Scott Lord on Silent Film

Scott Lord on Silent Film
Gendered spectatorship notwithstanding, in a way, the girl coming down the stairs is symbolic of the lost film itself, the unattainable She, idealized beauty antiquated (albeit it being the beginning of Modernism), with the film detective catching a glimpse of the extratextural discourse of periodicals and publicity stills concerning Lost Films, Found Magazines

Friday, June 12, 2026

Scott Lord Silent Film: Mary Pickford as Pollyanna (Powell, 1920)






The periodical Wid's Daily credited Frances Marion with the photoplay of "Pollyana", reviewing the script with, "They admit its not a story; just a 'rainbow', and it surely is pretty."

In addition to one of the most beautiful films made by Mary Pickford, “Pollyanna” (Paul Powell, six reels), during 1920 Pickford also made the film “Suds” (five reels) under the direction of Francis Dillon. The former also stars William Courtleigh, the latter William Austin

"Pollyanna was the first film Mary Pickford had made for United Artists, which she founded during 1919 with Douglas Fairbanks, D.W. Griffith and Charles Chaplin.

Silent Film Mary Pickford Mary Pickford

Scott Lord Silent Film: Mary Pickford in Rosita (Ernst Lubitsch, 1923)



While the film was in theaters, the periodical Moving Picture World headlined, "'Rosita' a Pictorial Gem, Marks Epic in Filmmaking". It began with alluding to the importance of casting actors in the star system as part of the audience expectations within a specific developing genre, perhaps genre system or matrix. "Mary Pickford has grown up. Sans curls and childish mannerisms, which earned her the title of 'America's Sweetheart' and with the aid of the wonderful directorial talents of Ernest Lubitsch, she had given us in 'Rosita' a pictorial gem which will go a long way toward making an epoch in filmmaking."

The nine reel film was photographed by Charles Rosher and scripted by Edward Knoblock.

Silent Film Mary Pickford