Theme Month! April 2016: Director-Stars

Theme Month by Movies Silently

This month is going to be all about the silent stars who also wore the director’s hat. These talented women and men took on two challenging jobs and emerged with some first class entertainment.

Before I get started, though, I wanted to thank everyone who took part in submitting ideas for the Reader Request Month. I really appreciate your feedback and enjoyed reviewing your selections. If your idea wasn’t chosen, just know that I truly appreciate your taking the time the participate and your films may very well show up in the future.

Now, on to the director-stars!

immigrant-spying

First, the ground rules:

  1. The director has to have a major role in the film, I’m not talking about Hitchcock-ish cameos. They have to either be the main character or have a meaty supporting role.

  2. Ladies first! This theme month is going to focus on women as much as possible. The female directors of the silent era are often neglected by history. We get a mention of Alice Guy, Lois Weber and then off to talking about more men, tra-la-la-la. Not this time!

  3. The direction has to be either credited or widely acknowledged. For example, there is some evidence that Nazimova directed Camille but it is not confirmed and so it doesn’t count.

My plan is to blend famous films and actor-directors with obscure and forgotten talent.

Review 1: Marion Wong in The Curse of Quon Gwon

The earliest surviving Chinese-American film was written by and starred a woman.

Review 2: Margery Wilson and William S. Hart in The Return of Draw Egan

William S. Hart directs and stars but his leading lady, Margery Wilson, was also known to pick up the megaphone.

Review 3: Mabel Normand in Mabel at the Wheel

Normand was very young when she directed this comedy but she knocks it out of the park– despite some problems with leading man Charlie Chaplin.

Review 4: Lois Weber in Suspense

A perfectly brilliant film that takes its title and distills it to its purest form.

15 Comments

  1. Karen Snow

    I’m guess Nell Shipman is going to make an appearance ! There’s wonderful background on her in cinematographer Joseph August’s terrific book “The Light On Her Face”.

  4. Marie Roget

    Please do keep Gauntier in mind for future posts if she doesn’t make an appearance this time around. Dorothy Arzner is another favorite that I’m betting does make the cut- she’s fondly known around these parts as Suit’nTie Gal (that famous photo).

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