Frst After completing The Pilgrim, Charlie Chaplin was finally free of his First National contract. He could now concentrate on making features for United Artists - the company he created with Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith. But Chaplin had a problem: Edna Purviance. She'd been his leading lady for eight of his nine … Continue reading Chaplin Diary, Part 11: A Woman of Paris
Category: Silent Films
Yet Another Silent Film Festival
Finally, folks in the Northeast Bay Area won't have to drive across a bridge to watch silent films. The Empress Theatre Silent Film Festival runs this Friday through Sunday at the Empress Theatre in Vallejo. It's a modest festival, with only four programs spread across three days. The Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum sponsors this … Continue reading Yet Another Silent Film Festival
Chaplin Diary, Part 10: The Last Shorts
With The Kid's high acclaim and higher box office numbers, Charlie Chaplin proved that he could successfully make feature-length films. But he still owed First National three pictures, and his partners at United Artists desperately wanted Chaplin movies to release. To please both companies, he would have to make three more shorts before he could … Continue reading Chaplin Diary, Part 10: The Last Shorts
International Shorts & Mismatched Music: Wednesday at SFFILM Fest
I hope you noticed that I didn't publish a San Francisco International Film Festival report yesterday. I took Tuesday off, so I had nothing to write about on Wednesday. But what did I see on Wednesday? Unlike every other day at the SFFILM Festival, I did not see a single new feature. Instead, I saw … Continue reading International Shorts & Mismatched Music: Wednesday at SFFILM Fest
Chaplin Diary, Part 9: The Kid
As Chaplin's methods slowed down while he chose to make longer films, it was inevitable that a year would come without a single new Chaplin comedy. The first such year was 1920; there would be many others. Everyone wanted him to make more movies. His distributer, First National, had signed him up for eight short … Continue reading Chaplin Diary, Part 9: The Kid
SF Silent Film Fest Bigger (and hopefully better)
How much moviegoing can a man in his 60s take in a short period of time? Come late May and early June, I think I'm going to find out. This year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival will last a full four days; five if you include opening night (Wednesday, May 30). That's one more day … Continue reading SF Silent Film Fest Bigger (and hopefully better)
Chaplin Diary, Part 8: Early First National
Charlie Chaplin's contract with First National turned him from an employee to an independent contractor. He built his own studio, hired his own employees, and financed his own films. First National just handled distribution. Chaplin was required to produce eight movies of two reels or more, over the course the 18 months. It took him … Continue reading Chaplin Diary, Part 8: Early First National
