Up next: Greta Garbo in 'Wild Orchids' on Wednesday, Jan. 29 in Manchester, N.H.

A photo showing the Alton Bay Ice Runway in 2015.

It's so cold in New Hampshire that for the first time in three years, the Alton Bay Ice Runway has opened!

That's right: the only FAA-approved ice runway in the lower 48 states—in an inlet of New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee—was declared open last week when the ice reached the requisite 12 inches of thickness.

So it's been perfect weather for a screening 'Way Down East' (1920), the D.W. Griffith melodrama in which Lillian Gish winds up on ice floes in the Connecticut River—not that far from the Alton Bay Ice Runway, as the crow flies.

If the story was set a little later in the development of aviation, Richard Barthelmess could have rescued Ms. Gish by taking off from the ice runway in his trusty Sopwith Camel and swooping down to whisk her to safety.

Well, it's a thought.

At our screening on Sunday afternoon at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H., 'Way Down East' proved once again Griffith's ability to lay out a story that pulls an audience along the same way the on-screen ice floes carry Lillian Gish to the edge of the mighty waterfall.

It's a fun film to accompany. It's such a hokey story, and yet the audience reaction in far-off 2025 was every bit as lively, I imagine, as audiences when the film was brand new. People of course cheered at the waterfall rescue, and the triple wedding that ends of the film produced genuine gales of laughter.

Looking ahead: a chance to warm up comes in the form of a screening of 'Wild Orchids' (1929), a steamy romantic thriller starring Greta Garbo that I'll accompany on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St. in downtown Manchester, N.H. 

It's one of the last MGM silents, made long after the studio had otherwise converted to talkies. But execs were worried that Garbo's heavily accented voice would ruin her box office appeal, and so kept her silent for as long as possible. 

Well, surprise! Turns out Garbo's husky delivery actually added to her mystique, and her career sailed on uninterrupted. Until, that is, she started turning up in places like a David Letterman Top 10 List.

But the good thing about this was that we got a whole additional year's worth of silent pictures out of Garbo, made at a time when silent filmmaking was at its peak, technically speaking. 

See for yourself—and warm yourself up while you're at it— with a screening of 'Wild Orchids' this Wednesday night. More details in the press release below.

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Greta Garbo and Nils Asther star in 'Wild Orchids' (1929).

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

Greta Garbo stars in steamy silent film thriller on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at Rex Theatre

'Wild Orchids' (1929), one of MGM's final silent film releases, to be screened with live music at downtown Manchester, N.H. venue

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Chase away the mid-winter chill with a steamy movie featuring early Hollywood icon Greta Garbo.

Warm up with 'Wild Orchids' (1929), an intense romantic thriller starring Garbo, to be screened with live music at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.

'Wild Orchids,' one of the last silent films of MGM studios, will be shown on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025 at 7 p.m.

General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at www.palacetheatre.org.

 

Live music will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

A tale of forbidden romance, 'Wild Orchids' opens with an older businessman (John Lewis) taking his young wife (Greta Garbo) on a business trip to the South Pacific.

Aboard ship, she witnesses a wealthy passenger (Nils Asther) brutally whipping a servant. The violent man notices Garbo and resolves to meet her.

Things get complicated, however, when the man turns out to be a royal heir crucially important to the business affairs of Garbo's husband.

Emotions boil over in the tropical heat, leading to a dramatic showdown in the jungle over Garbo's ultimate fate.

An original trade publication ad promoting 'Wild Orchids' (1929).

Released during the movie industry's chaotic transition from silent film to synchronized dialogue, 'Wild Orchids' proved a hit.

The silent film earned $1.1 million, making it one of the year's top 10 box office attractions.

Although MGM was already releasing talking pictures, the studio kept starring Garbo in silent pictures due to concerns about her heavy accent.

Originally from Sweden, in Hollywood Garbo quickly rose to silent film stardom based on her acting ability and her unique look.

Garbo spoke English, but with a Scandinavian accent, causing concerns that the public would reject her in talking pictures.

When she finally spoke on-screen, Garbo's distinctive delivery and husky accent added to her popularity, to the great relief of studio bosses.

Nils Asther and Greta Garbo in a scene from 'Wild Orchids' (1929).

A live musical score for 'Wild Orchids' will be performed by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

Rapsis specializes in creating music to help silent films connect with modern-day audiences.

"As one of the last commercial silent films produced, 'Wild Orchids' shows how fluent Hollywood had become at telling stories visually, rather than through dialogue," Rapsis said.

"These films were intended to be seen on the big screen, with live music, and—most importantly—with an audience. Put it all back together, and films like 'Wild Orchids' really leap back to life."

'Wild Orchids' (1929) will be shown on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.

General admission is $10 per person; tickets are available at the door or online at www.palacetheatre.org. 

For more information, call (603) 668-5588.

This week: Romance in Manchester, then double-feature dog adventure up north

Nils Asther and Greta Garbo consider their options in 'Wild Orchids' (1929), a late MGM silent.

It's February, and the calendar brings with it two ways to warm up: screenings for Valentine's Day, and screenings at a small town historical society's annual pot luck supper and movie night.

Not that the occasions are mutually exclusive...

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, our monthly feature at the Manchester (N.H.) City Library is 'Wild Orchids' (1929), a torrid late MGM silent starring Greta Garbo.

Showtime is 6 p.m.; admission is free, with donations accepted and oh-so-appreciated.

And then on Saturday, Feb. 6, I haul myself up to the Campton (again N.H.) Historical Society, where we're running a double feature of Rin Tin Tin adventure films.

Showtime is—well, the annual potluck supper is at 5 p.m., and we usually start the movie program sometime after 6 p.m.

Free admission again, although if you're attending the pot luck it's good manners to bring a dish to share.

Of the two programs, the Garbo film is new to me. And after doing two screenings of Griffith's 'Intolerance' in the past week (plus one of 'Metropolis'), I'm really looking forward to taking it slow and letting the romantic tension build.

I don't generally send out press releases for the Manchester City Library series, in part because I'm just lazy, but also because I tend to program obscure or lesser-known titles that are unlikely to draw a big crowd anyway.

We do have our loyal attendees, but anyone is welcome to pop in. Hope to see you there!

I did, however, send out a release for the program up in Campton, which is about an hour north of home base and in the foothills of the White Mountains.

So if you're interested in joining us on Saturday, Feb. 6, lots of detail below.

And one program note: I had also planned a Valentine's Day silent film screening at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre this month, but the schedule has become impossible.

Originally set for Sunday, Feb. 14, we had to move it to Sunday, Feb. 7. And then I had something come up which takes me out of the area that day. And then I'm booked for the rest of the month and into March, so...

So apologies to regular attendees of the monthly series in Wilton. We'll be back on schedule in March with 'Ben Hur' (1925) Sunday, March 27. (Hey, that's Easter!)

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MONDAY, JAN. 18, 2016 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Rin Tin Tin leaps back into action Saturday, Feb. 6 at Campton Historical Society

Legendary dog star races to the rescue in double feature of rare classic silent adventure films presented with live music

CAMPTON, N.H. — He couldn't speak. But that was no handicap for a star during the silent film era.

He was Rin Tin Tin, the legendary German Shepherd dog whose popularity rivaled that of any human performer when the movies were brand new.

See for yourself on Saturday, Feb. 6, when the Campton Historical Society screens a double feature of vintage Rin Tin Tin silent adventure films with live music.

The evening begins with a pot luck supper at 5 p.m. The film program, which is free and open to the public, will start at about 6:15 p.m.

In 'Clash of the Wolves' (1925), Rin Tin Tin plays a wild wolf who befriends a prospector; together they hunt down a criminal intent on jumping the prospector's claim and stealing his girl.

In 'The Night Cry' (1926), Rin Tin Tin is unjustly accused of killing sheep in ranching country; this forces him to flee for his life and hunt down the true killer on his own.

Both melodramas were produced by then-struggling Warner Bros. Studio. Rin Tin Tin films proved immensely popular around the world, with audiences marvelling at the then-new German Shepherd breed's feats of derring-do as he often out-smarted his human co-stars.

At the time, studio executives referred to Rin Tin Tin as "the mortgage lifter" because the dog's pictures helped rescue the ailing studio from bankruptcy.

Rin Tin Tin was so popular, he was named "Best Actor" at the first-ever Academy Awards in 1929 until ceremony officials decided on a re-vote in favor of human performer Emil Jannings.

Both films at the Campton Historical Society will be accompanied live by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis, who uses a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of a full orchestra.

"The Rin Tin Tin films are great pictures for audience reaction, even today," Rapsis said. "They're full of fast-paced action, great stunts—and above all, they really move!"

"If you're new to the silent film art form, seeing the Rin Tin Tin pictures in a theater with live music is a terrific way to get acquainted with the enduring power of this kind of movie-making," Rapsis said.

Rin Tin Tin remained popular until his death in 1932, which made headlines around the globe. But his progeny went on to star in later films and TV shows, keeping the name before the public for generations.

Rin Tin Tin's descendants are still bred, continuing the bloodline to the present day. The ongoing Rin Tin Tin phenomenon inspired a recent book, "Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend" by New Yorker writer Susan Orlean.

The Rin Tin Tin double feature at the Campton Historical Society aims to recreate the silent film experience as early movie audiences knew it: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"When you put the silent film experience back together, it's amazing how the movies jump to life," Rapsis said. "You can really get a sense of why people got so excited about movies when they were new."

A double feature of silent-era Rin Tin Tin adventures will be shown with live music on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 6:15 p.m. at the Campton Historical Society, Campton Town Hall, Route 175, Campton, N.H. The program is free and open to the public, and will be preceded by a pot luck supper starting at 5 p.m. For more details, visit www.camptonhistorical.org. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.