Recapping The San Francisco Silent Film Festival 2024! (Plus A Giveaway)

If I seemed absent for the past week or so, it’s because I had the joy of finally returning to the San Francisco Silent Film Festival for the first time since 2019! (Gee, I wonder what happened in the last few years…?) It was another lovely event of taking in over twenty film programs, all with fabulous live accompaniment, and reuniting with friends to talk film, film, film! I was back in my element at last.

This year we also had a new location since the usual venue, the 1920s-era Castro Theatre, is being renovated/restored (the restoration is good news, but their complete revamping of the orchestra-level seating has been controversial to put it mildly). Our home for those five days was the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, located on what used to be the grounds of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition (of Mabel and Fatty Viewing the World’s Fair at San Francisco fame *wink*). I was able to walk around the reconstructed Palace between showings, and oh me oh my, what a gorgeous structure!

It really needs to be experienced in person!

While I missed the grandeur and nostalgia of the Castro, I thought the new (temporary?) venue was very nice, with tons of lobby space and comfortable seats. The rows were staggered so you never had to worry about someone’s head in your way. And, most importantly, it had bigger bathrooms!

So here’s my recap of all the showings–I saw almost every single one, as usual! Starting with:

Opening Night, Wednesday, April 10

The Black Pirate (1926).

Showing #1: The Black Pirate (1926) starring Douglas Fairbanks. USA, 97 minutes. Accompanied by the Donald Sosin Ensemble — After surviving the destruction of a ship by pirates and witnessing the death of his father, a quick-witted nobleman decides to disguise himself as a dangerous buccaneer and seek revenge.
My Verdict: This is one of Doug’s great classics, and I’d never seen a more beautiful print! Its recent restoration fully brought out its two-strip Technicolor glory, which had been designed to evoke the colors and lighting of Old Masters paintings. It was magnificent on the huge screen–as was Doug’s famous physique, I might add!–and had jaunty accompaniment by an ensemble headed by Donald Sosin.

DAY 2: Thursday, April 11

Dancing Mothers (1926).

Showing #2: “Amazing Tales From the Archives” presentation featuring Bryony Dixon of the BFI National Archive discussing the early career of Michael Powel, including his appearance in the punny “Travelaugh” short Fauny Business; author and scholar Denise Khor presenting the recently-restored 30-minute drama The Oath of the Sword (1914) by the short-lived Japanese American Film Company; and coauthor of The Dawn of Technicolor David Pierce discussing the early Technicolor process. This (free!) program is always a treat with rarities you might not see anywhere else, even if there seemed to be more technical issues this year than ever (PowerPoint never behaves when the presentations begin, it’s apparently a poltergeist). David’s presentation in particular was very well done.

Showing #3: Dancing Mothers (1926), starring Alice Joyce, Clara Bow and Conway Tearle. USA, 65 minutes. Preceded by The Pill Pounder (1923), starring Charlie Murray and Clara Bow, 20 minutes. Accompanied by Wayne Barker — A wealthy woman is neglected by her husband and at odds with her Jazz baby daughter. When the daughter gets into an ill-suited relationship, the mother steps in but ends up falling for the man herself.
My Verdict: This was a standard drawing-rooms-and-nightclubs sort of film where the main draw for viewers will probably be young Clara Bow, who was lots of fun as the spoiled daughter. The elegant Alice Joyce gave a nicely understated performance as well. The ending was a bit of a downer for me, almost like the film couldn’t decide if it was being tragic or inspiring. Very nice fashion throughout, though, I’ll say that!

The Charlie Murray two-reeler The Pill Pounder was a very recent discovery and debuted to much excitement over the glimpses of an even younger Clara (allow me to shout out the gentleman who found it in Omaha–he was in the audience!). It was silly but cute and went over well, despite missing some pieces. It was also given an encore presentation on Sunday night.

Showing #4: Oh! What a Nurse! (1926), starring Syd Chaplin, Patsy Ruth Miller and Edgar Kennedy. USA, 64 minutes. Accompanied by Donald Sosin — Newspaper reporter Jerry Clark subs for a love advice columnist and ends up impersonating a nurse to help save a young heiress from a forced marriage.
My Verdict: Syd did a great job performing slapstick in his clear, precise way–as the brother of Charlie himself should! His drag performance was pretty funny too, although there have been other comedians-in-drag that have cracked me up more (speaking of Charlie…). All in all the film was enjoyable, but it didn’t knock my socks off.

The Lady (1925).

Showing #5: The Lady (1925), starring Norma Talmadge, Wallace MacDonald and Emily Fitzroy. USA, 86 minutes. Accompanied by Stephen Horne — A music hall singer who owns a sketchy bar in Marseille reflects on the tragic events of her past life, particularly her failed marriage and her heartbreaking separation from her infant son.
My Verdict: I’d never seen The Lady and I can say that it was my favorite of the festival. A true tearjerker (there was snuffling all over the theater, including tears from me!) featuring a magnificent, sensitive performance by Norma. It’s good to see such timeless confirmation of why she was one of the 1920s’ biggest stars. 10/10, seek it out if you haven’t yet.

Showing #6: The Sea Hawk (1924), starring Milton Sills, Wallace Beery, Enid Bennett and Lloyd Hughes. USA, 122 minutes. Accompanied by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra — An English nobleman is framed for murder and ends up a ship galley slave. After being freed by Moorish pirates, he eventually becomes their leader Sakr-el-Bahr.
My Verdict: Our second swashbuckler of the festival, with Milton Sills channeling Ben-Hur (both versions) in some scenes and being quite the virile hero. The life-size replicas of the old sailing ships were definitely impressive, and that nice big screen really added to the whole experience–silent adventure films are never quite the same on your TV at home!

DAY 3: Friday, April 12

Poil de Carotte (1925).

Showing #7: The Opportunist (1929), starring Ivan Sadovskyi, Luka Liashenko and Dora Feller. Soviet Ukraine, 77 minutes. Accompanied by Utsav Lal — When the Bolsheviks take over in Ukraine, a black marketeer tries to wait out the war while pretending to be loyal to various factions. Inexplicably, a journey on a camel owned by the army is involved (at least, I think it was supposed to belong to the army…).
My Verdict: It wasn’t just me–this film was practically incomprehensible to anyone who isn’t a 1920s Soviet Ukrainian aware of the bureaucratic differences between the contemporary powers at play. Nice print but very light on the comedy, and I’m still not sure where the camel came from but he stole the film. It did have an obligatory “Oh the glory of harvesting the rippling wheatfields!” Soviet montage, so I’ll give it that.

Showing #8: East Side, West Side (1927), starring George O’Brien , Virginia Valli and J. Farrell MacDonald. USA, 88 minutes. Accompanied by Wayne Barker — Filmed in NYC in fine style, it follows the story of John Breen, who is orphaned as a child and raised by a Jewish family in the Lower East Side. As an adult he is engaged to the ward of a millionaire, although his heart belongs to another.
My Verdict: There was a bit of everything in this film–drama, action, romance, even a shipwreck–and it gracefully wove in a more intimate, human story against its mighty NYC backdrop. Great photography, and you might like to know that both George O’Brien’s charm and studly physique were well displayed. I thought the Titanic-esque shipwreck sequence featured some remarkable miniatures, where you could even see tiny heads moving in the windows!

Poker Faces (1925). Image credit: NYPL Digital Collections.

Showing #9: Poil de Carotte (1925), starring Andrew Heuze, Henry Krauss and Charlotte Barbier-Krauss. France, 125 minutes. Accompanied by Stephen Horne — A kindhearted boy with the dismissive nickname of Carrot Top endures life with his unloving family in a French village.
My Verdict: This was based on Jules Renard’s memoir of the same name, where he recounted the abuse he received as a child from his own family. Thank heavens this one ended on a somewhat hopeful note, because the majority of it was sure heartbreaking to watch. The performances were very good–the grotesque mother in particular is chilling–and Duvivier’s direction was splendid. But what a bummer!

Showing #10: Poker Faces (1926), starring Edward Everett Horton and Laura LaPlante. USA, 83 minutes. Accompanied by the Guenter Buchwald Quartet — When his wife doesn’t make it to a formal dinner, a businessman hires a woman to pose as his wife so he can hopefully nab an important contract. Unfortunately, his real wife shows up at the dinner too–and the woman he hired has a husband who’s an extremely jealous prizefighter.
My Verdict: This was one of the most delightful festival showings, with the comedy flowing like jaunty music. If you haven’t seen Horton in a silent, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at his timing and how well his fussbudget persona suits that kind of comedy. I give it an “A”!

Showing #11: Häxan (1922), starring Maren Pedersen, Tora Teje and Benjamin Christensen. Sweden, 106 minutes. Accompanied by the Matti Bye Ensemble — A heavily fictionalized documentary about the evolution of witchcraft, from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. This was the only showing I ended up skipping to enjoy dinner with friends. And why go to bed early when you could talk all things film, too? Nevertheless, the next day I still felt fresh for:

DAY 4: Saturday, April 13

Die Strasse (1923).

Showing #12: “The Laurel and Hardy Show” featuring the boys’ silent shorts You’re Darn Tootin’, Two Tars, and The Finishing Touch (all 1928). Accompanied by Donald Sosin and Frank Bockius.
My Verdict: What a blast this program was, with its “tit for tat” battles galore, and a spunkier Stan than we’re used to (silent Stan had a bit more spine). Obviously I loved it, and so did everyone else–what more need I add?

Showing #13: Hell’s Heroes (1929), starring Charles Bickford, Raymond Hatton and Fred Kohler. USA, 64 minutes. Accompanied by the Guenter Buchwald Trio — Three outlaws fleeing across a desert stumble across a dying woman who has just given birth. They decide to honor her last wish and undertake a perilous journey to bring her infant to safety.
My Verdict: This was an amazing drama, one of my favorites of the festival. Raw and gritty, and filmed in the real desert heat–you could see the sweat greasing the actors’ skin. Several film versions were made with this plot (the very early The Sheriff’s Baby from 1913 is a good one), but this sure felt like a definitive version to me. Powerful ending as well, with one of the accompanists singing “Silent Night.”

Showing #14: I Was Born, But… (1932), starring Tatsuo Saito, Tomio Aoki, Mitsuko Yoshikawa and Hideo Sugawara. Japan, 100 minutes. Accompanied by Utsav Lal.
At the showing the 2024 SFSFF Award for commitment to silent film preservation was presented to Hisashi Okajima–congrats, sir! — When their family moves to a new neighborhood in Tokyo, two young brothers contend with bullies and the dawning realization that their father’s status at his job is less lofty than they thought.
My Verdict: Ozu is always wonderful on the big screen, especially a film with as many funny scenes and warm human moments as this one. The acting was excellent, all the child actors really do act like relatable kids. The last act had both its heartrending and its hopeful bits. I don’t know much about familial honor in Japan, but it was a bit startling seeing two little boys being so openly scornful of their own father! But the story overall, with its themes of growing older and becoming aware of unavoidable class differences, has really stuck with me.

I Was Born, But… (1932).

Showing #15: Die Strasse (1923), starring Eugen Klopfer, Aud Egede, Leonhard Haskel and Max Schreck. Germany, 70 minutes. Accompanied by Guenter Buchwald and Frank Bockius — A middle-aged married man bored with his humdrum life starts exploring the dark side of the Expressionist city streets.
My Verdict: Obviously I’m always eager to take in some German Expressionism, and I couldn’t recall if I’d seen this one already or not. It didn’t have the stylized, flat painted surfaces of Caligari or Genuine, but it did feature those deep, brooding shadows and a similar “disenchantment” plot as From Morn to Midnight. It was almost worth seeing for Max Schreck alone, who had a supporting role as a blind man. He was truly the sort of actor who disappeared into his role–only when you saw his profile could you “see” a hint of Nosferatu!

Showing #16: Sherlock Jr. (1924), starring Buster Keaton and Kathryn McGuire. USA, 47 minutes. Preceded by the short One Week (1920). Accompanied by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra — A wistful young theater projectionist daydreams of being a detective while also contending with a rival for his girl’s affections.
My Verdict: Okay, this showing was just magical. Obviously I love both films already, but seeing them in a festival setting with live accompaniment (the fantastic Mont Alto orchestra!) was very special. And I’m happy to report that this was the most heavily-attended showing of the festival, people were still trickling in as the lights went down! Everyone clearly had a blast, there were gasps and applause for his biggest stunts–it couldn’t have been any better! It was enough to make me teary-eyed. 11/10.

Showing #17: The Joker (1928), starring Henry Edwards, Miles Mander and Elga Brink. Denmark, 101 minutes. Accompanied by Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius — During the elaborate annual Carnival in Nice, a lawyer attempts to blackmail a noblewoman with a stash of old love letters. However, he finds his schemes getting foiled by “the Joker,” a suave adventurer who’s keen on winning the hand of the noblewoman’s sister.
My Verdict: If you like glimpses into wild 1920s parties of yore featuring costumes, champagne, and curly streamers galore, you will definitely get a kick out of this film! There was some remarkable footage of a real Carnival parade in Nice too, with huge elaborate floats. Henry Edwards was excellent as the titular character, coming across a little like James Bond. Despite a bit of evening sleepiness I thought this was a great screening–lovely print too!

FINAL DAY: Sunday, April 14

The Gorilla (1927).

Showing #18: The Gorilla (1927), starring Charlie Murray, Fred Kelsey and Alice Day. USA, 95 minutes. Accompanied by Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius — A mystery story concerning a serial killer on the loose–or is an actual gorilla behind the murders? Two detectives head to a mansion owned by one of the “Gorilla’s” victims and spend a hair-raising night trying to solve the case.
My Verdict: A lot of silent comedy fans were excited to hear that The Gorilla existed, and no doubt a few audience members were there just to see the restoration. Excellent cinematography, especially the early shots of the gorilla’s vast shadow being cast on cityscapes and mansions. However, the story wasn’t that distinguishable from other “old dark house” films, especially in the second half, and some of the broad comedy scenes with Murray went on a little too long. I’m a Murray fan, but moderation in all things, folks. Things did liven up when an actual gorilla showed up–as he should!

Showing #19: The Kid Brother (1927), starring Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston and Ralph Yearsley. USA, 82 minutes. Accompanied by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra — Harold plays the youngest and weakest son in a family of burly farmers. Longing to prove himself a man, he gets his chance after a medicine show comes to town–and he just might impress the show’s pretty dancer, Mary.
My Verdict: To put it succinctly, this is one of Harold’s finest, and it’s never better than when experienced with a live audience. It was delightful hearing children in the audience enjoying the film too. Folks, kids deserve to go to as many silent comedy showings as possible–trust me, they will love it!

The Phantom Carriage (1921).

Showing #20: The Phantom Carriage (1921), starring Victor Sjöström, Hilda Borgström, Astrid Holm and Tore Svennberg. Sweden, 106 minutes. Accompanied by the Matti Bye Ensemble — On New Year’s Eve, the ghostly driver of Death’s carriage visits the alcoholic David Holm, causing him to reflect on the many mistakes of his past life.
My Verdict: This was my first time seeing this haunting, elegant classic in a theater–come to think of it, the SFSFF is frequently where I get to see these classics in their natural habitat! The print was very good and the music atmospheric. And yes, while I was up late the previous night and then up extra early to go to Mass before the showings and had just eaten a big lunch right before settling in to watch a slow Swedish drama accompanied by very meditative live music in the middle of the afternoon, this was no excuse to get remarkably sleepy, no sir.

Showing #21: The Devious Path (1928), starring Brigitte Helm, Gustav Diessl and Hertha von Walther. Germany, 107 minutes. Accompanied by Guenter Buchwald and Frank Bockius — The neglected young wife of a wealthy lawyer begins to seek excitement in Berlin’s wild nightlife, causing her marriage to become increasingly strained.
My Verdict: Helm is not only remarkable in everything, but she looks remarkable in literally any outfit an avant-garde designer could conjure up. The Weimar nightlife setting was a treat for the eyes as well, and to my slight relief the ending wasn’t a pit of despair. Another SFSFF favorite, for me–I recommend it!

Showing #22: The Red Mark (1928), starring Gaston Glass, Nina Quartero and Gustav von Seyffertitz. USA, 80 minutes. Accompanied by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra — A former pickpocket is finally released from a penal colony in the South Seas, but he refuses to return home unless his girl can accompany him. However, the vicious, execution-happy governor of the colony refuses to let her go.
My Verdict: This was a beautifully-photographed film, but the initial hype seemed to promise a far more lurid story than was delivered. You probably wouldn’t even know it was set in the South Seas. I wasn’t familiar with Glass or Quartero, and thought they did a good job especially in the closeups department–I have to say, Quartero looked very much like the love child of Mabel Normand and Shelley Duvall. The ending was a bit abrupt though, and overall the film was a different experience than we were all expecting.

Closing Thoughts:

Image credit: Silentfilm.org.

It was another triumphant festival, and I’m elated that I was able to go! Experiences like this are what life is all about, folks. Once again the prints were beautiful and the music wonderful–a special shoutout to Stephen Horne, Guenter Buchwald and Frank Bockius, who all accompanied multiple films and did fabulous work! Of the showings, I think my favorites–other than the Buster program of course–were:

The Lady (1925),
Hell’s Heroes (1929),
Poker Faces (1926),
The Kid Brother (1927), and
The Devious Path (1928).

The Devious Path.

While I’ll be excited to have the fest return to the beautiful Castro Theatre–as we’re all hoping it will–I really enjoyed the new location. Did I mention there’s a nice view of the Golden Gate bridge from one side? The neighborhood itself was very nice, too. I wouldn’t mind experiencing the SFSFF there again.

…Hold On, I Have A Giveaway!

The SFSFF always puts out a lovely program book with essays and features on all the films, and yours truly got to contribute a feature on Charlie Gemora, “King of the Gorilla Men”! I have an extra book to give away, so if you’d like a chance to have it please comment below and I’ll hold a drawing in the next few days.

A joyful Doug featured on the cover.

Okay, back to “normal life”! Thanks for reading!

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