1924-25
Greed (Dec 1924 – Director: Erich von Stroheim)
Nominees: The Gold Rush (June 1925), The Navigator (Oct 1924), Seven Chances (March 1925), HE Who Gets Slapped (Nov 1924), Strike (April 1925)Greed has been called the greatest film never seen. By demand of the studio, Stroheim took his initial 9 or 10-hour film, cut it down to about 6, after which it was taken out of his hands and whittled away to a mere 2 + hours. In 1991, using still pictures to fill out what was lost –the stories contrasting subplots and supporting characters are restored, lengthening the picture to over 4 hours. It’s a mess, but even in this mangled form, a masterpiece emerges. Stroheim’s tale of soul-crushing avarice is still powerhouse cinema.
Actor Gibson Gowland as McTeague is an impressive figure, a brick of a man with a shock of curly hair. He has a magnetic screen personality that would have carried the movie whether it was 4, 6 or 10 hours long. He’s aided by Zasu Pitts, playing his wife who wins the lottery that set this tragic tale into motion. With these performances, a strong story and notable camera work, which included hand tinted gold objects popping up on the screen from time to time, Greed stands as the years best in whatever form it takes.
The film year also offered up other significant nominees. From Buster Keaton’s brilliant Navigator and 7 Chances to Chaplin’s benchmark, the Gold Rush. Victor Sjöström was also in the mix with the acclaimed Lon Chaney film HE Who Gets Slapped. And there was Eisenstein's stylized, experimental debut, Strike.
Acting note: In support I also liked Harry Earles in The Unholy 3.
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Honorable Mentions:
Lon Chaney, HE Who Gets Slapped & The Unholy 3 * Buster Keaton, The Navigator & 7 Chances * Conrad Veidt, The Hands of Orlac * Charles Chaplin, The Gold Rush * Jean Forest, Faces of Children * Ivan Mosjoukine, The Late Mathias Pascal
Supporting Actor: Jean Hersholt, Greed (pictured left)
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Honorable Mentions: Enid Bennett, The Red Lily * Elisabeth Bergner, Husbands or Lovers * Betty Bronson, Peter Pan * Greta Garbo & Asta Nielsen, Joyless Street * Yuliya Solntseva, The Cigarette Girl of Mosselprom * Arlette Peyran, Faces of Children * Constance Talmadge, Her Night of Romance * Mae Busch, The Unholy 3
Supporting Actress: Lois Moran, The Late Mathias Pascal (left)
1925-26
Battleship Potemkin (Dec 1925 – Director: Sergei Eisenstein)
Nominees: The Freshman (Sept 1925), Go West (Nov 1925), The Black Pirate (March 1926), The Adventures of Prince Achmed (July 1926), Ben Hur (Dec 1925), Les Misérables (Nov-Jan 1925-26)Eisenstein’s editing style changed the way movies looked and Potemkin will forever be linked to its textbook examples of montage. The way he cut from action, reaction and closeup was influential and the main focus of discussion on the movie. But Potemkin was also an early example of realism. Film had been magical and theatrical, now it would rip away the gloss and greasepaint and show humans and the human condition, warts and all. A prime example of that: The famous Odessa step sequence, remains one of filmdom's most powerful moments. It’s interesting to note that this story was touting its support for communism, it was a desperate cry for a break from tyranny - and knowing how that cry will eventually turn to tears itself, adds to the haunting nature of the movie when viewed today.
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Honorable Mentions:
Lon Chaney, The Phantom of the Opera * Emil Jannings, Variety * Harold Lloyd, The Freshman * Ronald Colman, Lady Windermere's Fan * Douglas Fairbanks, The Black Pirate * Gabriel Gabrio, Les Misérables
Supporting Actor: Gustav von Seyffertitz, Sparrows
Honorable Mentions:
Irene Rich, Lady Windermere's Fan * Lya de Putti, Variety & Manon Lescaut * Sandra Milovanoff and Suzanne Nivette, Les Misérable * Renée Adorée, The Big Parade * Jobyna Ralston, The Freshman * Belle Bennett, Stella Dallas * Dorothy Gish, Nell Gwyn
Supporting Actress: Andrée Rolane, Les Misérables
1926-27
Metropolis (Jan 1927 – Director: Fritz Lang)
Nominees: The General (Dec 1926), A Page of Madness (Sept 1926), Napoleon (April 1927), Mother (Oct 1926), The Kid Brother (Jan 1927), The Lodger (Feb 1927), The Unknown (June 1927), 3 Bad Men (Aug 1926), The Scarlet Letter (Aug 1926)Choosing anything other than my beloved The General. seemed an impossibility as it was so much a treasured part of my film-going life. I wrote about it in detail here... letterboxd.com/the-general. But Lang's mixture of social commentary with science fiction was such groundbreaking alchemy, so a brilliant and breathless an innovation, that I couldn't select anything except Metropolis. However, it wasn't until the 2010 restoration that I felt like I actually got to see the film the way it was meant to be seen. (for the most part)
It was the first great full-length sci-fi feature, and it looks incredible: The cinematography, the edits, the effects, and design... it's German expressionism at it's best. It made me think, it moved me and left me awestruck. It's Fritz Lang's greatest achievement (and that's saying a lot).
Keaton's classic then takes the #2 spot by the slimmest of margins. #3 is Abel Gance’s innovative biopic, Napoleon; Among its dazzling visuals - in its final scenes it used a precursor to cinemascope, called Polyvision. After that: Mother is an intimate kin to battleship Potempkin, a realistic Russian film about socio/political issues. The Kid Brother was a Harold Lloyd comedy, and the Lodger was where Hitchcock became Hitchcock,
June 2016: I've since watched and added the brilliantly strange A Page of Madness
As for the actors, Chaney was phenomenal in Tod Browning's The Unknown, but it's time to award my favorite silent clown in one of his most iconic roles.
Best Actor: Buster Keaton, The GeneralHonorable Mentions:
Lon Chaney, The Unknown * Harold Lloyd, The Kid Brother * Harry Langdon, The Strong Man * John Gilbert, Flesh and the Devil & Bardelys the Magnificent * Nikolai Batalov & Vladimir Fogel, Bed and Sofa * Emil Jannings, Faust
Supporting Actor: Lon Chaney, Tell It to the Marines
Honorable Mentions:
Lyudmila Semyonova, Bed and Sofa * Olive Borden, 3 Bad Men * Greta Garbo, Flesh and the Devil * Clara Bow, It * Pola Negri, Hotel Imperial * Marion Davies, The Red Mill * Jobyna Ralston, The Kid Brother * Lillian Gish, The Scarlet Letter
Supporting Actress: Vera Baranovskay, Mother
* Note on Phantom of the Opera - The release date was tough to pinpoint because the film was re-shot and previewed so many times... in L.A. Jan 1925. In San Francisco April 1925, with a new ending and other footage. Still unhappy with it, the producer scrapped most of the new scenes (but kept the ending) and added some comedic relief. Another unsatisfying showing saw that material ditched as well. After some tweaks the film finally premiered on September 6, 1925, to great acclaim)
Up next: Felix vs. Oscar!
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