Alas, there's no silent film equivalent of 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946), the Christmastime classic starring Jimmy Stewart and directed by Frank Capra.
But there are some films from a century ago that make use of the holiday setting to good effect.
For comedy, there's Charley Chase in 'There Ain't No Santa Claus' (1926), or Laurel & Hardy trying to sell Christmas trees door to door in 'Big Business' (1929).
For drama, there's Tod Browning's 'The Unholy Three' (1925), an extremely twisted Lon Chaney crime thriller made all the more twisted by taking place at Christmas.
On Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H., we'll take a peek at a selection of holiday-themed films from the silent era to see what people were watching before 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' mesmerized us all starting in 1964.
Call it a program of "B.R." cinema. (That's "Before Rudolph.") And yes, it includes such oddities as early short versions of 'A Christmas Carol' and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' as well as a Mary Pickford drama with a heart-warming holiday ending.
It's a great way to take a break from the hectic holiday season and look at things a little differently. More info in the press release below. In the meantime, Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all, and to all a good silent night!
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Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com
'Christmas Past' silent film program at Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 14
Celebrate the season with family-friendly holiday classics from a century ago, brought to life with live musical accompaniment
WILTON, N.H.—What did people watch before special holiday TV programs such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" made their debut in the 1960s?
See for yourself with a special program of holiday classics from way back during the silent film era, all accompanied by live music.
Included will be the first-ever film versions of such popular tales as 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' the poem by Clement C. Moore; each are more than a century old and less than 10 minutes long.
The family-friendly program will be presented on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.
Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who performs regularly at screenings around the nation.
The program will be highlighted by a screening of 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922), a full-length drama starring Mary Pickford that features a special Christmas-oriented ending.
"Even in the early days of cinema, the movies helped popularize classic holiday stories," Rapsis said. "So it's a real treat for us to turn back the clock and see where the tradition of holiday movies and TV specials first began."
The program will include the first known movie versions of 'A Christmas Carol' (1910) and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' (1905).
The films each run less than 10 minutes long and were both produced as novelties by Thomas Edison, the inventor credited with pioneering the motion picture.
'Tess of the Storm County' (1922), a full-length feature, has been hailed as among Mary Pickford's best pictures.
The film tells a story of conflict between residents of a poor fishing village who live near the estate of a wealthy family.
As the feisty daughter of a village leader who is unjustly put in jail, Pickford plays a key role in a melodramatic plot that takes many surprising turns.
Pickford, a pioneering film superstar, was a major force in early Hollywood, helping establish the United Artists studio and serving as a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the annual Oscar awards.
However, Pickford's films receive comparatively little attention today, in part due to the myth that Pickford often played wholesome and traditional female characters that conformed with society's expectations at the time.
In truth, Pickford's best movies often featured her in roles that required her to take action, challenge authority, and play strong roles uncommon for a woman of the era.
The "Christmas Past" Program at the Town Hall Theatre will give local audiences a chance to experience silent film as it was meant to be seen—on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.
"All those elements are important parts of the silent film experience," said Rapsis, who improvises a movie's musical score live as it screens. "Recreate those conditions, and the classics of early Hollywood leap back to life in ways that can still move audiences today."
Rapsis performs on a digital keyboard that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.
Critics review 'Tess of the Storm Country':
"The most insistently moving picture ever made, its climax is the most stunning visual event ever arranged for a film comedy."
—The New York Times
"The reason to watch is Pickford's elfin grace; she is at her criminally cutest here. Tess boasts rapturous pictorialism and an all-stops-out-climax."
—Richard Corliss, Film Comment
A 'Christmas Past' silent film program featuring Mary Pickford in 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922) will be shown at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.
