Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival--Day 3

I skipped Day 2 to see my Quakes take on the hated L.A. Galaxy at Stanford...a grand day full of drinking and victory!

THE FAMILY SECRET (1924): The last day of the festival started with this Baby Peggy gem (and she was there in person and still beautiful.) This isn't the first time it has played at our festival, the last time I saw it was 2011, when I said this:

Baby Peggy is that secret, as her parents were married in secret. See, Margaret and Garry loved each other and got married, even though her father disapproved. When he catches him in the house, he sets him up as a burglar and has the police take him away for 4 years. In the meantime, Peggy is born and starts growing up. Her mom is depressed and spends days in bed. Her nanny is at best humorless and at worst negligent as she reads romance novels while Peggy wanders off. The nurse won't let Peggy stay with mommy because she gets to nervous. Grandpa has little time for her. So she spends her time playing with the cook and the maid, who dote on her as she gets into all sorts of hijinx. Meanwhile Garry is finally released from prison, but doesn't know how to find his daughter (even though they're still living in the same home. That seems like a plot hole to me). But you know what, I'll overlook that plot hole. The real heart of the movie is how Baby Peggy can melt anyone's heart. Her grandfather's character arc is particularly nice. And I loved how the audience was totally into it, cheering the good guys and hissing at the villains.

That's all still true. A beautiful movie with great heart. And I have it on good authority that a new DVD of it will be released soon. Details to come...

And then we ended the night with a bunch of Hazards of Helen flicks.

IN DANGER'S PATH (1915): Hazards of Helen often involved trains. In fact, all in this program did. In this one Helen (Holmes) has to escape from a refrigerator car and avert a train disaster. Very exciting.

THE GHOST OF THE CANYON (1920): Also played at the festival back in 2011. Here's what I said then:

The rare moments when Helen Holmes used a stunt double, her double was Helen Gibson (back when she was still Rose Gibson), so she was a natural to step into the role when Holmes left. This movie feels like the inspiration for a Scooby Doo mystery, with a ghost haunting a railroad trestle. Tons of fun, with more amazing stunts.

Ha ha, cool! I still agree, and it's definitely got a Scooby Doo plot (only...almost 50 years before Scooby-Doo was a thing.)

THE WILD ENGINE (1915): In this one, we're back to Helen Holmes. This time a runaway train is rumbling down the track and she has to make a mad dash by motorcycle and swim across a river to warn the excursion train and all their passengers. Wild stunts, and of course a just-in-the-nick-of-time ending.

MISTAKEN ORDERS (1925): Not surprisingly, the later these get the more sophisticated the plot. In this one, Helen Holmes is Helen Barton, and the plot revolves around whether it's safe to have a girl working for the railroad. And of course she has to prove the chauvinists wrong with a mad dash to the rescue once again. Very thrilling, and a great way to end the 2015 version of the festival.

Total Running Time: 177 minutes

My Total Minutes: 402,545

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy film festival--Day 1

Our little weekend silent film festival in Niles kicked off in style with a couple of 100 year old locally made flicks.

BRONCHO BILLY AND THE CLAIM JUMPERS (1915): Our "patron saint," Broncho Billy Anderson kicked off the festival with this story of evil men who try to prevent him from registering his claim by drugging the stagecoach driver. Luckily the driver's daughter (and Broncho Billy's sweetheart) Marguerite Clayton steps in and helps save the day. Very exciting.

WHEN SLIPPERY SLIM WENT FOR THE EGGS (1915): Then the Snakeville gang, the local jokesters had some fun picking on Slippery Slim (Victor Potel.) In particular, Mustang Pete (Harry Todd) and Hiram Clutts (Ernest Van Pelt) have quite a few laughs before the tables are turned. Very funny.

THE TOMBOY (1924): And then the feature, starring Dorothy Devore as Tommy Smith, a tomboy who runs a boarding house with her father. A stranger Alden Farwell (Herbert Rawlinson) comes to town and stays at their boarding house. A bit of a love triangle ensues as she likes him, but he gets vamped by trendy flapper Sweetie Higgins (Helen Lynch.) There's also a plot about a bootlegging ring and Mr. Smith is the prime suspect. It all makes for an entertaining hybrid of action melodrama and romantic comedy.

Total Running Time: 84 minutes

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Film Festival--Day 3

I skipped day 2 to see a lackluster Quakes lose to the Los Angeles Galaxy at Stanford. At least a full day of tailgating, watching some World Cup Soccer on a big screen, and a fireworks show afterwards was fun.

Anyway, Sunday started off with some Baby Peggy! Or, as she's known now, Diana Serra Cary (I can think of no better way to illustrate the rapid pace of technological change than to say that I am Facebook friends with a silent film star.)

MILES OF SMILES (1923): Peggy plays twins in this one. As a baby, one twin crawls out of their crib and almost gets run over by a train. But the conductor stops in time and raises her as his own. A few years later (now with Peggy playing the twins) she is operating the train herself (a lot of Baby Peggy comedy was based on her doing grown-up work.) But then she gets mistaken for her twin, and lots of wacky hijinx ensue. Very funny.

PEG O' THE MOUNTED (1924): Peggy is playing beside a mountain cabin in Canada (actually Yosemite) when a wounded, exhausted Mountie shows up. After Peggy nurses him back to health, he explains that he was chasing some moonshiners. So now it's Peggy's job to track them down and bring them to justice.

And then there was a real treat, a of piece of a work-in-progress restoration of PEGGY, BEHAVE! (1922) This was especially interesting because I had heard many times (and read in her autobiography) about a stunt she did once where she was tied on top of a goat like she was riding it, but the goat was actually in the back of a pickup truck that was supposed to be going 15 mph. Well, the teenager they got to drive the truck was overexcited, or misheard, or something...because he took off at 50 mph. Peggy was thrown from the goat, but still attached by a length of rope. So she was dangling inches from the spinning wheels. Her dad yelled at her to hold her arms in at her sides so they wouldn't get snagged in the wheel well, and she obediently did. Eventually they stopped the truck and she was okay (although she thought she was going to die.) Anyway, i had heard the story many times, but now I've seen the scene where that happened (although her falling off the goat isn't in the final cut.) There's that scene, and a few other gags, but like I said this was a work in progress so it didn't really make much sense out of context and ended abruptly. But I'm looking forward to seeing the full restoration sometime soon.

And then there was one more screening of BRONCHO BILLY AND THE BANDIT'S SECRET. Because Diana shows up as a visiting Hollywood star, which incidentally gives her the record (not yet recognized by Guiness) for having the longest film career ever.

And then the second show in the afternoon was THE SPIELER (1928): Starring Alan Hale, Sr. (yes, the Skipper's dad) as Flash, a small time con man with his assistant and friend The Perfesser (Clyde Cook.) They decide to hide out in the one cleanly run circus in town, run by Cleo (Renée Adorée, from THE BIG PARADE.) Flash becomes a spieler, while the Perfesser learns to walk the tightrope. And Flash starts up a little romance with Cleo, and decides maybe going legit and staying with her ain't so bad. Too bad Red Moon (Fred Kohler) has other plans, and so the double-crossing starts, leading to Flash being framed. A good story, well told, and a fun way to end the weekend festival.

Total Running Time: 152 minutes
My Total Minutes: 367,159

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Film Festival--Day 1

Still catching up on my blog. A few weeks ago, June 27-29th, the Niles Film Museum celebrated the 17th annual Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival (yes, the festival existed well before the brick-and-mortar museum)

Early Friday evening all the regulars and pass-holders gathered early for a little summertime barbecue. By which I mean a ton of hot dogs, beans, lemonade, and other snacks. I was pretty damn stuffed by the time the first movie came on.

And that opening film was BRONCHO BILLY AND THE BANDIT'S SECRET, made last year by the museum, this was at least the fifth time I've seen it. But each of those previous screenings were kind of a "work in progress" screening. Not that they didn't look good, it's just that some of the lab work wasn't finished (especially balancing the brightness and contrast) and a few intertitles were still being tweaked. And that lab work was delayed as more and more film labs are going out of business. So this was finally the really, really, really final version...and it looked fantastic! I mean, I could have been pretty tired of the movie by now, but it was pretty remarkable what a difference it made. Of course, my favorite addition was at the end of the credits where they thank all the Indiegogo backers and my name appeared on screen!

And then the feature, THE BIG PARADE (1925): This WWI epic stars John Gilbert and was directed by King Vidor. Gilbert stars as an idle rich young man, who has no intention of enlisting (the delight of his mother and embarrassment of his father.) But the patriotic fervor of his friends sweeps him up, and next thing you know he's of to France (to the delight of his father and heartache of his mother.) There he becomes fast friends with two working class soldiers and romances a pretty French girl (Renée Adorée) before his unit is sent to the front. And then the movie gets its classic reputation for the unflinching portrayal of the horrors of war (much like ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT did a short time later.) The scenes of war are still powerful today, and Gilbert's acting, Vidor's directing, and a great script easily make it a classic.

Running Time: 150 minutes

My Total Minutes: 367,006

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Film Festival--Sunday

So I skipped Saturday to drink all afternoon and then see my Quakes make an amazing comeback in the California Clasico at Stanford Stadium. So I was dragging a little bit, and mightily hungover, but I was back at Niles for the third and final day of their big weekend, the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival.

First, a walking tour of historic buildings in Niles (and shooting locations for BRONCHO BILLY AND THE BANDIT'S SECRET.) Then it was back to the Edison Theater at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum for a pair of movies and a panel discussion

The first film was actually a documentary and a talkie! STUNT LOVE (2011) tells the story of one of the original Hollywood couples. Helen Holmes, the great stunt actress, and her husband and director J. P. McGowan. They didn't just collaborate on one of the most popular series of the silent era (Hazards of Helen,) but they were trailblazers who pioneered stunt work that future generations still admire (like Zoe Bell,  who shows up in the movie.)

Then we were treated to a STUNT COMPILATION REEL from Blackhawk Films. Lots of cool old silent film footage of jumps, riding, and train dodges. Very cool.

Then we had a panel discussion with Sprague Anderson, Diana Serra Cary (aka Baby Peggy), and Bob Birchard talking about the history of the stunt business. Of course, in Baby Peggy's time they didn't call it "stunts" they just called it "work," even when "work" meant finding your way out of a burning set when the "unfired" door did in fact catch on fire. A true professional, she found her way out without ruining the shot...and then the scene was left on the cutting room floor. Everybody had stories of stunt performers they knew (or knew of) and it may be a little morbid, but nearly every story involved someone dying in an accident. Very interesting.

Then a little break, and we finished with the final program of the festival.

First up, we enjoyed an encore presentation of the film produced by the museum, BRONCHO BILLY AND THE BANDIT'S SECRET (2013.) Still fun on a second viewing. Can't wait to see the final version with all the titles, credits, and balanced light levels.

CANINE SHERLOCK HOLMES (1912): Then we had a special unplanned treat. This comic short was added to the program. A very clever dog finds the robber's hideout and alerts the police.

SHERLOCK JR. (1924): And finally, we ended with this Buster Keaton classic. Keaton plays a projectionist (remember, the theme of the festival is movies about movies) but he dreams of--and is studying for--becoming a detective. He has a chance to put his skills to use when his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch is stolen. But his skills aren't that great--instead he gets framed. So he goes back--loveless--to his theater where he starts the movie, falls asleep, and walks right into the movie-within-the-movie. Pretty impressive special effects gags, as the scenes change but he stays the same. Eventually he (in the movie) becomes the famous detective Sherlock Jr. and solves the mystery. Very funny stuff.

And that was how the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival, 2013 edition, ended. And I finally got home and slept off my hangover.

Total Running Time: 143 minutes
My Total Minutes: 333,108

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Silent Film Fest--Friday night

Last weekend was the biggest weekend of the year at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, their 16th annual Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival (and yes, for those of you who can do simple math and know that the physical museum building was opened in 2005, the film festival does predate the museum theater.)

After a meet-and-greet and some snacks, we started the festivities with BILLY MCGRATH ON BROADWAY (1913): I might as well just copy and paste what I wrote when I saw it a few years ago:

An Essanay production from the Chicago studio, Billy McGrathdecides to produce a Broadway play. Problem is, the actors walk out. No problem, the stage hands fill in, and wackiness ensues. Includes Augustus Carney, famous as Alkali Ike in Essanay westerns in Niles. He went to Chicago for a while but the tightly regimented schedule worked him too hard and he returned to Niles. Suck it, Chicago!

That pretty much says it all. Especially the "Suck it, Chicago!" line.

BRONCHO BILLY AND THE BANDIT'S SECRET (2013): Now this is the treat of the festival. A brand new silent film (formerly known as THE CANYON) produced by the museum, directed by our historian/projectionist David Kiehn using authentic ~100 year old cameras and genuine black-and-white 35 mm film. It was even edited by actually cutting and splicing film. This was actually a work print, the brightness hasn't been balanced on all the scenes (although they didn't really do that back in the day, so it's kind of more authentic this way) and they need a few more intertitles, but this was the mostly finished version (since everything is done in the camera, there are no special effects to add.)

The story starts--much as G. M. Anderson did before he was Broncho Billy--with a great train robbery. Broncho Billy (our own Bruce Cates) is on the train but instead of running away he pays careful attention to the robbers. Enough that he--along with his crew at the Essanay Studio--can assist the sheriff in catching the bad guys. Lots of adventure, and when it's all over Anderson has a great idea for a movie and it all ends with a proud Anderson and an embarrassed sheriff watching the movie-within-a-movie (that is actually an actual Broncho Billy movie.)

By the way, did I mention that the theme of the festival was "Movies About Movies?" Well...it was.

Okay, then an intermission and our feature film.

SHOW PEOPLE (1928): Continuing the theme of movies about movies, Marion Davies stars as Peggy Pepper, a young actress who was the toast of her small town in Georgia so she came out to Hollywood to become a star. More than that--a serious actress. But it turns out she has a knack for comedy and has a bit of success at Comet Studio and makes a friend in Billy Boone (William Haines.) But soon enough she catches the eye of the big High Art Studio and is in the big time. She's even set to marry into (I assume not quite legitimate) royalty. A solid story, but what makes this movie so much fun is the send-up of Hollywood pretentiousness itself, and the parade of celebrity cameos as themselves. A cool way to end the first night of the festival.

Total Running Time: 122 minutes
My Total Minutes: 332,843

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival--Day 3

Well, the big weekend at Niles is all over but the writing. I actually missed Saturday because I had a full day scheduled of drinking beer (and maybe a little tequila...and vodka infused gummi bears) and then watching my beloved Earthquakes pull out a thrilling 4-3 comeback victory over the hated L.A. Galaxy. Wow, what a game! Goonies never say die! But that's a story for a different time.

The important thing is I was back at Niles on Sunday for the last day of the weekend-long festival. And we started with an early afternoon Baby Peggy special. We love Baby Peggy at Niles, especially since we celebrated her 90th birthday here and she visits us pretty often. In fact, the museum actually makes a cameo appearance in the first movie of the day, the new documentary by Vera Iwerebor, BABY PEGGY, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. It's a nice overview of her career, but what makes it interesting is not the Baby Peggy part of her life but the Diana Serra Carey part of her life. See, far from a wonderful blessing, Baby Peggy for most of her life was something of a curse. This is very common for child stars (and Diana has chronicled this in her book Hollywood's Children--available here) She was very aware even at 18 months of age that she was working and the main breadwinner for her family. She lost her childhood (however much her parents insisted that she thought she was just playing make-believe) and her status as the breadwinner caused quite a lot of family tension. And it all became worse when her step-grandfather ran off with all the family's money.

You know...it's actually kind of hard for me to review this. It is, after all, the often sad life story of a woman who is now 93 years old, who I met at her 90th birthday party, and who I now consider a friend. I'm just very happy that her life has turned out well and Baby Peggy is enjoying a rediscovery and revival now.

As for the revival, we had a couple of her short films afterwards:
BROWNIE'S LITTLE VENUS (1921): One of Baby Peggy's earliest co-stars was Brownie the dog, and with her rediscovery he's getting a renewed career, too (although he has to appreciate it from doggie heaven.) As adorable as Baby Peggy is, Brownie's really the star here, helping her get dressed (even tightening her corset) for a big day, then helping her foil a robbery.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD (1922): A take on the classic story starring Baby Peggy as Red and a doggie (not Brownie, but clearly not a real wolf) as the wolf. This two-reeler actually only has one surviving reel (the second reel) so the first half is pieced together from production stills and contemporary accounts of the story.

Then after a brief leg-stretching intermission, we were treated to an on-stage interview with Larry Telles interviewing Diana Serra Carey. She talked extensively about her co-stars--Hobart Bosworth (from CAPTAIN JANUARY, which can still bring tears to my eyes) to Edward Everett Horton to her oftentimes director Alf Goulding (also a child star in a travelling Australian circus.) Then there was a brief period of questions from the audience, ranging from mood music used on set to the portrayal of strong women in the early days of film.

Speaking of strong women, the final show of the night (and of the festival) was Helen Gardner's version of CLEOPATRA (1912): Actually, never mind the queen character, Helen Gardner--as the star and owner of the studio--was a plenty powerful woman in her own right. And like ATLANTIS on opening night, this is a feature film (nearly an hour and a half long) that is way before the time when features were popular (remember, BIRTH OF A NATION didn't come along and solidify the style of feature films for another three years.) Anyway, Helen Gardner of course stars as Cleopatra, the powerful queen and object of many men's desires. But the only one she reciprocates is Marc Antony (Charles Sindelar,) an affair that decimates the tenuous peace of the Roman Empire and Egypt, and ultimately destroys them both. A really great accomplishment, that's definitely ahead of its time.

And that was the end of this year's Broncho Billy Film Festival. Normal Saturday night programming is back next week, with THE WHIP (1917) and the shorts STEP LIVELY (1917) with Harold Lloyd and TEDDY AT THE THROTTLE (1917) with Bobby Vernon, Wallace Beery, and Gloria Swanson. Then next week Sunday is the monthly Laurel and Hardy talkie matinee featuring SAPS AT SEA (1940.) And then the following weekend (July 14-15) is the only weekend of the year when we don't do a Saturday night silent movie program. That's because the San Francisco Silent Film Festival is doing its thing up at the Castro Theatre, and we're there, too (however, the museum is still open noon-4:00 Saturday and Sunday.)

Total Running Time: 186 minutes
My Total Minutes: 289,010

Jason goes to the first night of the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival

It's the biggest weekend of the year at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum. A whole weekend devoted to their film festival (which pre-dates the brick-and-mortar museum.) Friday night was the big kickoff, starting with a little get together with snacks and socializing with the guests. And then, on to the movies

THE ARRIVAL OF ESSANAY IN NILES (2012): That's right, this year. We started the festival with the movie that the members of the museum shot on April 1st (no fooling) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Broncho Billy and his crew arriving in Niles. It's pretty fun to watch the train pull into the station just across the street, and see all these people you know get off it in period garb (hey, that Broncho Billy guy looks just like Bruce!) It's equally fun to spot the obvious anachronisms. While the actors are dressed in period garb, bystanders are taking pictures with modern cameras. While antique cars drive off, there are modern cars in the background. All good fun. And oh yeah, this was shot on film, using 90 year old cameras. Pretty damn cool.

ATLANTIS (1913): This was an incredible nearly 2-hour long movie from Denmark at the time when nearly all American films were one or two-reelers. Before WWI played a bit of havoc on Europe, in many ways European films were more advanced than American films (BTW, thank you David Shepard for the informative talk) and this was produced by Nordisk, the oldest continually operating film production house still in operation today (some that were started earlier, like Pathe, went through bankruptcies and reorganizations so can't really claim the continual operation that Nordisk can.) It's based on the novel by Nobel Laureate Gerhart Hauptman, and features the sinking of an ocean liner in the big action piece. It's important to note that the novel was published just before the Titanic sunk, but obviously the movie was made afterwards, and certainly the sinking scenes are informed by the real event. Anyway, it's the story of a doctor who has a bit of a mid-life crisis. His wife is suffering from hereditary mental illness, and his latest paper of bacteriological theories has been rejected by the University of Berlin. So he runs off, falls in love with a dancer, follows her on a cruise (which sinks) and is rescued and they are brought to New York. And it's a bit of an epic just in terms of length and the patience you need to stick with it. But it rewards that patience and attention, and is really an accomplishment that's ahead of its time.

Oh yeah, and the best part is that Nordisk typically would make alternate unhappy endings specifically for the Russian audience, since they preferred tragedy. In this case, because Hauptman had written a happy ending (spoiler alert) and insisted the film not deviate from it, the Russian ending was made with instructions only to show it in Siberia (where presumably Hauptman's reach wouldn't extend.) For the record, I kinda prefer the Russian ending, but most importantly it was a treat to get to see both endings. Almost like a DVD extra, but actually on the film (which was a beautiful print, struck directly from the negative.)

Well, at this point it was about 10:30 and we were all tired, none more so than the pianist Frederick Hodges. We could only talk him into one more one-reeler, and it had to be a comedy, so after a quick leg stretch, we got one little bonus.

THE TOURISTS (1912): Mabel Normand and a gang of tourists stop at in Indian village and get into a bit of shenanigans. Mostly the Big Chief's wife doesn't like how the Big Chief is so accommodating in showing Mabel around the village.

And that was it. The festival continues today (Saturday) but I'm missing it so I can spend the whole day drinking and watching soccer (Go Quakes! Beat the hated L.A. Galaxy!) But I'll be back on Sunday for the finale.

Total Running Time: 130 minutes
My Total Minutes: 288,824

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival--Day 3

Which is the last day. It's a short festival, but a heck of a lot of fun.

The day started with a pair of Helens, Helen Holmes and Helen Gibson (born Rose Wagner, became Rose Gibson when she married Hoot Gibson, and became Helen Gibson when she took over the lead role in Hazards of Helen fame--Holmes of course was the original). There was an introduction by film historian Larry Telles and Shirly Freitas, the great-granddaughter of Helen Holmes. Then we saw a couple of their films, both featuring that staple of stunt films from the time--trains:

WEBS OF STEEL (1925): Helen Holmes is the daughter of a railroad magnate. Her dad wants her to marry Jim Haggerty (Arthur Morrison), but she's got her eyes on the new guy who saved her from danger, John Andrews (Bruce Gordon). But he's got a troubled past that Haggerty means to expose. Oh, and there's a train robbery they've got to stop and some amazing stunts that Holmes did herself.

GHOST OF THE CANYON (1920): The rare moments when Helen Holmes used a stunt double, her double was Helen Gibson (back when she was still Rose Gibson), so she was a natural to step into the role when Holmes left. This movie feels like the inspiration for a Scooby Doo mystery, with a ghost haunting a railroad trestle. Tons of fun, with more amazing stunts.

And then the second show of the day, and the last of the festival, featured our own inimitable Baby Peggy (aka Diana Serra Cary). Born in 1918, I met her at her 90th birthday celebration, and she's still spry and sharp as a tack (and an entertaining and lively silent film historian, with several books to her name). I hope she never dies, but rest assured we will keep her memory alive here in Niles (where her dad worked as a movie cowboy for Broncho Billy Anderson for a short time). Anyway, the film was a delight.

THE FAMILY SECRET (1924): Baby Peggy is that secret, as her parents were married in secret. See, Margaret and Garry loved each other and got married, even though her father disapproved. When he catches him in the house, he sets him up as a burglar and has the police take him away for 4 years. In the meantime, Peggy is born and starts growing up. Her mom is depressed and spends days in bed. Her nanny is at best humorless and at worst negligent as she reads romance novels while Peggy wanders off. The nurse won't let Peggy stay with mommy because she gets to nervous. Grandpa has little time for her. So she spends her time playing with the cook and the maid, who dote on her as she gets into all sorts of hijinx. Meanwhile Garry is finally released from prison, but doesn't know how to find his daughter (even though they're still living in the same home. That seems like a plot hole to me). But you know what, I'll overlook that plot hole. The real heart of the movie is how Baby Peggy can melt anyone's heart. Her grandfather's character arc is particularly nice. And I loved how the audience was totally into it, cheering the good guys and hissing at the villains. A great screening to cap the weekend.

And like that, the festival was over. I had a barbecue dinner from the Florence with the rest of the Niles gang, as we chatted well into the early evening before I headed home. What a weekend.

Total Running Time (estimated): 160 minutes

My Total Minutes: 241,419

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival--Day 2

I missed most of the day to see the San Jose Earthquakes disappointingly miss an opportunity to beat the hated L.A. Galaxy, instead tying 0-0 after having L.A. down a man and with a midfielder converted to goalkeeper. They frustratingly lost their rhythm, pace, and control in the second half.

But I was back in time for a special dinner with the Niles gang, courtesy of the Nile Cafe, delicious!

And then I caught the last show of the night, which started with the presentation of the museum's Ray Hubbard Award to Richard Roberts, who besides being an excellent (and world's tallest) film historian (and champion of forgotten comedians), is also just a funny, engaging guy. But enough about him, on to the show:

THE THIEF CATCHER (1914): This was a real treat, a long lost film with a brief Charlie Chaplin cameo as a Keystone Cop. The real star, though, is the police chief Ford Sterling, who gets into a bit of trouble with some thugs, and causes some typical Keystone chaos.

WITH THE U.S. ARMY IN SAN FRANCISCO (1915): I had always known Keystone for the comedies, and thought that was all they did, but they produced so many films that sometimes they didn't have the people or gags ready to do something scripted (as much as they were ever scripted), so they did "actualities" (i.e., documentaries). This is one where they came up to San Francisco and filmed military training operations at the Presidio.

PROTECTING SAN FRANCISCO FROM FIRE (1913): Another Keystone "actuality" again in San Francisco. This time showing the readiness and equipment of the fire department (and remember, this is just 7 years after the big Earthquake that started so many fires, so this was pretty important stuff). The highlight is the massive fire boat that can protect the waterfront by spraying massive amounts of water from hoses and a water gun.

THE DAREDEVIL (1923): Another Mack Sennett comedy (after Keystone had closed) with Ben Turpin as a guy who through wacky hijinx falls into a job as a movie stuntman. Luckily Ben Turpin can't see fear, no matter how much chaos ensues.

And an intermission, and finally the feature.

THE EXTRA GIRL (1923): This print was from an old PBS series The Silent Years, and so it included an introduction by host Orson Welles. He explained how THE EXTRA GIRL was one of just two Mack Sennett feature length comedies that are known to exist. Mabel Normand stars as a small town girl with dreams of being a star. Unfortunately her dad has other plans--namely for her to marry Vernon Dent. She wins a contest for a movie contract (with the help of her boyfriend Ralph Graves) and escapes her wedding just in time to make the train. But when she gets there, it turns out life in Hollywood is none to easy. A good story, well told, with a nice mix of humor and drama. Very cool.

Total Running Time (estimated): 120 minutes

My Total Minutes: 241,259

Jason goes to the Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival--Day 1

I returned from Cleveland last Friday, just in time for the big weekend in Niles--the 14th annual Broncho Billy Silent Film Festival. The theme this year--Mack Sennett (e.g., Keystone) comedies and action women. Awesome!

The first night we started with a couple of Mack Sennett comedies.

THE GOLF NUT (1927): Hilarious hijinx of Billy Bevan, causing quite a lot of chaos on a golf course, mostly at the expense of Vernon Dent.

WHEN A MAN'S A PRINCE (1926): Ben Turpin is a prince, being forced to marry the gigantic princess of Amazonia in order to pay off his family's debt. Too bad he has his eye (at least one of them) on her maid in waiting, a far more lovely (and reasonably sized) woman. Wacky hijinx ensue.

Then after a brief intermission, on to the feature:

MANHANDLED (1924): Gloria Swanson stars as a hard working, somewhat abused but rebellious shopgirl. Hey mechanic boyfriend Jimmy has a great idea for a device that will greatly improve fuel efficiency (that's oddly timely!) and will raise them out of their blue collar life. But she has her own career plans, falling into high-society parties and impersonating a Russian countess. But if she plays with fire, she's bound to get burned. Very entertaining, although the sexual politics have dated very poorly (but fun to see as a window into the past).

Total Running Time (estimated): 115 minutes

My Total Minutes: 241,139