The Movies in the Age of Innocence

This exuberant survey of the short but rich life of the silent screen ranges from the early pioneer one-reel films to the first full-length features, the memorable classics and, with the coming of talkies, the end of an era. While the major filmmakers and stars of silent movies generally did not survive the transition to sound, their achievements in a pioneer industry and art form enjoy new recognition and acclaim today. Directors like D. W. Griffith and Erich von Stroheim, actors like Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish are the commanding figures in a narrative that is strong in depth of research and enlivened by the author’s infectious delight in his subject.