Loretta Blake) is sad she can't go because she doesn't have any bonds. Mayme gives her friend her own bonds. This film ends with a more surreal scene, similar to one in Charlie Chaplin's The Bond against a stark black background. In this scene Mayme defeats the Kaiser with a baseball (representing Liberty Bonds).

With the simplicity of the plot this films hangs heavily on Mary Pickford, and luckily it succeeds  fantastically on that account. Mary Pickford is extremely likable as always. She exerts a greatly addicting energy. Her character can even talk directly to the audience (through intertitles) without losing a sense of her reality. Mary brings great energy, likability, humor and just plain fun to this film. It is certain that without Mary Pickford's performance this would be a well made film, but one with not much interest outside of the most dedicated film buffs and history buffs. However thanks to her this film is not only well made but remains a great piece of entertainment today. 

At this time Mary Pickford also was performing live for many bond rallies, and for U.S. troops overseas. She would tour with such big stars as Charlie Chaplin, Marie Dressler, and her future husband Douglas Fairbanks. Mary became quite popular in her appearances for the U.S. military. She became known as the Navy's little sister. The 143rd California Field Artillery would make her an honorary colonel. There exists newsreel footage of Colonel Mary Pickford leading her troops. She would also provide many soldiers with tobacco and candy, two luxuries they did not have much of over there. 100% American is a great example of Mary Pickford's patriotism on full display, and a must watch for fans of America's Sweetheart.

Recourses Used

 http://www.jbkaufman.com/movie-of-the-month/100-american-1918

http://www.silentsaregolden.com/articles/pickfordandww1.html

-Michael J. Ruhland

A Woman of Paris (1923)

Run Time: 78 minutes. Studio: Untied Artists.  Director: Charlie Chaplin. Writer: Charlie Chaplin. Producer: Charlie Chaplin Cinematographers: Roland Totheroh, Jack Wilson. Main Cast: Edna Purviance, Clarence Geldart, Carl Miller, Lydia Knott.

In 1919 the United Artists studio was formed. It was created by four of the most important names working in film at that time. These were Mary Pickford, D.W. Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin. Despite Charlie Chaplin being one of the founders of the studio, he couldn't make films there right away. This was because he was still under contract with First National. Because of this his first film for United Artists was not released until 1923. The other owners of the studio were however disappointed by Chaplin's choice for a first film for the studio. Rather than doing a film with his world famous Tramp character, he decided instead to do a drama, that he would barely appear in. This film would be my Silent Film of the Month, A Woman of Paris.

Rather than staring Chaplin himself this film stared Edna Purviance. Purviance was Chaplin's leading lady from 1915 to 1923. However she would remain on Chaplin's payroll for the rest of her life. Charlie felt Edna had a future as a dramatic actress. Because of this he wanted to make this film to promote her as such. Despite her talent her career as a dramatic actress would not take off. She would star in another film called The Sea Gull which would be produced by Charlie Chaplin, and directed by famed director Josef von Sternberg. That film was never released because Chaplin was not happy with it. It is unfortunately a lost film today.

Because of this the film opens with a letter to the audience written by Charlie Chaplin to make sure they know that this film is not a comedy and that Charlie will not be appearing in this film (though he does make a short cameo in which he is barely recognizable). This film's story was loosely based off of the romances of actress Peggy Hopkins Joyce, who Chaplin had recently had an affair with. The film stars Marie (played by Edna Purvince) who wants to leave her country home and run off with her finance Jean (played by Carl Miller). Marie and Jean plan to take a train to Paris. However after Jean's father dies, he is unable to make the train, and Marie leaves by herself. In Paris Marie becomes a high society lady and the mistress of the well respected Pierre Revel (played by Adolphe Menjou). Jean comes to Paris and is shocked to find what Marie has become. I will not give away what happens after this but it leads to a very shocking and effective ending that Chaplin spent a long time tring to work out.

A Woman of Paris is a fantastically well made film. Charlie Chaplin was still a great director even when he is not appearing in the film. Chaplin shows here that he was not just a great comedy filmmaker but a great filmmaker no matter what type of film he was making. However Chaplin's direction isn't the only great thing about this film. The acting is great. Enda Purviance and Adolphe Menjou are pitcually fantastic in this movie. Also this film has beautiful cinematography by Roland Totheroh and Jack Wilson, both of whom were regular cinematographers for Charlie Chaplin (in fact they worked on very few films that weren't Charlie Chaplin films). The story of this film is not anything ground breakingly original, but it is told very well, and it is still a good story. 

A Woman of Paris faired very well with critics. Critics especially praised it's direction and cinematography. However it did not do well at the box office, most audiences were unhappy to see a Charlie Chaplin film with so little Charlie Chaplin. They simply wanted something very different from what they got. However that does not make this film any less great. The next Charlie Chaplin film would be The Gold Rush which would more than satisfy those wanting another Little Tramp picture (and with good reason The Gold Rush is a masterpiece).

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used
My Autobiography by Charlie Chaplin
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/442072/A-Woman-of-Paris/

The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926)

Run Time: 71 minutes. Studio: Comenius-Film  GmbH.  Directors: Lotte Reiniger, Carl Koch. Writer: Lotte Reiniger. Cinematographer: Carl Koch. Animators: Berthod Bartosch, Walther Ruttmann, Alexander Karadan.

The Adventures of Prince Achmed  is the earliest existing animated feature film (released 11 years before Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). It is also the only silent animated feature that still exists. There were at least two animated features made before this 1917's El Apostol and 1918's Without a Trace both of these were directed by Argentinian film maker Quirino Cristiani and both are unfortunately lost films.

The main director of this film was Lotte Reiniger. She was one of the leading pioneers in silhouette animation. This was a rare feature for her, since most of her work was in short films. Much of her career was spent making animated shorts based on fairy tales. These shorts would include The Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Puss in Boots, Snow White and the Rose Bed and quite a few more. Her co-director on this film was her husband Carl Koch (who is also the film's cinematographer). Carl Koch might also be known by film buffs for his work with the great French director Jean Renoir. He would work as a technical adviser on Renoir's The Grand Illusion and a writer on The Rules of the Game and Le Marselillaise, After Koch died in 1963, his wife would give up film making.

One of the animators on this film was Walter Ruttmann, who film buffs might now as the director of Berlin: A Symphony of a Great City, one of the Cinematographers for Fritz Lang's Metropolis and a writer on Leni Riefenstahl's Thruimph of the Will.  Also animating on this film was Alexander Kardan, whose on two other credits were as an animator on two other animated films by Lotte Reiniger, Cinderella, and Snow white and the Rose Bed, as well as Berthod Bartosch, who had a very short career as a director of animated short films (however it included The Idea which was a great work of art). This film was done in silhouette animation, which uses paper cut outs moved piece by piece.

The story which is inspired by 1001 Arabian Nights, begins as an evil magician with his eyes on the beautiful Princess, shows off some of his new tricks to the kingdom. After performing his tricks he is told he can have anything in the Kingdom, and he chooses the princess. The Prince obejects so the magician tricks him into flying away on his flying horse, without letting him know how to land.  Prince Achmed most find his way back home.Along the way he meets Aladdin, a witch, and the beautiful Pari Banu, who all help him on his journey.

This film is fantastic. The visuals are absolutely stunning. The film is amazing to look at from beginning to the end. However like many great films these visuals help tell the story, instead of just being there looking pretty. The add a scope and a sense of amazement which is needed for a fairy tale movie. The story itself while nothing that original is very charming.

This film is also a part of the German Expressionist movie that was popular in Germany during the silent era with such films as The Cabinet of DR. Caligari and Nosfertu. This movement was a moving away from realism in art. The abstract backgrounds and great designs make this film as a much a part of that movement as the live action films of F.W. Marnau, Fritz Lang, Robert Weine or G.W. Pabst. 

The original negative of this film was destroyed during the Battle of Berlin during 1945. Fortunately however the film was persevered in another way.The British Film Institute had a copy that used to show British audiences. This film has been restored as much as possible, and today we can see it on TCM, DVD and other places.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Recourses Used
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/438055/The-Adventures-of-Prince-Achmed/articles.html
http://www.silentfilm.org/archive/the-adventures-of-prince-achmed
The Animated Movie Guide by Jerry Beck

Duck Soup (1927)

Run Time: 17 minutes. Studio: Hal Roach Studios Director: Fred Guiol. Supervising Director: Leo McCarey. Writer: H.M. Walker . Adapted from a skit written by  Arthur Jefferson. Producer: Hal Roach. Main Cast: Stan Laurel Oliver Hardy, Madeline Hurlock,William Austin. Cinematographer: Floyd Jackman


Since I always post these on the first of the month and this month that is April Fools Day, I feel my only option of this installment of Silent Film of the Month is to do a Laurel and Hardy film. This month's film is the first time the boys worked as a team, Duck Soup. This is not the famous Marx Brothers film of the same name, but this film's supervising director, Leo McCarey, directed that Marx Brothers movie. Leo McCarey also directed such film classics as The Awful Truth, and Going My Way. He is also the one often given credit for coming up with the idea to team Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It is interesting to note that this film was originally going to star Stan Laurel and Syd Crossley. It is unknown why Syd Crossley would be replaced by Oliver Hardy in this film. Syd Crossley's first screen appearance had been in the short film Dr. Pyckle and Mr. Pryde which starred Stan Laurel.

Unlike other comedy teams like The Marx Brothers, Abbott and Costello, and The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy first worked together on films. They also both had fairly good solo careers before teaming up. Stan Laurel had worked as both an actor and a director. Oliver Hardy had often times played villains opposite such comic actors as Larry Seamon and Billy West (not the voice actor but a Charlie Chaplin imitator). Though this is the first time they worked as a team, this was not the first time the two had worked together. Both had appeared in the 1921 comedy short The Lucky Dog, but here Stan played the hero, while Ollie played the bad guy. Stan also directed a short called Yes, Yes, Nanette which featured Ollie as an actor.

The story line of this film was based off of a skit written by a British Music Hall comedian named Arthur Jefferson, who was also Stan Laurel's father. In this short Stan and Ollie (played by Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, of course) are being pursued by a forest ranger (played by Bob Kortman) . They hide in a house that belongs to a big game hunter. After the boys find that the big game hunter and his servants are out of town, Ollie pretends to be the owner and Stan pretends to be the servant, when some tenants (played by Madeline Hurlock and William Austin) are looking to rent the place. This plot would later be used in a talkie Laurel and Hardy short called Another Fine Mess.

While there would be some better Laurel and Hardy films in the future, this film is still very funny and enjoyable. The intertitles by H.M. Walker are hilarious, and the chemistry between Stan and Ollie is excellent. However I do wish Jimmy Finlayson would have played Colonel Buckshot like he did in the remake as he was very funny there, but James A. Marcus does do a good if not as memorable job. After watching this film it was no wonder the boys went on to as great of careers as they did.

After this film the boys didn't immediately become a full time team. For instance Stan Laurel would appear in the short film Eve's Love Letters without Oliver Hardy and Ollie would appear in short films such as The Honorable Mr. Buggs, No Man's Law, Baby Brother, and Crazy to Act without Stan. They would also appear together in the short Sugar Daddies, where they would not work as a team.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Resources Used
The Complete Films of Laurel and Hardy by William K. Everson
Laurel and Hardy: The Magic Behind the Movies by Randy Skretvedt

The Blue Bird (1918)

Run Time: 70 minutes. Studio:  Paramount. Director: Maurice Tourneur. Writer: Charles Maigne. Adapted from a play written by  Maurice Maeterlinck. Producer: Adolph Zukor. Main Cast: Tula Belle, Robin Macdougall, Lillian Cook, Gertrude McCoy, Charles Ascot,Tom Corless, Mary Kennedy, Charles Craig, Sammy Blum, S.E. Potapovitch  Cinematographer: John van den Broek            


The silent film of this month is a fantastic fantasy from 1918 called The Blue Bird. The Blue Bird was directed by Maurice Tourneur. Maurice Tourneur began his career in France in 1911. There he worked first as an assistant director and eventually moved up to be a director himself with films like Jean la Poudre. In 1914 he moved to America where he would direct many great films including the one I'm writing about today, The Poor Little Rich Girl, and The Last of the Mohicans . After some trouble with MGM in 1928, he would move back to France and direct more films over there and in Germany such as The Crew, The Ship of Lost Men, and Dilemma of Two Angels. Despite the many types of films Maurice Tourneur directed, he always had a taste for the fantastic, which of course works perfectly in this fairy tale film. Maurice Tourneur's son,  Jacques Touneur would later become a Hollywood director and direct such films as Cat People, Out of the Past, and I Walked with a Zombie.

 Tula Belle the main child actress in this picture, had a very short career as a child actress appearing in films from 1915 to 1920. Some of these films inculde George Foster Platt's Deliverance, and Charles Miller's At the Mercy of Men. Later in 1918, the same year The Blue Bird was released. she would appear in A Doll's House, which is another film directed by Maurice Tourner. She was also the sister of another child actress named Ebba Mona, who appeared in Henry Otto's The Temple of Venus and Edmund Mortimer's The Wolf Man, those are the only 2 films Ebba Mona was in. The main child actor of the film was Robin Macdougall, and this appears to be the only film he was in. The Blue Bird was also the last film appearance of Lillian Cook. Though she was talented actress Lillian Cook's career never really took off. Her first film appearance was actually in a 1914 short film directed by Maurice Tourneur, entitled Mother. For much of her filmography she played supporting and minor roles, though occasionally she would get the lead such as in Robert Thornby's A Woman's Power.

 This film was made in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Before Hollywood Fort Lee was the movie making capital of the United States,  Though around this time period studios were already moving to Hollywood, there were still quite a few films being made in Fort Lee including this one.

In this film two kids, Mytyl (played by Tulla Belle), and Tyltyl (played by Robin Macdougall) are sent on a mission by the magical fairy Berylune (played by Lillian Cook)  to find the blue bird of happiness. Berylune gives them a magic hat that allows them to see the spirits that live inside their house.  They are joined by the spirits of Light (played by Gertrude McCoy), Fire (played by S.E. Potapovitch), Water (played by Mary Kennedy), Milk (played by Eleanor Masters), Sugar (played by Charles Craig) and their own cat (played by Tom Corless) and dog (played by Charles Ascot). On their journey the kids visit various places including, the land of the dead, the land of the unborn, the palace of night, and the palace of happiness.

The Blue Bird is one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. It is very beautiful, absorbing, and charming. The whole film has a strong sense of magic and wonder from beginning to end.

Very important to the artistic success of this film is the work of production designer Ben Carré. Ben Carré has worked as a production designer and/or art director on many other great films such as Rupert Julian's The Phantom of the Opera, Rex Ingram's Mare Nostrum, Alan Crosland's Old San Francisco, and A Night at the Opera (with the Marx Brothers). He also worked with Maurice Tourneur on such films as The Poor Little Rich Girl, The Last of the Mohicans, and A Doll's House. The worlds he helps create here are amazingly detailed and downright breathtaking.

This film received great reviews from critics. However it was not a hit at the box office. Some film historians and critics believe that this film had a big influence on German Expressionist films.

This wasn't the only time this story was adapted for the screen. In 1940 another film version would be released under the same name, directed by Walter Lang and starring Shirley Temple. However this 1918 film is considered the best film adaption of the source material.

-Michael J. Ruhland    

Resourses Used
http://www.jbkaufman.com/movie-of-the-month/blue-bird-1918
http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/453452%7C453523/The-Blue-Bird.html
http://www.silentfilm.org/archive/the-blue-bird

Her Night of Romance (1924)

Run Time: 70 minutes. Studio:  First National Pictures. Director: Sidney Franklin. Writer: Hans Kraly. Producers: Constance Talmadge, Joseph M. Schenck. Main Cast: Constance Talmadge,  Ronald Colman, Jean Hersholt, Albert Gran, Robert Rendel. Cinematographers:  Ray Binger, Victor Milner.

For February I feel it is only right that the silent movie of the month would be a romantic comedy, so I selected this charming film from 1924 entitled Her Night of Romance. Director, Sidney Franklin is more well known for films like The Good Earth and The Dark Angel. Readers of my Feature Films of Walt Disney blogs might know him as the director who originally wanted to make Bambi, but when he discovered that the film would work better as an animated movie, sold the rights to Walt Disney (however he still worked on the film as a consultant). Sidney Franklin would also go on to have a great career as a producer, producing such films as Mrs. Miniver,  Ninotchka, and The Yearling.

Actress Constance Talmadge, while not as well remembered as she should be, was a big star at this time. Though her acting years started in 1914, she did not receive a major role until she appeared in D.W. Griffith's Intolerance in 1916, where she appeared as both the mountain girl and as Princess Marguerite of Valois. Along with her sisters Natalie and Norma Talmadge she was part of the infamous Talmadge sisters. Her sister Norma was known for being in tragedies, while Constance was known for being in comedies like this one. Natalie's career didn't take off, but many may know her for marring silent screen legend Buster Keaton. However Natalie did appear in some films like Yes or No, The Love Expert, and Our Hospitality (last one alongside her husband). Constance is unfortunately one of the stars of the silent screen who didn't make the transition to talkies. Her co-star Ronald Colman's Career was just beginning. His first role as leading man had been just a year before this film, with Henry King's The White Sister, where he stared along side one of the biggest stars of that era, Lillian Gish. Ronald Colman would go on to a great career with such films as The Prisoner of Zenda, A Tale of Two Cities, and Lost Horizon. 

The plot of the film begins when ex-wealthy socialite Paul Menford (Played by Ronald Colman) meets current wealthy socialite Dorthy Adams (Played by Constance Talmadge) and falls for her. Paul's business partner Joe Diamond (Played by Jean Hersolt) thinks Paul should marry a wealthy person and in exchange Joe will get 10% of the money earned from the marriage. Paul is against this until he discovers that the woman Joe is talking about is Dorthy. The plan involves Paul pretending to be Dorthy's doctor. This leads to one misunderstanding after another, including a surprise meeting in Paul's old home, which Dorthy and her father (Played by Albert Gran) are planning to buy, and a fantastic ending sequence that you have to see.

While the story might seem a bit unoriginal and predictable, it is done very well, and often leads to some very funny humor. Much of this movie is laugh out loud hilarious, and every plot point that might be predictable leads to enough good humor, that you don't mind at all. However even with the focus being on the comedy, the romance is still quite charming and Ronald Colman and Constance Talmadge are excellent in their roles.

Also helping with the film's success is art director William Cameron Menzies. Menzies earlier that same year had done some of his best work for Raoul Walsh's The Thief of Baghdad, starring Douglas Fairbanks. Menzies would go on to do work on such films as Gone With the Wind, and For Whom the Bell Tolls. William Cameron Menzies does a great job of bringing a sense of sophistication to Her Night of Romance. His version of how high society  London looks is a delight to see. Menzies helped make this film more than just another romantic comedy.

Her Night of Romance was a success both critically and financially. In fact in 1925 it received a sequel called Her Sister from Paris. The sequel would also be directed by Sidney Franklin, written by Hans Kraly and star Constance Talmadge and Ronald Colman.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Recourses Used
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/495565/Her-Night-of-Romance/articles.html