"Cinderella Cinders" / THE DEVIL’S CIRCUS

ABOUT THE EVENT: Prior to the screening, Los Angeles Silent Film Festival merch will be available for purchase in the auditorium. ABOUT THE FILMS: “Cinderella Cinders,” 1920, Dir. Frederick J Ireland, 21 Mins, Ben Model/Blackhawk Films, USA Alice Howell, one of silent film’s most gifted, and too often overlooked, comediennes, stars in this whirlwind parody of the classic fairy tale. The film showcases Howell’s extraordinary blend of graceful physical comedy and fearless slapstick that earned her comparisons to later comic legends. Beautifully restored, the short offers a welcome opportunity to rediscover one of the silent screen’s funniest performers. Format: DCP THE DEVIL’S CIRCUS, 1926, Dir. Benjamin Christensen, 74 Mins, Danish Film Institute, USA THE DEVIL’S CIRCUS marks Danish filmmaker Benjamin Christensen’s debut in America. The director of such classics as HAXAN (1922) and SEVEN FOOTSTEPS TO SATAN (1929) weaves his signature thematic motifs around the striking image of a grim, devilish figure pulling the strings of fate. The film tells the gripping story of Mary, played by the radiant Norma Shearer, a naive young woman from the country who is befriended by Carl, a professional pickpocket, played by Charles Emmett Mack. When Mary finds employment in a circus, Carl is arrested but promises to go straight for her sake. However, the corrupt world under the Big Top threatens Mary’s safety and innocence. Despite its breathtaking tragedies, the film is ultimately a deeply moving ode to the redemptive power of love. Format: DCP