Tillie’s Punctured Romance is a 1914 American silent comedy film directed by Mack Sennett and starring Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand, Charlie Chaplin, and the Keystone Cops. The picture is the first feature-length comedy and was the only feature-length comedy made by the Keystone Film Company. At the time of production Marie Dressler was a major stage star, and in this… Read more →
So This Is Paris is a 1926 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by Warner Bros. and directed by Ernst Lubitsch. It is based on the 1872 stage play Le Reveillon by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. It stars Monte Blue and Patsy Ruth Miller. The film is preserved in many archival holdings including the Library of Congress and… Read more →
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is a 1964 science fiction film that regularly appears on lists of the worst films ever made. It is regularly featured in the “bottom 100” list on the Internet Movie Database, and was featured in an episode of the 1986 syndicated series, the Canned Film Festival. It was directed by Nicholas Webster, and it stars… Read more →
The Navigator is a 1924 American comedy film directed by and starring Buster Keaton. The film was written by Clyde Bruckman and co-directed by Donald Crisp. In 2018, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Buy a subscription to watch this movie… Read more →
Tango Tangles is a 1914 American-made film comedy short starring Charles Chaplin and Roscoe Arbuckle. Chaplin appears with no moustache. The action takes place in a dance hall, with a drunken Chaplin, Ford Sterling, and the huge, menacing, and acrobatic Arbuckle fighting over a girl. The supporting cast also features Chester Conklin and Minta Durfee. The picture was written, directed… Read more →
Seven Chances is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by and starring Buster Keaton, based on the play of the same name by Roi Cooper Megrue, produced in 1916 by David Belasco. Additional cast members include T. Roy Barnes, Snitz Edwards, and Ruth Dwyer. Jean Arthur, a future star, has an uncredited supporting role. The film’s opening scenes were… Read more →
Making a Living is the first film starring Charlie Chaplin. It premiered on February 2, 1914. Chaplin plays Edgar English, a lady-charming swindler who runs afoul of the Keystone Kops. It was written and directed by Henry Lehrman. By Henry Lehman (YouTube) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Buy a subscription to watch this movie and hundreds more: Ready to watch?… Read more →
Kid Auto Races at Venice is a 1914 American film starring Charles Chaplin in which his “Little Tramp” character makes his first appearance in a film exhibited before the public. The first film to be produced that featured the character was actually Mabel’s Strange Predicament; it was shot a few days before Kid Auto Races but released two days after… Read more →
Hot Water is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor and starring Harold Lloyd. Directed by Fred Newmeyer and Sam Taylor, it features three episodes in the life of Hubby (Lloyd) as he struggles with domestic life with Wifey (Jobyna Ralston) and his in-laws. Plot: Episodic in nature (effectively three short films merged… Read more →
The Cocoanuts is a 1929 pre-Code musical comedy film starring the Marx Brothers (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo). Produced for Paramount Pictures by Walter Wanger. On January 1, 2025, The Cocoanuts entered the public domain. As was common in the early days of sound film, to eliminate the sound of the camera motors, the cameras and the cameramen were enclosed… Read more →
