Next up: 'Risky Business' (1925) on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine

Outside Brandon Town Hall on Saturday, Sept. 12 prior to accompanying 'Spies' (1928).

This week, I accompany 'Risky Business' (1925) in Ogunquit, Maine, Buster Keaton's 'Seven Chances' (1925) in Plymouth, N.H., and then—a new one for me—Abel Gance's 'J'Accuse!' (1919) in Wilton, N.H.

The press release for 'Risky Business' is below. It's a nifty comedy that holds up well, I think. So if you're anywhere close to Ogunquit, Maine, I hope you'll join us at the Leavitt Theatre, which continues to celebrate its 100th season.

This past weekend's adventures included accompanying 'Spies' (1928), Fritz Lang's sprawling espionage epic, on Friday night in Brandon, Vt. 

It's the 14th season we've been screening silent films with live music in the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, and the audiences keep on coming!

It's the longevity of the series that prompted me to program 'Spies' this year. I told Friday night's audience that 'Spies' wouldn't work if we hadn't been "training" ourselves for the past 14 years, which got a nice laugh.

The film lends itself to some big musical gestures. Although all went well, it's become increasingly clear that my trusty Roland speakers are no longer up to the task. After dragging them all over creation for nearly 20 years, they've just about had it.  

They can no longer carry bass notes without fluttering, and notes in the treble range don't sound as smooth as they used to. 

So time to get new speakers! Hope to have them in hand prior to hauling out to Pittsburgh next month, when I'll accompany 'The Big Parade' (1925) as part of the Pittsburgh Silent Film Festival.

Speakers weren't a problem this past Saturday at the Harvard Film Archive, where I played the house grand piano for Yasujiro Ozu's 'I Was Born, But...' (1932).

Some of the young cast members in 'I Was Born, But...' (1932).

The piano (I forget the make) had just been tuned that week, and was a dream to play! I hadn't been asked to do music for any HFA programs in quite some time, so it was great to be back.

The screening made use of the archive's own 35mm print, which led to the screening's only mishap.

At the very end of the movie, with maybe less than a minute of footage left, the screen just went dark. 

Just black. No warning, no nothing.

I knew we were very close to the end, and I was already winding up the music so it would come to a stop in a very light and elegant way.

So when the screen went blank, I assumed the print was missing the last few feet, which sometimes happens. I kept the music going for just a bit, but then artfully climbed to the keyboard's upper registers, bringing the score to a halt.

This was followed by a generous ovation from those in attendance. I found myself waiting for house lights to come up so I could acknowledge it.

But the lights stayed off, and the applause was starting to die down—and then the film started up again!

So we got the final minute, and once again I climbed the keyboard to attempt an elegant finish, Take 2.\

Later I was told the print was riddled with splices, but that it had held until the last possible minute, when it jumped the sprockets.

There was another strange mishap right at the start, when something happened that I'd never experienced before.

The HFA's house piano light was attached over the keyboard. Just 15 seconds into the film, the spring-loaded clip let go, causing the lamp to be catapulted into the darkness somewhere off to my right.

Fortunately, I had my junky old brass piano light was standing by on the other side of the keyboard. 

So I just reached over and switched that on,  and away we went.

Shortly after, an audience member brought the errant light back to the keyboard. I was still working, so now it became the back-up.

Final note: I often open up piano benches because you never know what you'll find. At the HFA, the bench was clearly weighed down by something with substantial heft to it.

Inside I found...two copies of the 2007 Greater Boston Yellow Pages, each as big as 

So if you're ever attending a Harvard Film Archive screening and need to look up a good plumber, I know just what you should do.

Okay, onward to 'Risky Business' (1925) at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine. Press release below. Hope to see you there!

*     *     * 

An original lobby card promoting 'Risky Business' (1925).

TUESDAY, AUG. 26, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Risky Business' to screen in Ogunquit—but NOT the version starring Tom Cruise

Leavitt Theatre celebrates 100th season by screening vintage 1925 silent comedy 'Risky Business' with live music on Wednesday, Sept. 17

OGUNQUIT, Maine—It's not the 1980s version with Tom Cruise, but a 1925 comedy/drama about a rich socialite in love with a poor country doctor.

It's 'Risky Business,' starring 1920s starlets Vera Reynolds and Zasu Pitts, to be screened on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Route 1 in Ogunquit, Maine.

The screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating scores for silent films.

Tickets are $15 general admission and available at the door.

The Leavitt is celebrating its 100th anniversary, having served the community continuously since 1925. To honor this long record, the venue has programmed a season of vintage silent movie classics from 1925 with live music.

The series gives area film fans a chance to see movies from the pioneering days of cinema as they were intended to be shown—on the big screen, with an audience, and accompanied by live music.

"Put the whole experience back together, and you can see why people first fell in love with the movies," Rapsis said.

In 'Risky Business,' widowed Mrs. Stoughton wants a good match for her only daughter, Cecily, for whom she's chosen the rich and debonair Richard Coults-Browne. 

Cecily, however, only has eyes for the handsome and compassionate country doctor Ted Pyncheon. 

When Cecily announces her engagement to the doctor, her mother still believes she knows best—and decides a taste of country life is just the medicine to bring her little girl back around to her way of thinking.

Vera Reynolds started in movies as a Bathing Beauty for Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios, and starred in a number of short films before appearing in features such as 'Prodigal Daughters' (1923), directed by Sam Wood, and Cecil B. DeMille's 'Feet of Clay' (1924).

Zasu Pitts began her career on the stage; she was a notable comic actress in movies during the silent and talkie eras, and best known for her roles in 'Better Times' (1919) and for an unusual dramatic role in Erich Von Stroheim's epic 'Greed' (1924). She continued to appear in films into the 1960s, with a bit part in 'It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.' (1963).

Alan Hale was both a director and a prolific character actor who worked in silents and early talkies. His notable roles include Little John in 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (1938) and Danger in 'It Happened One Night' (1934). His son, actor Alan Hale Jr., played the Skipper in the 1960s television sitcom 'Gilligan's Island.'

'Risky Business' was released by Cecil B. DeMille's Producers Distributing Corporation.

Following 'Risky Business' on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m., other programs in this year's Leavitt silent film series include:

• Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Phantom of the Opera" (1925). Long before Andrew Lloyd Webber created the hit stage musical, this silent film adaptation starring Lon Chaney helped place 'Phantom' firmly in the pantheon of both horror and romance. See it if you dare!

See the original silent comedy/drama 'Risky Business' (1925), to be shown with live music by Jeff Rapsis on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123; admission is $15 per person, general seating. For more information, visit www.leavittheatre.com.