Okay, let’s see. I’m not looking. There was HB Warner, who played Old Man Gower, the pharmacist, in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” (And, of course, Jesus in Cecil B DeMille’s “The King of Kings.”) Warner’s fresh in my mind, because we just saw his small role in Capra’s “You Can’t Take It with You.” And Gloria swanson, of course. But damn! I cannot think of the name of that other silent-screen lady. Penelope something??
you did better than i did.
i remembered the name of anna and that keaton was one, but for the life of me, warner’s name just wouldn’t come up as the third member of the waxworks.
more bonus points:
who is swanson’s butler, and what film is he famous for?
(this i don’t have to google for).
I am drawing a blank on his name and the name of the film. But I know he directed Swanson in real life in a silent film that was instrumental in destroying her career. Wait. “Princess” something?? Their relationship in the film was not far removed from their relationship in real life. He really was her director in silent-film days, and weren’t they married at one point, just like in the film?
Damn! I looked it up. “Queen Kelly.” Sort of close. And the butler was Erich von Stroheim, and I’m kicking myself now for blanking out on his name. Old age is very sad. But were you referring to “Queen Kelly” or to “Greed”?
‘greed.’
maybe the finest example of silent dramatic cinema i’ve ever seen that *wasn’t * a comedy.
my favorite silent comedy is still ‘the gold rush.’
i’m partial to ‘orphans of the storm’ too, because it’s so completely over the top. and the fact that the actors risked their necks out on those ice floes without stunt doubles.
I’ve never been much of a Charlie Chaplin fan. Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd were both more talented, I think. “The General” is up at the top of my silent-film list, but there are quite a few other Buster Keaton films that would qualify, especially “Seven Chances.”
The horror films produced at RKO in the '40s by Val Lewton (now available in a DVD set), including: Cat People
The Leopard Man
Curse of the Cat People
I Walked with a Zombie
Isle of the Dead
The Seventh Victim
The Body Snatchers
Bedlam
Also, in “Sunset Boulevard,” the film that Gloria Swanson and William Holden watch together in her home is “Queen Kelly,” which was dircted by Erich von Stroheim, who was playing her former director turned butler in “Sunset.” I heard “Sunset Boulevard” really bothered a lot of people in Hollywood at the time. A little too close for comfort.
Just watched Battleship Potemkin (1925) the other day. O ne of the best silent movies I have ever seen. Found here at archive.org where they have tons of great old movies for free download.
The OP seemingly enjoying the Cary Grant films, I found a not-so great but watchable version of “His Girl Friday” with Rosalind Russell there.