It is time once again for our centenary retrospective and a look at 1924, an exciting and epic year for cinema!
The Hollywood studio system was in full swing but American films weren’t the only interesting titles available. Germany was pumping out classics, Soviet studios were rebuilding, France was stronger than ever and there were smaller industries releasing impressive titles.
This month, I have chosen a selection of 1924 pictures featuring big names and popular genres, a kind of core sample of what the average moviegoer could expect to see. I have already covered many of the biggest titles of the year:
Lighter Fare
Baby Peggy and Hobart Bosworth pulling heartstrings in Captain January, Constance Talmadge confusing the heck out of Ronald Colman in Her Night of Romance, Harold Lloyd writing the book on romance (even if he’s never had any) in Girl Shy, school days nostalgia in The Hoosier Schoolmaster, and Gloria Swanson as a spunky shop girl in Manhandled.
Action and Excitement
Milton Sills all brawny and vengeful in The Sea Hawk, a great favorite of mine, Douglas Fairbanks in the Arabian Nights epic The Thief of Bagdad, Rex the Wonder Horse saving the day in King of the Wild Horses, medieval French court intrigue and sieges with handheld camera excitement in The Miracle of the Wolves.
Serious Business
The Parisian underworld was a wildly popular topic with Ramon Novarro and Enid Bennett costarring in the intense Red Lily, shell shock and postwar trauma take center stage in the Richard Barthelmess romance The Enchanted Cottage, movieland romance in The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom, prejudice and lust destroy lives in the Yiddish historical production Yizkor.
Let’s Get Arty
Stylish comedy and horror in the Germany anthology Waxworks, body horror takes center stage in The Hands of Orlac, real footage of Captain Scott’s expedition reworked into the documentary The Great White Silence, a biopic of a regency stage legend Kean, and the bizarre and experimental Lion of the Moguls. Finally, probably the most famous film of the year, the groundbreaking science fiction epic Aelita Queen of Mars.
Phew! Lots of great movies already reviews and, I hope, more quality titles to come. Enjoy!
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Movies Silently 
There are so many good ones listed. It looks like 1924 was a very exciting year for movies.
It was indeed!
I just watched Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last. Always good for a laugh.
Good to hear!
The Thief of Bagdad was one of my earliest favorites when I started watching silent movies. Aelita sounds interesting; a large proportion of my followers are science fiction fans, so maybe I should consider it for a future show. Thanks for always listing lots of interesting movies.
Glad you enjoyed!