THE BEST FILM OF 1926

[Classic Movie Man]

My choice is Murnau's Faust.

[R Michael Pyle]

"Metropolis" by a landslide!

[Geoffies]

I've only seen four films on the list so I voted for THE BLACKBIRD.

[pinkfairygirl]

Flesh and the Devil

[Robin]

THe Strong Man for me, I love Harry Langdon.

[diane]

"La Boheme" was the first silent film I ever saw at a cinema (in the
'70s) and I can remember being bowled over by it. But I can also
remember loving "Sparrows" as well and I would love to see it again.

[daneldorado]

Someone wrote:

"Metropolis" by a landslide!


Some landslide. Metropolis got three (3) votes and The Strong Man two (2). In the spirit of full disclosure, Mary Pickford's Sparrows also received two votes.

The Strong Man is the best movie Harry Langdon ever made, and in my view it is also the best film of 1926. It showcases his incredible comedic gifts, including not only rough-and-tumble slapstick but also his inimitable manner of drawing laughs from a slow, sustained sequence where he doesn't do much besides treating a bad cold. He is on a crowded bus and is trying to rub menthol on his chest but, unknown to him, has picked up a container of limburger cheese instead. The effect this has on his fellow passengers is hilarious.

In another sequence, Harry is "picked up" by a felonious female (Broadway Lily, played by Gertrude Astor in the role of her career) who wants a stash of cash that Harry has unwittingly acquired. There follows an incredibly accomplished comedic scene – it would be the highlight of the film, if not for some spectacular fireworks still awaiting us. Harry wishes to go home, but Lily tries every trick in her feminine arsenal to keep him with her, until she can grab the cash. The resulting scenes are among the most knee-slapping funniest in all silent comedy.

By the way, I have seen Metropolis, at least what remains of it. But it is disconcerting that the missing sequences have to be described in lengthy intertitles. Maybe, if and when all the missing scenes are discovered and reintroduced into the film, Metropolis will gain in stature among modern viewers. But it isn't there, yet.

Cheers,
Dan

[EMB]

Yes, it's unfortunate that the full-length METROPOLIS hasn't yet surfaced. But even so, I voted for it, since it's as visually stunning and creative a film as one will see from its time. My second choice would have been Dan's, THE STRONG MAN, followed by FAUST. This was the year my mother was born, and a good year for the cinema, too.


ED