Mabel's Blunder - 1914 ***

I thought it would be interesting to see this advert for the film from 1914 in the theatre!
By the time Mabel had starred in this she had been in over 80 movies but only acting for 4 years. That's a heck of a lot of acting to fit into a short time.
She also directed this movie and you can tell because it has a mischievous glint to it. Towards the end I was laughing out loud. Am very grateful that the archives saved this from a certain demise.

Foolish Wives - 1922 ***

If this film had been about half the length I really would have given it higher marks, because I found it a thrilling glimpse into 1920s silent film. However I'll be honest, my mind was drifting by the time I was 3/4 through. Von Stroheim is a master of his art, and the way he directed and starred in this made me desperate to see more of his work. It was incredibly refreshing to see how his characters interacted with each other and to see the passion in their faces as they performed. Interesting film of it's time.

The Smiling Madame Beudet - 1922 ***

A little known silent film from 1922, Madame Beudet's agonising look of despair and rejection speaks through decades of film. Trapped in a marriage with a selfish and stifling man who cares nothing for his wife's pursuits or interests and instead tries to smother her with his own problems she has hallucinations and recurring nightmares that she cannot escape.

An interesting 'feminist' film, and short enough to fit into an hour's break.