Scott Lord on Silent Film

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Scott Lord Silent Film: Lon Chaney inThe Phantom of the Opera (Jullian, 1925)




Author Mark A. Vieira, in Silent Prototypes, the first chapter of his volume “Hollywood Horror”, almost attributes an entire subgenre of “Gorilla movie”, or “man in a gorilla suit movies” to a 1912 novel written by Gaston Leroux entitled “Balaoo” which was filmed by Fox Studios during 1927, the creature being a “gorilla’s body and half a human head”. The film, which stars the very beautiful Leila Hyams, oddly enough is a lost film, of which the are presumed to be no surviving copies. It is interesting that author William Everson, in his volume Classics of the Horror Film, as early as 1974 wrote that "The Wizard" (six reels), directed by Richard Rossen, was in fact "the most fascinating, elusive and sought after of all 'lost' horror films." Everson includes a still phtotgraph of Edward Lowe being menaced by the ape, almost reminiscient of the many poliferated still photographs of Chaney from "London After Midnight" that seem to makes us feel the film is an apparition rather than the apparition is being filmed. Everson almost chides the studio's projectionist with , "the original film is probably gone beyond recall" and with the film being "sorely missed as a major gap in our knowledge".

Gaston Leroux created the fictional detective Joseph Rouletabile, who appeared in one of the earliest locked room mysteries, “The Mystery of the Yellow Room” (1907) and “The Perfume of the Lady in Black” (1908). Novelist Gaston Leroux had published “The Phantom of the Opera” in 1911.

Author Robert Gordon Anderson, in his volume Faces, forms, films; the artistry of Lon Chaney, chronicles the shooting of "The Phantom of the Opera" as having started in late 1924. "It had taken about ten weeks to do, although another eight months were spent in re-shooting some scenes, which were deleted in the final version."

During his early carrer at Universal Studios, Lon Chaney had most frequently appeared on screen under the direction of either Allan Dwan or Joseph De Grasse. Rupert Julian had not only directed but had also starred with Lon Chaney in the film "The Kaiser, The Beast of Berlin" (seven reels), made by the Universal Film Manufacturing Company during 1918. Apearing in the film with Julian and Chaney were actresses Betty Carpenter, Ruth Clifford and Gretchen Lederer.
Lon Chaney


Lon Chaney

The Hunchback of Notre Dame


Silent Horror

Scott Lord Silent Film: Shadows (Forman, 1922)



Robert Sherwood, editor of the volume The Best Moving Pictures of 1922-23, wrote, "In the direction of 'Shadows' by Tom Forman, and in the acting by Lon Chaney, Harrison Ford, Marguerite de La Motte, and John Sainpolis, there was a fine sincerity. They all seemed to realize they were working on a picture that was destined to be a part from the regular run of machine made products." The periodical Exhibitors Trade Review during 1922 entitled their rebiew of the film "Chaney a Master of Characterization". It read, "Most stars stand for a definite type of pwrformance, while Chaney is never the same except perhaps in the degree of sincerity and finish that he gives to the characetrizations he undertakes." To add authenticity, authority and credibitlity, Exhibitors Trade Review quoted snippets from the periodicals Motion Picture News, The Film Daily, and Motion Picture World, apparently unperturbed by the competition.
Lon Chaney

Lon Chaney

Lon Chaney Lon Chaney

Scott Lord Silent Film: Lon Chaney in The Light of Faith (Brown, 1922)

Silent Film

Lon Chaney

Lon Chaney

Scott Lord Silent Film: Lon Chaney in The Penalty (Wallace Worsely, 1920)


After having directed he seven reel silent Film “The Penalty” In 1920, Wallace Worsely would direct Lon Chaney in “The Ace of Hearts” and “Voices of the City”,costarring Leatrice Joy during 1921.



Lon Chaney

Lon Chaney Silent Film Lon Chaney

Scott Lord Silent Film: Lon Chaney in Outside the Law (Tod Browning, 1920)

"Outside the Law" (eight reels), directed by Tod Browning during 1920, was coscripted by Browning with Gardner Bradford and Lucien Hubbard and photographed by William Fildew. The films stars Lon Chaney and actress Priscilla Dean. Advertisements placed in the periodical Motion Picture News annouced Leo McCarey as first executive assistant to Tod Browning, whom it credited with not only being the film's director but its "Author". The Film Daily reviewed its direction as being "uniformly excellent" but its story as lacking stregnth although lifted by its actors Lon Chaney and Pricilla Dean.

The later film, "Outside the Law" was directed by Tod Browning during 1930 but has different characters than the earlier film, his having coscripted the film with Garret Fort. The film was photographed by Roy Overbaugh and starred actress Mary Nolan. Lon Chaney Lon Chaney Silent Film

Scott Lord Silent Film. The False Faces (Thomas Ince, 1919)





The Paramount Artcraft publicity releases for 1918 divided their review into three columns, one announcing a "Startling Theory Suggested", another announcing a "Brilliant Leading Lady for Henry B. Walthall" and another announcing "Exciting Incidents Pictured in Production". (The starling theory was of a German UBoat submarine base off of Martha's Vineyard and as the present author was born and raised on Cape Ann, now and long since living on the Charles River, it remains entirely a matter of imaginative speculation.)

The script to "The False Faces" was adapted from a then current serial story printed in The Saturday Evening Post. "Irvin Willat directed the picture with unusual skill." The periodical Wid's Daily during 1919 wrote, "Adaptation of popular serial...offers plot of many complications suitable to screen presentation." Its direction was "responsible for numerous thrills in registering full force of dramatic climaxes."

Lon Chaney as well as having starred in the seven reel silent film “The False Faces”, during 1919 starred under the direction of Tod Browning in the seven reel film “Wicked Darling”.

Silent Film

Lon Chaney

.Lon Chaney Lon Chaney

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Scott Lord Silent Film: (Hårda viljor (Brunius, 1923)

Swedish Silent Film director John W. Brunius during 1922 directed actress Lilla Bye and Linnea Hillberg in the film "Harda Viljer", cowritten by Brunius and Sam Ask, the film was photographed by cinematographer Hugo Edlund. Silent Film John Brunius

Scott Lord Scandinavian Silent Film: Dodsritten under Circuskupolen (Geo...

"The Last Performance" (The Death Knell under the Circus Dome", directed by George af Klercker in 1912 was thought to be a lost film, with no surviving copies untill researcher Gosta Werner discovered a copy in the archive at Rochester, New York. The film was scripted by Svenska Bio production head Charles Magnusson. Like the first film directed by Victor Sjostrom, "The Gardner", the first film directed by George af Klercker, "Two Brothers" (Tva Broder) starring Tollie Zellman and Ingeborg Nilsson, was banned for public exhibition by the Swedish Censorship Board. "The Last Scream" (Sista Skriket, 1995) depicts a fictional assignation between silent film director George af Klercker and Charles Magnusson, who appointed Klercker studio manager- Klercker during 1915 had left for the Hasselblad studio in Gotenburg only to face Magnusson again after several company mergers. Directed by Ingmar Bergman from his own play, the film stars Ingvar Kjellison, Bjorn Granath and Anna von Rosen, the cinematographer to the film Per Noren. The play was published by New Press in the volume The Fifth Act. Actor Bjorn Granath portrays George af Klercker in the film "Jag ar nyfiken, film" (Stig Bjorkman, 1995), narrated by, of course, Lena Nyman, who appears in the film with Stefan Jarl, Erland Jospehsen, Sven Nykvist, Eva Isaksen and Liv Ullmann. George af Klercker also appears as an actor in the film "The Last Performance" with his wife, Selma Wiklund by Klercker. It was filmed in Lindingo, where George af Klercker had costarred with Victor Sjostrom and Mauritz Stiller under the direction of Paul Garbagni in the film "In the Spring of Life". George af Klercker that year also directed the films "Musiken makt" (The Power of Music), in which Klercker appeared on screen with Lilly Jacobsson, "Jupiter pa Jorden", which he also wrote, and "Tva Broder" with Birger Lundstedt and Eugen Nilsson. The following year, in 1913, George af Klercker directed "The Scandal" (Skandalen) for Svenska Biographtearterns, in which the director also appeared with his wife, Selma Wickland by Klercker. Silent Film Silent Film Silent Circus Movie

Scott Lord Scandinavian Silent Film: Den Flyvende Circus (The Flying Circus, Alfred Lind, ...

Lilly Beck starred in over ten films made by Mauritz Stiller during the first four years of Svenska Biografteatern and almost ten films directed then by Victor Sjsotrom. Before that, Charles Magnusson had directed her in the 1911 film "The Talsiman" (Amuletten). By 1912 she was married to Erik Magnusson and starred in the film "The Fying Circus" as Lilli Beck Magnusson. Actress Stella Lind, who died in 1919 at the age of 26, also appears in the film. During 1912 Beck also appeared in the sequel to the film, entitled "The Bear Tamer from the Flying Cicus", her having been billed as Lilli Beck , as well as having that year costarred with Rasmus Ottesen in the film "The Strong Power". She was married to Victor Sjostrom, whom she also divorcd, from 1914-1916. Alfred Lind had begun as a photogtapher on the film "The Little Hornblower" for director Eduard Schnedler-Sornensen in 1019. He is listed as having been cinematographer to the film "The Flying Circus" as well as having coscripted the photoplay with Carl Dumreicher. Silent Film Swedish Silent Film

Scott Lord Scandinavian Silent Film: Bjrnetaemmern (Bear Tamer of the Fl...


During 1912, Lilli Beck appeared in the sequel to the film "The Flying Circus" (Lind, 1912), again appearing on the screen as a snake charmer under the direction of Alfred Lind in "The Bear Tamer of the Flying Circus".

Alfred Lind is notable for having directed the seven reel film "The Masque of Life/The Jockey of Death" during 1916 if only for its having been an example of an early attempt to create a new genre of "Thrill" movies in it continuance of circus themes and motifs, the publicity for the film similar to that of serials, or "cliffhangers", a later short film directed by Lind survives from 1923 entitiked "Filmens vovehals" (Daredevil of the Movies", starring Emilie Sannom.

During 1913, Motography Magazine in the United States introduced The Great Northern Film Company to its readers by defining the "circus thrill" film as an emerging genre, "The natural scenery in the suburbs of Copenhagen and in the country surrounding this old city afford all that could be desired for the taking of motion pictures and the atmospheric conditions have been pronounced as ideal by experts in the art of motography. The companyy boasts of a perfectly equipped circus arena in which many of its talked of feature productions are made." Lilli Beck Silent Film

Monday, October 14, 2024

Scott Lord Silent Film: Gustaf Wasa (Brunius, 1928)



Silent Film

John Brunius

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: The Wild Bird (En Vindfagel, Brunius, 1...

Swedish silent film director John W. Brunius during 1921 directed acresses Pauline Brunius, Renee Bjorling and Jenny Tschernichin-Larsson in the film "The Wild Bird" ("En Vindfagel"). Photographed by Hugo Edlund, the film was co-scripted by Brunius with screenwriter Sam Ask. The film was shown in the United States as "Give Me My Son". During its first run the periodical Moving Picture World subtitled its review with "Feature That Will Please Whenever Naturalness Is Appreciated". It provided the "exploitation angle" of "Get interest in it chiefly because it is foreign." The periodical The Film Daily wrote, "Its gets away from the conventional happy ending. It is not tragic, but unexpected, and not what you think it will be. The denoument is particularly well handled." Under the "story" section, it wrote, "Involved, but maintains the quality of coherence and stands out as unusual" and under the "direction" section it wrote, "handles more dramatic moments effectively but otherwise is average." Scandinavian Silent Film Silent Film

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: In the Fetters of Darkness (Morket I Boj...

Directed by George af Klercker for Hasselblad during 1917, "I Morkets Borje" was phtotgraphed by Swedish cinematographer Carl Gustav Florin and starred Sybil Smolawa. That year George af Klercker also directed the film "The Suburban Vicar". Silent Film Swedish Silent Film

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Forstadprasten (Suburban Priest, George ...

During 1917, Swedish Silent Film director George af Klerker directed actress Mary Johnson in the film "The Suburban Vicar" ("Forstudprasten"), in which she starred with Corcordia Selander and Lilly Graber. Photographed by Carl Gustaf Florin, the film was scripted by Harriet Bloch. Victor Sjostrom Victor Sjostrom Silent Film

Scott Lord Scandinavian Film: Lars Hanson in A Dangerous Proposal (Ett Farlit Frieri, Rune Carlsten, 1919)

The first film directed by Rune Carlsten, an adaptation of a story by Bjornestejerne Bjornson which Carlsten coscripted with Sam Ask, was for Filmindustri Skandia, a short lived merger which shortly thereafter merged again, other directors for the company having been Elis Ellis and John Brunius. "A Dangerous Wooing/A Dangerous Courtshipt" (Ett Farlit Frieri) was the first of five films directed by Rune Carlsten to be photographed by Raol Reynolds. The film stars actress Gun Cronvall in her only on screen performance. Actor Lars Hanson also during 1919 starred underthe direction of Mauritz Stiller with actress Greta Almroth in the film "The Song of the Scarlet Flower" as well as under the direction of Swedish Silent Film director John Brunius in the 1919 film "Synnove Solbakken", with actress Karen Molander, who, then married to director Gustaf Molander, was later to become Lars Hanson's wife. Silent Film Lars Hanson Victor Sjostrom

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Triumph of the Heart (Hjärtats triumf, Gustaf Molander, 1929)



Fan magazines from the United States have occaisionally reported that Rasunda Studios in Stockholm had recieved a vistor during 1929. There is an account that Greta Garbo, by then a star of the American silver screen purportedly with the power to avoid her own set while negotiating her salary, had visited actor Carl Brisson, an old romantic acquaintance, on the set of his film, "The Triumph of the Heart". As late as 1934, while announcing that Brisson was in Hollywood filming "Murder at the Vanities", Hollywood magazine introduced Brisson as "Garbo's first love". It having been 1934, Paramount International News was there observing publicity as Greta Garbo attended the premiere of the film, "Equipped with dark glasses and a knowledge of side entrances, she was able to elude her photographers on the way out, but reporters spotted her in the audience just after the picture started." That year, Movie Classic magazine published an article written by Carl Brisson himself entitled "There's No Romance Between Garbo and Me". The modern American reader might be unsure of Brisson's intentions when reading the Photoplay magazine of 1930 which writes, "He held out both his hands to her." in that Brisson may have been romanticlly evasive when sentimentally having said that he only knew her as the Greta that had been at the Dramatic School and that he may have only feigned surprise when being told that he had met Greta Garbo. The actress, who also had been to the set of the film to see Axel Nilsson, an old friend, had in fact known director Gustaf Molander in 1923 when she was still Greta Gustafsson of the Royal Dramatic Theater, whether or not there is conjecture as to Brisson having used innuendo refering to Garbo not having married actor Lars Hanson. Directed by Gustaf Molander, the film “Hjartats Triumf” was written by Paul Merzbach and is listed as having been photographed by J. Julius, a pseudonym used by Julius Jaenzon along with cameraman Axel Lindblom and assistant cameraman Ake Dahlqvist. Starring in the film were Edvin Adolphson and actresses Lissy Arna and Anna Lindhal. Although this was the second on screen appearance for Lindhal, she had only had a brief appearance in the film “Ingmarsarvet” during 1925 under the direction of Gustaf Molander.

Scandinavian Silent Film

Gustaf Molander

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Hans nåds testamente (Victor Sjostrom, ...


During 1919, Victor Sjostrom directed the film “His Lord’s Will” (“His Grace’s Will” “Hans nads testamente”) from the writings of Hjalmer Bergman. Photographed by Henrik Jaenzon, it starred actresses Greta Almroth and Tyra Dorum. In bookstores during 1919, God’s Orchid, written by Hjalmer Bergman appeared published in its first edition, followed in 1921 by the novel Thy Rod, Thy Staff and in 1930 by Jac the Clown. The film was remade in 1940 by Per Lindgren, scripted by Stina Bergman and starring Barbra Kollberg and Alk Kjellin.

Scott Lord Scott Lord Victor Sjostrom

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Revelj (George af Klercker, 1917)



Directed by George af Klerker in 1917, the film "Revelj" starred actresses Mary Johnson, Lily Croswin and both Gertie Lowestrom and Gerda Bjorne in the first film in which either were to appear onscreen. The film was photographed by Carl Gustaf Florin and the screenplay was written by Carl Svensson-Graner. That year Swedish silent film director George af Klerker also directed actress Mary Johnson in the film "The Suburban Vicar" (Forstadprasten), in which she starred with Concordia Selander and Lilly Graber. During 1917 George af Klercker also directed the film "I Morkets Bojor" one of the only two films in which actress Sybil Smolova had appeared. "Vagen Utter", in which George af Klercker had a year earlier during 1916 had directed Sybil Smolova, is presumed to be lost, therebeing no surviving copies of the film. Scandinavian Silent Film Silent Film Silent Film

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Vem Dömer (Who Should Judge?, Victor Sjostrom, 1922)



In Sweden, during 1922, Victor Sjostrom directed Jenny Hasselqvist in “Love’s Crucible”, co-scripted by Hjalmer Bergman and photographed by Julius Jaenzon. Nils Asther and Gosta Emmanuel appear on screen in the film. Author Forsyth Hardy, in his volume Scandinavian Film notes that the film was "an elaborate and spectacular historical film". Forsyth Hardy implies that "Vem Dormer" was not only an example of the Golden Age of Swedish Silent Film but an overwhelming attempt to save it, it having been an expensivefilm to make in hooe of regaining an overseas audience that had begun to lose interest in serious Swedish Films. "All the resources of the newly completed Rasunda Studios were mobilized to make the spectacular Vem Dormer."

During the following year, 1923, Jenny Hassellquist starred in another collaboration between Victor Sjostrom and Hjalmer Bergman, the Film “Eld Ombord” (“The Hellship”)in which she appeared on screen with Victor Sjostrom, while under his direction. Actor Matheson Lang and actress Julia Cederblad appear with her in the film, which was photographed by Julius Jaenzon.



Victor Sjostrom

Victor Sjostrom Playlist

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Sangen om den eldroda blomman (Mauritz S...



"The Song of the Scarlet Flower" (Sangen och elroda blomman, 1919) was to star Lars Hanson, Greta Almroth, Lilebel Ibsen and Edith Erastoff. The film was directed by Mauritz Stiller with a photoplay written by Gustaf Molander. "Man's Way With Women" (Sangen och elroda Blommen, 1934) was to star Edvin Adolphson, Inga Tiblad, Aino Taube, Birgit Tengroth and Gull Maj-Nori . The film was directed by Per Axel Banner with the legendary photographer Julius Jaenzon with a script by the legendary photoplay dramatist Ragnar Hylten-Cavallius. "The Song of the Scarlet Flower" was with Gunnel Lindblom and Anita Bjork was directed by Gustaf Molander

The tinting of the first film provides contrast netween its individual scenes, moods and uses of nature as a background, its narrative creating a structure of seperate chapters.

Scholar Jaakko Seppalia attributes the rapid shooting of director Mauritz Stiller in "Song of the Scarlett Flower" as a direct influence on the film "The Logroller's Bride" (Koskenlaskijan marsian") directed by Finnish director Ekki Karu, particularly the use of several cameras and longshots during a rapid shooting sequence, both directors realizing that "heroic moments of action could be depicted in detail on film". Peter Cowie, in his volume Scandinavian Cinema, points out the "lyrical imagery of documentary realism" of the film while delineating the gap between the work of Mauritz Stiller and Victor Sjostrom as further narrowing into less of a contrast.

Mauritz Stiller

Scandinavian Silent Film

Scott Lord Swedish Silent Film: Karin Ingmarsdotter (Victor Sjöström, ...


While writing about the film "Wild Strawberries", Jorn Donner notes that Ingmar Bergman's film is in part a tribute to Victor Sjostrom the director. "Many scenes have a tie-in with Victor Sjostrom's work. A smashed watch plays a part in 'Karin Ingmarsdotter'." Author Peter Cowie, in his volume Scandinavian Cinema, points out the danger involved in the hazardous stunts, notably plunging into an icy river, that Victor Sjostrom employed while shooting the film.

Author Forsyth Hardy again defines the Golden Age of Swedish Silent Film by describing the several adaptations of the novel "Jerusalem", written by Selma Lagerlof, "These stories of peasant life had the qualities which had come to be expected in the Swedish films: a stern and exacting moral code, an expressive use of landscape, and a consciousness of the power of the elements...Her novels had their roots deep in the counntry's culture and in this, and in the breadth and sweep of their treatment they gave the directors what they needed."

With a photoplay scripted by director Victor Sjostrom, the six reel film was photographed by Julius Jaenzon.

Actress Tora Teje costars in the film as the title character with director Victor Sjostrom. Harriet Bosse, who was married to playwright August Strindberg between 1901-1904 and then actor Gunnar Wingard between 1908-1911, appears in a breif appearance during the film. She had previously appeared in the film "Ingmarssonerna", written and directed by Victor Sjostrom and photographed by Julius Jaenzon during 1919.
Victor Sjostrom Silent Film

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Scott Lord Silent Film: Samson and Delilah (Edward J. Collins, 1922)


It seems odd that the periodical The Film Review and Moving Picture News during 1922 included "Samson and Delilah" in a series of "one reel pictures based on dramatic incidents in well known opera", a publicity still from the film being the only still featured in its article titled "Tense Moments From Opera Filmed", in which it hailed it to be the best of the "unduly hurried" productions from either Gaumont or Masters studios, or both. The magazine printed the opinion that "the artificiality of such a performance is more noticeable perhaps in the screen version of a stage success owing to the character of the dress, the make up of the performers and the background in which they work."

Director Edwin J Collins that year also directed a screen version of "Don Juan" included in the "Tense Moments in Opera" series starring actresses Lillian Douglas, Pauline Peters and Kathleen Vaughn.
Silent Film

Scott Lord Silent Film: A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Kent, 1911)

Silent Film actor and actress Maurice Costello and Florence Turner star in the 1911 filming of "A Tale of Two Cities" (three reels), directed by Charles Kent. Among several later adaptations was "A Tale of Two Cities directed by Frank Lloyd in 1917. Silent Film