Coming up: 3 library screenings of 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) for 2026 Banned Books Week

A lobby card promoting 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) starring Lillian Gish.

You wouldn't think 'Banned Books Week' offers much in the way of silent film accompaniment opportunities.

But ah, there you'd be wrong. 

Before tackling that topic, here's a brief report from this year's Silent Movie Day, which was celebrated on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026.

To celebrate the occasion, I was honored to provide live accompaniment for a new version of 'Sunrise' (1927) screened that evening at the legendary Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, Mass.

A nearly full house responded strongly to this film, which stands as a high point of silent cinema and serves as a great introduction the form. 

View from the keyboard: the Brattle's Ned Hinkle addresses the audience prior to 'Sunrise' (1927).

And that's a good thing, because prior to the screening, the Brattle's Ned Hinkle polled attendees and found a significant portion had never seen 'Sunrise' before.

I had some good material to work with, and was pleased with how the score came together, with a mix of tender passages and big dramatic moments. Comments afterwards included several comparisons to Bernard Herrmann, which I took as a compliment. Hey, I steal from the best! 

The one part that didn't go well was my introduction, which opened with a comment on the irony of screening 'Sunrise' at dusk, which prompted absolutely no reaction. Tough audience! 

But response to the film was immediate and generous throughout the screening. And funny! I've never heard such laughter at some of the light-hearted city sequences. (Maybe my earlier joke about dusk set the bar so low that anything would seem hilarious in comparison.)

I was especially impressed with the reaction to the scene at the restaurant table where Murnau evokes a dreamy visual fantasy world shared by the man and woman, but which is interrupted by the appearance of a waiter. At the Brattle screening, this little sequence produced gales of laughter! 

Many thanks to Ned and everyone at the Brattle for their continuing commitment to Silent Movie Day and to the experience of silent cinema and live music.

Lillian Gish starts in MGM's 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926).

Okay, back to Banned Books Week. Turns out librarians everywhere are on the lookout for creative programming ideas for what can be a challenging topic.

Silent film to the rescue!

Why not screen silent film adaptations of literary works that have been subject to bans and restrictions? It's a way to draw a crowd, and also call attention to the timeless nature of censorship.

Thus do I find myself accompanying three separate screenings of 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926), the big-budget MGM production starring Lillian Gish as Hester Prynne.

Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1850 novel, which deals openly with adultery, has been subjected to all manner of restrictions since it was first published. 

At MGM, studio boss Louis B. Mayer regarded the story as too controversial to be made into a motion picture until Lillian Gish used her star power to push the project through.

So, in honor of 2026 Banned Books Week (which runs from Oct. 4 to Oct 10), I'm accompanying the film at the following libraries. Each of the screenings is free and open to the public.

• Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, 6 p.m.: "The Scarlet Letter" (1926) starring Lillian Gish; Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., Nashua, N.H.; (603) 589-4600; https://nashualibrary.org/. Free and open to the public.    

• Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, 6 p.m.: "The Scarlet Letter" (1926) starring Lillian Gish; Moultonborough Public Library, 4 Holland St., Moultonborough, N.H.; (603) 476-8895.  Free and open to the public; attendees are asked to register in advance at moultonboroughlibrary.org.    

• Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026, 6 p.m.: "The Scarlet Letter" (1926) starring Lillian Gish; Plymouth Public Library, 132 South St., Plymouth, Mass.; (508) 830-4250. Free and open to the public.

Comedic courting rituals as depicted in 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926).

I'll observe that one remarkable aspect of the MGM silent film version of 'The Scarlet Letter' is its comical treatment of Puritan life, at least as the film opens. We get treated to scenes of ridiculous courting rituals that are clearly aimed to produce laughter.

This was part of the "look how far we've come" factor that shows up so much in early cinema. Again and again, you see films made in the all-knowing Roaring '20s poking gentle fun at past times. It's prevalent in films as diverse as Buster Keaton's 'Our Hospitality' (1923) and 'The Iron Horse' (1924).

This is an element of silent cinema that doesn't immediately translate to today's audiences, and something that I would like to explore when there's more time to pull some thoughts together.

But for now, I hope you'll join me to mark Banned Books Week 2026 with a screening of 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) in your choice of three libraries. Details about the Nashua screening are in the press release below. See you at the library! 

*     *     * 

A poster promoting 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) starring Lillian Gish.

MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Nashua Public Library to screen 1926 silent film version of 'The Scarlet Letter' on Thursday, Oct. 1

Early adaptation of Nathanial Hawthorne classic tale of old New England features Lillian Gish in lead role; shown with live music to mark Banned Books Week 

NASHUA, N.H.— It was a picture that MGM studio boss Louis B. Mayer didn't want to make, fearing the scandalous story of adultery in old New England would offend the movie-going public.

But silent screen star Lillian Gish, then at the height of her fame, insisted that 'The Scarlet Letter' by Nathaniel Hawthorne would be her next film.

Gish prevailed, and the result was MGM's splashy big budget adaptation of a classic literary tale anchored by Gish's landmark performance as Hester Prynne.

See it for yourself when 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) will be shown with live music on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., Nashua, N.H.

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

Admission is free. The screening is being held to honor this year's upcoming Banned Books Week' (Oct. 4-10), an annual event that celebrates the freedom to read and shines a spotlight on the harms of censorship.

'The Scarlet Letter' has been banned or challenged at various times because critics accused it of promoting immorality, obscenity, and pornography due to its plot about adultery.

Adapted from Hawthorne's 1850 classic novel set in the Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony from 1642 to 1649, 'The Scarlet Letter' featured Lillian Gish in the leading role as Hester Prynne. 

A vintage trade publication ad for 'The Scarlet Letter' which makes good use of spot color.

Hester is married to Roger Prynne, whom she does not love. During her husband's long absence she walks in the woods with her pastor, the Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, and they soon fall in love.

When a child is born to her, she is condemned to wear upon her breast the brand of Adulteress and is shunned when she refuses to divulge the name of the child's father.

The situation leads to a shattering climax in which a community is forced to confront its own hypocrisy and double standards.

'The Scarlet Letter' was directed by Victor Seastrom, a Swedish filmmaker brought to Hollywood by MGM.

Seastrom's talent for memorable visuals is evident throughout 'The Scarlet Letter.'

Film critic Paul Malcolm observed that “early in the film Gish, as Prynne, loses her bonnet chasing a songbird through a summer glade. When the wind catches her waist-long tresses, Gish appears for an instant as if she had stepped into a painting by Botticelli."

 The film was the second that Gish made under her contract with MGM and a departure from the ingénue roles she had performed in service to director D.W. Griffith. 

Her first MGM picture was an adaption of 'La Bohème' with co-star John Gilbert, in which she played the pathetic consumptive Mimi.

Although 'The Scarlet Letter' cost MGM nearly $500,000 to make, it proved a solid box office hit, earning a profit of just under $300,000.

The silent film version of 'The Scarlet Letter' (1926) will be screened with live music on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. at the Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., Nashua, N.H.

Admission is free; for more information, call the library at (603) 589-4600.

Up this week: 'Beau Geste' in Maine, Harold Lloyd in Vermont, and Theda Bara in N.H., and more!

Ralph Forbes, Ronald Colman, and Neil Hamilton star in 'Beau Geste' (1926).

Welcome to September! Four screenings in four different states are the silent film adventures coming up for me in the next week.

The line-up includes...

• On Wednesday, Sept. 9, I'll accompany the original silent film version of 'Beau Geste' (1926) at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine. Showtime is 7 p.m.; tickets are $18 per person. Lots more info about the screening and the film in the press release that's pasted in below.

• On Saturday, Sept. 12, I'll haul myself up to Brandon, Vt., where this month's entry in our ongoing silent film series is Harold Lloyd's rarely screening domestic comedy 'Hot Water' (1924). Showtime is 7 p.m.; admission is free, donations accepted.

• On Sunday, Sept. 13, it's 'A Fool There Was' (1915), my first-ever Theda Bara film, at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. Screening is at 2 p.m.; free with donations accepted at this one, too.

• And then on Wednesday, Sept. 16, I'm heading down to Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., where I'll accompany several silent films as part of a cinema class. Sorry, not open to the public! 

Here's more info about 'Beau Geste' (1926), which is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its release. Hope you can make it out to the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine to take in this picture the way it was intended to be seen: in a theater, on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience!

*     *     * 

Promotional art for the original silent film version of 'Beau Geste' (1926).

MONDAY, AUG. 31, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Restored 'Beau Geste' to screen with live music on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Leavitt Theatre

Public welcome! Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the original 'Beau Geste,' one of the silent era's top grossing adventure films

OGUNQUIT, Maine— It was the blockbuster film that ignited a public craze for desert adventure stories and helped launch Ronald Colman and William Powell to cinematic stardom.

It was the original silent film version of 'Beau Geste' (1926), released 100 years ago. Audiences flocked cinemas for the film's gripping story, terrific performances, and exotic locales.

See for yourself with a screening of 'Beau Geste' (1926) on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Ogunquit.

The screening, the latest in the Leavitt's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

General admission is $18 per person. 

The Leavitt is celebrating its 101st anniversary, having served the community continuously since 1925.

"If you've never seen a silent film in a theater with an audience and live music, you're missing one of the cinema's great experiences," said Rapsis, the Leavitt Theatre's silent film accompanist.

In 'Beau Geste' (1926), three tight-knit English brothers run off to join the French Foreign Legion in Algeria after a family heirloom goes missing. 

Expecting high adventure, they instead find themselves fighting for their lives in the middle of the Sahara—against their fellow legionnaires.

Produced by Paramount, the film was based on a popular 1924 novel by Percival Christopher Wren, a British writer of adventure stories.

Ralph Forbes with Ronald Colman in 'Beau Geste' (1926).

The film stars future Oscar-winner Ronald Colman in the title role as Michael "Beau" Geste. 

The cast also includes William Powell (who would later star in the popular 'Thin Man' mystery series) and young actor Neil Hamilton, a native of Lynn, Mass. who would much later play Commissioner Gordon in the 1960s Batman television series.

The production was to be made on location in Algeria, but the ongoing Rif War prohibited filming. It was shot instead in the desert southwest of Yuma, Ariz.

Beau Geste took in $1.5 million at the box office, an enormous sum at the time, making it the year's third highest grossing film, behind only Fox's war drama 'What Price Glory?' and 'The Black Pirate' starring Douglas Fairbanks.

Released before the advent of the Academy Awards, 'Beau Geste' won the Photoplay Medal of Honor, one of the industry's first awards recognizing the best picture of the year.

A Toronto Film Society article stated, 'Beau Geste' is the archetype of the Foreign Legion movie—a carefully produced, enjoyable adventure yarn with an intriguing element of mystery. Melodrama and sentiment are handled with discretion and, at times, with an engaging sense of humor."

Promotional poster for 'Beau Geste' (1926). 

The original 'Beau Geste' was so popular, it inspired several remakes: one in 1939 starring Gary Cooper, and another in 1966. Later, British comic Marty Feldman spoofed the desert adventure genre with 'The Last Remake of Beau Geste' (1977).

The screening of 'Beau Geste' will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations.

Rapsis will create the accompaniment on the spot, improvising music as the movie unfolds to enhance the action on the screen as well respond to audience reactions. He will perform the music on a digital synthesizer capable of producing a wide range of theatre organ and orchestral textures.

"Live music was an integral part of the silent film experience," Rapsis said. "Because most films at the time weren't released with sheet music or scores, studios depended on local musicians to come up with an effective score that was different in every theater."

"At its best, this approach created an energy and a connection that added a great deal to a film's impact. That's what I try to recreate," Rapsis said.

The original silent film version of 'Beau Geste' (1926) will be screened with live music on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 2 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Ogunquit.

General admission is $18 per person. For more info, visit www.leavittheatre.com.

Marking the 100th anniversary of Valentino's untimely death—but first, Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' at Flying Monkey in Plymouth, N.H. on Thursday, 8/13

Vilma Banky and Rudolph Valentino in 'The Son of the Sheik' (1926).

This month marks the 100th anniversary of the untimely death of silent screen icon Rudolph Valentino, who passed away on Aug. 23, 1926 at age 31.

This past Sunday, I accompanied the first of several screenings this month of 'The Son of the Sheik' (1926), Valentino's last film. I'm actually be doing it twice this weekend: on Saturday night in Brandon, Vt., and then on Sunday afternoon in Somerville, Mass.

(See the "Upcoming Silent Film Screenings" page for more details.) 

But before that, it's up to Plymouth, N.H. to accompany Buster Keaton's great comedy 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' (1928), which is being screened on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center.

Yes, this is the one where the side of a two-story house falls onto Buster, but he survive unhurt thanks to a strategically placed upper window.

More details about the screening and the film are in a press release below. See you at the movies!

*     *     *

Original promotional art for Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill Jr.'

WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Buster Keaton's 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' to screen on Thursday, Aug. 13 at Flying Monkey

Public welcome! Family-friendly classic silent film comedy to be shown with live music at historic venue in downtown Plymouth, N.H.

PLYMOUTH, N.H.— He never smiled on camera, earning him the nickname of "the Great Stone Face." But Buster Keaton's comedies rocked Hollywood's silent era with laughter throughout the 1920s.

See for yourself with a screening of 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' (1928), one of Keaton's landmark movies, on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

The screening, the latest in the Flying Monkey's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

General admission is $15 per person. Tickets may be purchased online at www.flyingmonkeynh.com or at the door.

The show is intended to give area movie-goers the opportunity to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

Buster Keaton and Ernest Torrence as son and father in 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.'

In 'Steamboat Bill Jr.,' Buster plays the bumbling son of a gruff riverboat captain. When a rival brings a newer boat to the river, the family is forced to face competition, just as Buster is forced to ride out a cyclone threatening to destroy the community.

Can Buster save the day and win the hand of his girlfriend, who happens to be the daughter of his father's business rival?

The film includes the famous shot of an entire building front collapsing on Keaton, who is miraculously spared by a conveniently placed second-story window.

Keaton, who grew up performing with the family vaudeville act, was known for never smiling on camera, an important element of his comic identity. A trained acrobat who learned at an early age how to take falls, Keaton did all his own stunts on camera in the era before post-production special effects.

Buster braves the coming storm in 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' 

Critics continue to hail Keaton’s timeless comedy as well as his intuitive filmmaking genius. In 2002, Roger Ebert wrote of Keaton that “in an extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, he worked without interruption on a series of films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies.”

Keaton, who never attended school, did not think of himself as an artist but as an entertainer using the new medium of motion pictures to tell stories and create laughter.

The screening of 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent film presentations.

Rapsis will create the accompaniment on the spot, improvising music as the movie unfolds to enhance the action on the screen as well respond to audience reactions. He will perform the music on a digital synthesizer capable of producing a wide range of theatre organ and orchestral textures.

"Live music was an integral part of the silent film experience," Rapsis said. "Because most films at the time weren't released with sheet music or scores, studios depended on local musicians to come up with an effective score that was different in every theater. At its best, this approach created an energy and a connection that added a great deal to a film's impact. That's what I try to recreate," Rapsis said.

Buster Keaton's classic comedy 'Steamboat Bill Jr.' (1928) will be screened with live music on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, N.H.

General admission is $15 per person. Tickets may be purchased online at www.flyingmonkeynh.com or at the door. For more info, contact the Flying Monkey box office at (603) 536-2551.

 

Ernest Torrence and Buster Keaton in 'Steamboat Bill, Jr.' (1928) 

Flying to Florida for 'The Flying Fleet,' then back to Boston for 'The Blot' at the Lois Weber Festival

Ramon Novarro poses with a prop in 'The Flying Fleet' (1929).

Heading down to the Sunshine State this morning for an unusual gig: doing live music for a screening of 'The Flying Fleet' (1929) at the Leeward Air Ranch in Ocala, Fla. 

What's going on is that awhile back I was up for auction as part of a fundraising event for the non-profit Aviation Museum of N.H., where I serve as Executive Director.

And the winning bidder, a longtime supporter of the museum, suggested that the best use of her "prize" would be for me to do my silent film accompaniment thing for residents of Leeward, where several Aviation Museum people have second homes. 

The suggestion was contingent on "when you're in Florida," with the only flaw in that being that I'm never in Florida. But a winning bid is a winning bid, and so, thanks to Rapid Rewards points, I'm now sitting at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport waiting for the 5:35 a.m. flight to Baltimore, then connecting to Orlando, where the temperature today is in the mid-80s.

So this evening, 'The Flying Fleet' will screen in the community center of the Leeward Air Ranch, with live accompaniment by me. (Get ready for a lot of 'Anchors Aweigh.') 

An original lobby card promoting 'The Flying Fleet' (1929).

Although no masterpiece, it's actually a great film for aviation buffs because it's filled with scenes of U.S. Navy flying as it was in the late 1920s. Filmed in partnership with the U.S. Navy, it includes scenes filmed on the U.S.S. Langley, the nation's first aircraft carrier—actually a converted coal barge.

And then the next morning, I'll zip back up north and be at my desk at the Aviation Museum before noon. Ah, the glamorous life of a silent film accompanist!

Next up after that is music for 'The Blot' (1921), the opening night attraction of the 4th Annual Lois Weber Film Festival, taking place this year at the West Newton Cinema in West Newton, Mass.

A trade publication ad promoting 'The Blot' (1921).

Conceived in the spirit of pioneering female filmmaker Lois Weber, the festival ... well, here's the official description: "The Lois Weber Film Festival is a female-forward 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting gender equality in the film industry by celebrating the legacy of silent film pioneer Lois Weber and the history of women in film, past, present, and future."

So it's not the usual silent film audience. But you can't have a festival named after Lois Weber and not show one of her films, and so each year I've been invited to accompany her work as part of the "Red Carpet Opening Night" festivities. 

It's my observation that most of those in attendance, although filmmakers themselves, have rarely experienced silent cinema in a theater with live music. So these screenings fall into the category of "so old it's new to us" category. 

And each time I've done this, the reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many comments along the lines of "It was so much better than I expected." And something about this inspires me to really bring my A Game, knowing that it's the first time many of those present have experienced silent cinema. 

Not that I don't always try my best at every screening. But it's definitely the case where the presence of an audience that's into the film, reacting to it and discovering something new, can influence the accompaniment just as much as what's on screen.

After that, following a relatively quiet period, things pick up with no less that eight screenings in 11 days leading up to Easter, including a spate of Cecil B. DeMille biblical epics—one silent 'Ten Commandments' (1923) and a couple showings of 'King of Kings' (1927).

Meanwhile, the one-quarter of me that's Irish wishes you all a happy St. Patrick's Day, and also somewhere in there spring arrives—a welcome development after an unusually cold and snowy winter in our part of the world.

Maybe I'll bring some of the Florida weather back with me! 

'Annie Laurie' (1927) will be screened as scheduled on Sunday, Jan. 25 just a'fore the snow

An original lobby card promoting MGM's  'Annie Laurie' (1927) starring Lillian Gish.

The show must go on! 

That's the story for our screening of 'Annie Laurie' (1927), the MGM historical adventure epic that I'm scheduled to accompany on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

Yes, a big slow-moving snowstorm is supposed to roll through our area starting that afternoon. The key word there is starting. It's not really going to kick in until Sunday evening, so Dennis Markaverich of the Town Hall Theater and I are choosing to go with the matinee as scheduled.

One factor in this decision: the high visibility Lions Club sign on Route 101 has been promoting the screening since just after the New Year. That's prime exposure and so we felt obligated to follow through. 

And if no one shows, we can always screen the film again next Sunday—although the long-range forecast calls for a similar storm at that time. So it's going to be one of those Februarys. Well, spring is only 54 days away, but who's counting. (All right, I am.)

So be brave (like Lillian Gish) and journey to the Town Hall Theatre for tomorrow's screening of 'Annie Laurie' (1927) at 2 p.m. Here's the press release with more details about the film:

*     *     *

Lillian Gish stars in 'Annie Laurie' (1927)

MONDAY, JAN. 19, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

New restoration of MGM blockbuster 'Annie Laurie' to screen at Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 25 

Lilian Gish stars in title role as Scottish clans do battle in epic historical drama; accompanied by live music

WILTON, N.H.— Return to the days of warring Scottish clans when 'Annie Laurie,' a rarely screened MGM epic featuring silent-era megastar Lillian Gish, inaugurates the 2026 silent film series at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

A newly restored and remastered version of 'Annie Laurie' will be screened on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

The program is free and open to the public; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to support the Town Hall Theatre's silent film programming.

Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who performs regularly at screenings around the nation.

In 'Annie Laurie,' Lillian Gish plays a diplomat's daughter caught in the violent 17th-century feud between the Scottish Campbell and MacDonald clans. 

Gish, a Campbell, falls in love with rival clan chief Ian MacDonald (Norman Kerry) complicating peace efforts between the two warring sides.

As the clans prepare for battle, the romance forces Gish to choose between loyalty to her family or to warn the rival MacDonalds in advance of the infamous Massacre of Glencoe. 

The film's spectacular climax features Gish in a dramatic "race to the rescue" sequence filmed in an early version of Technicolor.

 

'Annie Laurie,' a major 1927 release for top studio MGM, has not been available for public viewing since its original release. In 2024, the U.S. Library of Congress transferred a pristine 35mm print in their collection to digital media, doing restoration work when needed.

The story of 'Annie Laurie' takes place in the late 1690s amid a backdrop of clans battling fiercely for supremacy in the years before Scotland joined England to form the United Kingdom.

To tell the tale on an epic scale on screen, MGM director John S. Robertson pulled out all the stops, staging enormous battle scenes set among the craggy Scottish landscape.

Sumptuous period costumes (yes, including men in kilts!) are a highlight of the 'Annie Laurie,' which was released at the peak of silent film artistry, just prior to the introduction of talking pictures.

At the time, Gish was among MGM's biggest stars, having arrived at the studio after playing iconic leading roles in early D.W. Griffith features including 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915), 'Way Down East' (1920), and 'Orphans of the Storm' (1921).

Leading man Norman Kerry was a popular silent-era performer who often played the heroic dashing swashbuckler or the seductive lothario. He was extremely popular with female fans and was at the peak of his career in 'Annie Laurie.'

Among those in the large cast of supporting players was a very young John Wayne in one of his earliest roles as an extra.

'Annie Laurie' marks the first 2026 screening of the Town Hall Theatre's silent film series. Each month, a classic motion picture from Hollywood's silent film era is screened with live music at the venue, where movies were first presented in 1912.

"It's a great way for audiences to experience the magic of silent film in the way it was intended: on the big screen, in restored editions, with live music, and with an audience," said Jeff Rapsis, who provides live musical accompaniment for each program.

"Early movie-making was a shared experience that took place in a theater," Rapsis said. "Filmmakers at the time created motion pictures with that in mind—and when you can present them the way they were intended, their impact remains uniquely powerful."

Upcoming programs in the Town Hall Theatre's silent film series include:

• Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Girl Shy" (1924) starring Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston. Celebrate Valentine's Day with the original rom-com, a Harold Lloyd gem starring one of the masters of silent comedy and featuring an unforgettable race-to-the-church finish. 

• Sunday, March 8, 2026, 2 p.m.: "A Doggie Double Feature." Two vintage films featuring silent canine stars! In 'His Master's Voice' (1925), cowardly Bob Henley is drafted into the army during World War II while his faithful dog Thunder joins the Red Cross. In 'The Law's Lash' (1928), Klondike the Dog works with the Northwest Mounted Police to track down smugglers.

• Sunday, April 5, 2026, 2 p.m.: "The Ten Commandments" (1923) directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The original silent film version of 'The Ten Commandments' has all the big scenes, but differs greatly from the later version starring Charlton Heston. See for yourself as we screen this ground-breaking (and Red Sea-parting) Biblical epic. 

• Sunday, May 3, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Steamboat Bill, Jr." (1928) starring Buster Keaton. As the pampered son of a gruff steamboat captain, Buster tries to make the grade even as storm clouds gather—and romance brews with the daughter of a rival ship owner. Film climaxes with legendary cyclone sequence, one of Buster's best. 

• Sunday, June 7, 2026, 2 p.m.: "Beau Geste" (1926) starring Ronald Colman. One of the top films of 1926, newly restored for its 100th anniversary. Michael "Beau" Geste leaves England in disgrace and joins the infamous French Foreign Legion. He is reunited with his two brothers in North Africa, where they face greater danger from their own sadistic commander than from the rebellious Arabs.

'Annie Laurie' (1927) starring Lillian Gish and Norman Kerry will be shown with live music on Sunday, Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. 

The program is free and open to the public; a donation of $10 per person is suggested. For more information, call (603) 654-3456. 

 

 

Welcome to 2026 in silent film screenings: being Charlie Chaplin ain't what it used to be

Posing in front of the display wall in the "Charlie Chaplin Room" upstairs at the Bear Pub on Charing Cross Road, London.

Welcome to 2026 and another year of bringing silent films to life with live music.

Right now I'm in London, but not for silent film purposes. The wife and I are on our quasi-annual mid-winter "pig out on theater" trip across the pond. Seven shows in four days.

But you can't get away from silent film that easily, as I discovered when we stopped for a quick dinner last night at "The Bear" a pub on Charing Cross Road.

Turns out the upstairs dining room was named in honor of native Londoner Charlies Chaplin, who it seems was a frequent patron there when performing at a nearby theater before he started his motion picture career.

In honor of that, the proprietors have installed a small display with the requisite bowler hat, cane, and other Chaplin mementos.

Sorry to report that most patrons seemed unconcerned with the Chaplin connection. It was apparent that no one had noticed it until I went over to get a photograph. Once attention was brought to the display, the only interest seemed to be in a vintage martini recipe that was part of it.

I guess being Charlie Chaplin ain't what it used to be. 

But no matter! There's a full calendar of silent film screenings ahead in 2026, and I hope you'll take time to experience this storytelling art form the way it was intended: in a theater with a lot of people, and with live music.

Upcoming highlights include traveling to Cleveland for screenings this month; heading out to the Kansas Silent Film Festival to accompany films in Topeka next month; and a quick trip to Florida for a screening in March.

Closer to home, I'll do music for the world "re-premiere" of two silent film versions of 'The Old Homestead,' an enormously popular play that toured everywhere in the decades around 1900.

 'The Old Homestead' was by Denman Thompson, a native of Swanzey, N.H. who put many of his memories of the town into the play. Two silent versions, one in 1915 and another in 1922, were made, but neither has been available for more than a century.

That is, until Larry Benaquist, a retired film professor at Keene State College in Keene, N.H., was able to track down nearly complete copies of both in European archives. 

Both will be screened for the first time since their original release on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Colonial Theatre in Keene, N.H. Stay tuned for more details! But it's a real honor to be entrusted with the scoring of these two long-unseen films. 

Looking further ahead: the year brings a plethora of 100th anniversaries of silent films that I'll try to program, and August marks the 100th anniversary of the untimely death of silent screen icon Rudolph Valentino. (And Halloween is the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini's unexpected death, too!) 

Other screenings include shows at big Boston theaters such as the Somerville or the Coolidge, plus a parade of local theaters, libraries, and community centers around New England. Check the listings (using the 'Upcoming Silent Film Screenings' link at upper right) to see what fits your schedule, and see you at the movies in 2026!

A 10-minute 'Christmas Carol'? Early holiday silent films with live music on Sunday, Dec. 14 at Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

A scene from Thomas Edison's early version of 'A Christmas Carol' (1910), which runs all of 10 minutes.

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!

*      *      *

Mary Pickford stars in 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922).

MONDAY, DEC. 1, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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.

The program is free and open to the public; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to support the Town Hall Theatre's silent film programming.

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.

 

Mary Pickford in a lighter moment from 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922).

"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. 

The program is free and open to the public; a donation of $10 per person is suggested. For more information, call (603) 654-3456. 

 

An ambitious two-page trade journal spread promoting 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922). Right-click to enlarge the image to see more detail.
 

 

Coming up: a slate of pre-holiday silent film screenings, then a road trip to Cleveland

A lobby card for 'So's Your Old Man' (1926), which I'll accompany on Sunday, Jan. 18 at the Cleveland Cinematheque.

Welcome to the holiday preview edition of this blog, in which I try to catch up after several weeks of being just too busy to update it.

First, the big news is that the glamorous showbiz life of a silent film accompanist will take me to Cleveland, Ohio for a pair of screenings in January.

That's right! On Saturday, Jan. 17, I'll accompany the recently restored 'Algol: A Tragedy of Power' (1920) at the 51st Annual Sci-Fi Marathon, staged each year by the Case Western Reserve University Film Society.

Then, on Sunday, Jan. 18, I'll do music at the Cleveland Cinematheque, where they're screening a 35mm print of 'So's Your Old Man' (1926) starring a silent W.C. Fields. 

I encourage my fans in the area to check out both these events. I'm sure we can accommodate all two or three of you. More details of the "Cleveland Mid-Winter Lake Effect Silent Film Victory Tour" (get your T-shirts now!) can be found on my Upcoming Silent Film Screenings page. 

Also, while I'm in Cleveland, I encourage everyone to join me on Saturday, Jan. 17 for an early dinner at 'L'Albatros Brasserie,' my favorite restaurant in the entire Great Lakes basin. It's the not-so-secret reason I'm really making the trip to Cleveland in the dead of winter. 

Not sure of the time but seriously, if anyone would like to join in, email me at jeffrapsis@gmail.com and we'll make it happen.

But before any of that, December brings a bouquet (can you tell I'm already thinking of spring?) of silent film screenings closer to home:

• On Sunday, Dec. 7 (hey, that's today!) at 4 p.m., I'll accompany 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) at the Natick Center for the Arts in Natick, Mass. More details about that screening are in the press release pasted in below.  

• On Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m., I'll do music for a screening of Buster Keaton's great comedy/drama 'Our Hospitality' (1923) at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Mass.

• And on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. it's a holiday-themed program featuring Mary Pickford's 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922) at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

Hope you'll be able to make a silent film screening with live music part of your holiday season.

Okay, details of 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) below. Happy holidays, and to all a 'Silent Night'!

*      *      *

An original lobby card promoting 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928).

MONDAY, DEC. 1, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) to screen with live music on Sunday, Dec. 7 in Natick, Mass.

Creepy silent film thriller anticipated 'Frankenstein' and 'Dracula,' inspired the look of Batman's nemesis 'The Joker'

NATICK, Mass. — Based on a Victor Hugo novel, it paved the way for early horror classics such as 'Dracula' (1931) and 'Frankenstein' (1931).

It was 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928), a silent film thriller that inspired the look of Batman's nemesis 'The Joker.'

The rarely screened film will be shown with live music on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. at TCAN Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.

The screening, the latest in the Center for the Art's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

Admission is $12 per person for members; $14 for non-members. Tickets are available online at www.natickarts.org or at the door.

'The Man Who Laughs,' directed by Paul Leni and starring Conrad Veidt, is a silent thriller about a disfigured man forced to wear an insane grin all his life.

The movie was a popular and ground-breaking silent film adaptation of a sprawling Victor Hugo novel set in 17th century England. 

Veidt stars as Gwynplaine, a child born of English nobility. After his father is executed, a cruel King James II orders a royal surgeon to hideously disfigure young Gwynplaine's face into a permanent smile, so that he may always laugh at his father's foolishness.

Abandoned and shunned, young Gwynplaine is left to make his way on his own. He learns to conceal his face from strangers, befriending Dea, a blind girl who is not aware of his disfigurement.

The pair are then adopted and put to work by a traveling impresario, who makes use of Gwynplaine's startling face in his theatrical productions.

Gwynplaine and Dea grow to adulthood and eventually fall in love, but complications arise when Gwynplaine's noble lineage is revealed, entitling him to his father's estate—provided he marry another woman of noble birth.

 

Conrad Veidt and Olga Baclanova in a scene from 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928).

Veidt, who starred earlier in the German expressionist horror classic 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' (1919), played the role of Gwynplaine by using a prosthetic device inside his mouth to force his face into a hideous grin and display outsized teeth.

This striking look was later adapted by Batman creator Bob Kane as a model for the physical appearance of iconic villain 'The Joker.'

Critics have praised 'The Man Who Laughs' for its dark visual style and daring story content.

"'The Man Who Laughs' is a melodrama, at times even a swashbuckler, but so steeped in Expressionist gloom that it plays like a horror film," wrote Roger Ebert in 2004. "The film is more disturbing than it might have been because of Leni's mastery of visual style."

Director Leni, originally trained as an artist, made ample use of shadows and darkness in 'The Man Who Laughs,' which set the stage for many legendary Universal horror classics soon to follow, including 'Dracula' (1931) and 'Frankenstein' (1931).

'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) will be screened with live music on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. at TCAN Center for the Arts, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.

Admission is $12 per person for members; $14 for non-members. Tickets available online at www.natickarts.org or at the door. For more info, call (508) 647-0097.

Up next: Buster Keaton in 'Seven Chances' (1925) on Saturday, Nov. 15 in Brandon, Vt.

A Swedish poster for Buster Keaton's 'Seven Chances' (1925).

Up next it's Buster Keaton's great comedy 'Seven Chances' (1925), which I'll accompany on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall.

It's the final screening of this year's silent film series in Brandon. We'll return in May with another schedule of great early cinema with live music. 

So be sure to get your fix this Friday to hold you over the long winter. More details on the screening and the film are in the press release pasted in below.

*    *    * 

Buster surrounded by would-be brides in 'Seven Chances' (1925).

MONDAY, NOV. 10, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Buster Keaton comedy 'Seven Chances' to screen on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Brandon Town Hall

Silent film with live music; Keaton must get married by 7 p.m. to inherit fortune; movie features uproarious chase climax

BRANDON, Vt.—He never smiled on camera, earning him the nickname of "the Great Stone Face." But Buster Keaton's comedies rocked Hollywood's silent era with laughter.

See for yourself with a screening of 'Seven Chances' (1925), one of Keaton's landmark feature films, on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, Brandon, Vt. 

Admission is free; donations are welcome to help defray expenses.

Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

Adapted from a stage play, 'Seven Chances' finds Buster learning that he'll inherit $7 million if he's married by 7 p.m. on his 27th birthday—that very day!

Buster's hurried attempts to tie the knot on his own go awry. But then a newspaper story changes the game, creating an avalanche of would-be brides who relentlessly pursue Buster as he searches for his one true love before the deadline.

A still of a scene that's not in the picture: Buster checks a sundial in 'Seven Chances' (1925).

 'Seven Chances' was the first screen adaptation of the now-familiar story, since used in movies ranging from the Three Stooges in 'Brideless Groom' (1947) to Gary Sinyor's 'The Bachelor' (1999), a romantic comedy starring Chris O'Donnell and Renee Zellwinger.

Keaton, along with Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd, stands today as one of the silent screen's three great clowns. Some critics regard Keaton as the best of all; Roger Ebert wrote in 2002 that "in an extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929, (Keaton) worked without interruption on a series of films that make him, arguably, the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies."

A remarkable pantomime artist, Keaton naturally used his whole body to communicate emotions from sadness to surprise. And in an era with no post-production special effects, Keaton's acrobatic talents enabled him to perform all his own stunts, including some spectacular examples in 'Seven Chances.'

In reviving Keaton's 'Seven Chances,' organizers aim to show silent film as it was meant to be seen—in restored prints, 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 will accompany the film. "Recreate those conditions, and classics of early Hollywood such as 'Seven Chances' leap back to life in ways that audiences still find entertaining."

Similar to theatre organists from the silent film era, Rapsis improvises the complete score in real time during the screening.

"Creating a movie score on the fly is kind of a high-wire act, but it can often make for more excitement than if everything is planned out in advance," Rapsis said.

Buster Keaton's 'Seven Chances' (1925) will be screened with live music on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt. Admission is free; donations are welcome to help defray expenses. 

 

A posted still from the production of 'Seven Chances' (1925).

Marching towards Veterans Day with John Gilbert in King Vidor's 'The Big Parade' (1925) on Sunday, Nov. 9 at Somerville Theatre

At the Crandell Theatre in Chatham, N.Y. Hey, that doesn't look like me on the marquee!

Pleased to report I've emerged intact from the annual Halloween silent film steeplechase. 

Yes, the last half of October is the busiest time of the year for this silent film accompanist, with screenings pretty much every night for two weeks straight.

But I'm not complaining! I played for audiences in six states, in venues ranging from a library basement to a genuinely spooky intact 1925 moviehouse. 

Made a lot of friends on the way, too, through which I hope to continue spreading the gospel of silent film with live music. 

And now comes Veterans Day. Next up is 'The Big Parade' (1925), the World War I epic from King Vidor starring John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. 

I'm accompanying it on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

It's a great film for music. Why? Not to give anything away, but I've found the film is divided into two very different parts, and if the music reflects that, it can amplify the overall impact. 

The first half almost plays like a romantic comedy as it follows the adventures of John Gilbert's character in rural France. I try to reflect that in the music: a "light opera" texture seems to fit just right.

But as soon as Gilbert's unit is called to the front, everything changes. And the music can bring that out, making use of the full orchestra to underscore the dramatic intensity.

If you're in the Greater Boston area this weekend, I encourage you to check out 'The Big Parade.' It's not only a great movie, but also a terrific way to get in the zone for Veterans Day on Tuesday, Nov. 11. 

And if you're not in the Greater Boston area—well, there's still time. It only takes six hours to fly in from the West Coast or Europe. You have plenty of time! 

To whet your appetite, check out the press release below.

*    *    * 

An original release poster for 'The Big Parade' (1925).

MONDAY, OCT. 20, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Veterans Day special: 'The Big Parade' with live music on Sunday, Nov. 9 at Somerville Theatre

MGM's highest grossing film until 'Gone With The Wind'; blockbuster drama changed how Hollywood depicted war 

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — It was the 'Saving Private Ryan' of its time — a movie that showed audiences combat as experienced by a soldier whose life is changed forever by the horrors of war.

It was 'The Big Parade' (1925), a sprawling World War I epic and a box office sensation that made MGM into a powerhouse studio in Hollywood's golden years. It's the latest installment of 'Silents, Please!,' a silent film series with live music at the Somerville Theatre.

'The Big Parade' will be screened one time only at the Somerville Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. General admission is $17; members $13; seniors/students $12.

The show will feature live accompaniment by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis.

'The Big Parade,' released just a few years after World War I ended, was hailed by critics as the first Hollywood film to depict the harsh reality of combat and its impact of troops in the trenches and foxholes. Its hellish battle scenes were staged on a massive scale and still retain their ability to shock audiences.

Hey, get a room!

The picture, based on the best-selling novel "What Price Glory?", follows the story of a young man (John Gilbert) who rebels against a privileged background by enlisting in the army just before the U.S. enters World War I.

He is shipped out to France, where he falls in love with a local French woman before being transferred to the front. There, he and his squadmates face the German war machine, where they must endure the ultimate tests of duty and honor in a battle they come to see as meaningless.

In addition to vivid war scenes, the film contains a famous dramatic sequence in which the French woman (Renée Adorée) realizes her love for the soldier, and tries to find him to say goodbye as the massive convoy of troops pulls out for the front. Another celebrated sequence depicts the light-hearted first meeting of the soldier and the girl, in which he teaches her how to chew gum.

'The Big Parade' went on to become the top-grossing movie of the entire silent film era, earning $6.4 million domestically and making director King Vidor into the Steven Spielberg of his day. It stood as MGM's biggest single box office hit until the release of 'Gone With the Wind' in 1939.

Rapsis will improvise a musical score to the film in real time. In creating accompaniment for the 'The Big Parade' and other vintage classics, Rapsis tries to bridge the gap between silent film and modern audiences.

"Live music adds an element of energy to a silent film screening that's really crucial to the experience," Rapsis said. " 'The Big Parade' is filled with great scenes that lend themselves well to music. It's a real privilege to create a score to help this great picture come back to life," Rapsis said.

MGM's silent blockbuster ‘The Big Parade’ will be shown with live music on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

General admission is $17; members $13; seniors/students $12. For more info, call (617) 625-5700 or visit www.somervilletheatreonline.com.

 

This month: I play at Harvard, make my Pittsburgh debut, and do music for a film made in Maine

I have a few unusual gigs coming up, including a return to accompanying films at the Harvard Film Archive and my debut at this year's Pittsburgh Silent Film Festival. Here's a quick round-up of upcoming screenings. See you at the movies!

A scene from 'Spies' (1928), Fritz Lang's thriller.

• Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Spies" (1928) directed by Fritz Lang; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. Director Fritz Lang's tale of espionage was the forerunner of all movie spy sagas, packed with double agents, hi-tech gadgets, beautiful (and dangerous) women, and an evil genius with a plan to take over the world, mwah-ha-ha-ha! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted with proceeds to help support the silent film series. Rescheduled from Saturday, Sept. 20. 

A scene from Yasujiro Ozu's 1932 film 'I Was Born, But...'

• Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, 2 p.m.: "I Was Born, But..." (1932) directed by Yasujiro Ozu; Harvard Film Archive, 24 Quincy St., Cambridge, Mass. (617) 496-3211. Part of the Harvard Film Archive's, "New Dog, New Tricks: Youth in Cinema" film series. A blithe portrait of the financial and psychological toils of one Japanese family, as told from the rascally point of view of a couple of stubborn little boys. For two brothers, the daily struggles of bullies and mean teachers is nothing next to the mortification they feel when they realize their good-natured father’s low-rung social status. Admission: $10 general public, discounts for students/seniors/members; Harvard students admitted free.

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

• Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Risky Business" (1925) starring Vera Reynolds, Zazu Pitts; Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123. No, not the 1986 film starring Tom Cruise. In this silent-era 'Risky Business,' Zasu Pitts (from Parsons, Kansas) stars with Vera Ralston in a tale of a society girl's love for a country doctor in a film that is by turns harrowing, hilarious, and heart-warming. Join us for a summer season of movies and entertainment at the historic Leavitt Theatre, celebrating its 100th anniversary. See great silent films with live music in a summer-only theater opened in 1925 and barely changed since. 

Buster Keaton and an army of would-be prides in 'Seven Chances' (1925).

• Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Seven Chances" (1925) starring Buster Keaton; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Buster is about to be saved from bankruptcy by an unexpected inheritance of $7 million—but only if he gets married by 7 p.m. that very day. Can Buster somehow find the girl of his dreams while being pursued by an army of women eager to marry a soon-to-be millionaire? One of Buster's best comedies, climaxed by one of the great chase scenes in all silent film comedy. Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.

A scene from Abel Gance's World War I film 'J'Accuse' (1919).

 • Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, 2 p.m.: "J'Accuse" (1919) directed by Abel Gance; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. French silent film directed by Abel Gance that juxtaposes a romantic drama with the background of the horrors of World War I. Work on the film began in 1918, with some scenes filmed on real battlefields. The film's powerful depiction of wartime suffering, particularly its climactic sequence of the "return of the dead," made it an international success and confirmed Gance as one of the most important directors in Europe. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged. 

Yesterday's vision of the future is now in Fritz Lang's epic 'Metropolis' (1927)

• Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Metropolis" (1927) directed by Fritz Lang; Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry; sponsored by Derry Public Library.  The eye-popping silent film sci-fi masterpiece of German filmmaker Fritz Lang is a vintage look at things to come. 'Metropolis' stands as an stunning example of the power of film to tell a compelling story without words, and reach across the generations to touch movie-goers from the real future that came to pass: us! Timeless silent film on the big screen and with live music. Free admission! For more information, contact the Derry Public Library at (603) 432-6140.   

Lillian Gish is up a creek as she heads down the Connecticut River via ice floes.

• Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, 6:30 p.m.: "Way Down East" (1920) directed by D.W. Griffith, starring Lillian Gish; Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield, Mass.; call (413) 773-9260 or visit www.gardencinemas.net. Celebrate 'Silent Movie Day' (Sept. 29) with one of the genre's all-time classics. Griffith's enduring box-office smash sees Lillian Gish pitted against small town New England and one very large waterfall. Features Gish as a wronged woman who can't escape her past. Still-thrilling climax on ice floes heading towards the falls was filmed on the Connecticut River! Engrossing melodrama, and the silent era's fifth-highest grossing motion picture; an audience favorite for more than a century. Tickets $10.50 adults; $8.50 students, seniors, and veterans.  

Meet-cute between John Gilbert and Renee Adoree in 'The Big Parade' (1925).

• Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, 7 p.m.: "The Big Parade" (1925) directed by King Vidor, starring John Gilbert, Renee Adoree; Lawrenceville/Row House Cinema, 4115 Butler St., Pittsburgh, Penn. 100th anniversary screening of sweeping World War I saga about U.S. doughboys signing up and shipping off to France, where they face experiences that will change their lives forever—if they return. Shown as part of this year's Pittsburgh Silent Film Festival, organized by the Pittsburgh Silent Film Society and sponsored by the Pittsburgh Classic Movie Club. Tickets $16.

 

Promotion for a screening of 'In The River,' a silent film by Edgar Jones shot in Maine.

• Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, 2 p.m.: "In The River" (1920) and other films by Edgar Jones; Colonial Theater, 139 Water St., Augusta, Maine; (207) 209-3525. More than a century ago, Edgar Jones set up a studio in Augusta, Maine. From 1919 to 1921, Jones produced a series of two-reel films shot at the studio and on location in Augusta and the Kennebec River. Most have vanished, but a few have recently been unearthed by film preservation advocate Ed Lorusso, a local resident. Three films produced by Jones will be screened at the Colonial Theater in Augusta, Maine, a moviehouse that was in operation when the films were produced, and which is currently undergoing restoration. Besides the world re-premiere of "In the River" (which Lorusso recently located in a private collection at the U.S. Library of Congress), the program will also include "Cupid, Registered Guide" and "Caught in the Rapids." 

Well, that's enough! Something for everyone—so hope to see you at the movies in the next month before the annual "Halloween Silent Film Screening Staplechase" kicks in with a vengeance!