All Films

Blue Skies

1929 • 60 min • United States of America

Better known for her work in talkie "weepers," Helen Twelvetrees made a few preliminary appearances in such late silent films as Fox's Blue Skies. The audience was expected to believe that the twentysomething Twelvetrees and Frank Albertson are teenagers living together platonically in an orphan asylum. A wealthy old man comes calling to adopt Albertson -- who, feeling sorry for Twelvetrees, trades places with the girl. Thus it is that the heroine is carted off to a luxurious mansion, while Albertson remains behind. One year later, the old man discovers Albertson's deception, whereupon he invites the boy to live with him as well. By this time, Twelvetrees and Albertson are of marriageable age, thus the film ends with a wedding in the offing.

Noah's Lark

1929 • 8 min • United States of America

Noah seems to have major problems with his animals when they all get restless and leave the ship to go to Coney Island and Luna Park to get away from him.

Der Teufelsreporter

1929 • 54 min

Thirteen wealthy American daughters visiting Europe are secretly abducted in Berlin by a dubious guide and governess. Stenographer Eddie, who missed their arrival, discovers a plea for help from one girl and pursues the kidnappers across the countryside. After capture and escape, he ultimately tracks them down, rescues the young women, wins their gratitude, and secures his dream job as a reporter.

Good Night Nurse

1929 • 15 min • United States of America

A woman commits her hard-drinking husband to a sanitarium that would drive any man to drink.

Hawk of the Hills

1929 • 58 min • United States of America

Hawk of the Hills (1927), a ten episode serial, re-edited into a five-reel feature length version released in 1929. Newhall, California. A band of Indians led by the half-breed 'The Hawk' terrorizes prospectors in a valley. When the old prospector Clyde Selby hits the mother lode, The Hawk plans to kidnap his pretty blond daughter Mary Selby. This kidnapping actually proves one of the lesser of the perils faced by the poor Mary. Laramie, a government agent, wants with the help of his friendly Shoshone Indian friends to extricate the damsel-in-distress.

Die chinesische Nachtigall

1929 • 8 min • Germany

The Emperor of China hears a nightingale sing, and decides to capture her, yet he fails. So he tries at least to have her call imitated, yet there everybody at his court fails, so he offers a prize for success in this - the marriage with his daughter. Two Europeans hear of it - a Mr. Tri-Ergon (record label) and a Mr. Trichter (recording horn). Both try with their recording devices to cut a record of the Nightingale.

Pivoine

1929 • 17 min • France

Pivoine, a tramp living on the docks near Notre Dame, Macaroni and Georgette are his companions in misfortune. Could no longer bear the insults of passersby and stone throwing children, Pivoine decided to move...

In Holland

1929 • 30 min • United States of America

Comedy short.

Paris Cinéma

1929 • 49 min • France

The first behind-the-scenes documentary in the film industry, from the making of a camera (Debrie) to studio shooting and directing, including animation techniques. Pierre Chenal meets André Rigal who executes, in his workshop, a series of freehand drawings. These sketches are then ground in a coffee grinder, from which a cartoon on film emerges. In Champigny, Alain Saint-Ogan and his host are working on Zig et Puce and developing Alfred the penguin's first steps. In Fontenay-sous-Bois, Ladislas Starewitch presents his future stars. Pierre Chenal described his film as follows: “I had designed to shoot a documentary in which I would show how a film is made in order, at the same time, to learn it myself. "

Don't Change Your Husband

1929 • 60 min • China

Xie Lijun, a young married woman, is bored by her husband Wang Qiping and attracted to Chen Mengtian, a superficially more appealing and apparently richer man. Chen tells her not to worry if her husband discovers their involvement: he will simply have a lawyer friend start divorce proceedings.

False Vases

1929 • 9 min • United States of America

When Felix's piano-playing causes Kitty's Ming vase to break.

The Last Roundup

1929 • 50 min • United States of America

There is trouble on the Bar D ranch as cowhand Mile Ahead plans to rustle the herd. He starts a fire on the opposite side of the ranch to keep the hands busy and also kidnaps the new school teacher. Fighting the fire, Foreman Denver leans the cattle are gone and going after Mile Ahead, learns the teacher is a prisoner in the school and the fire that is now out of control is heading her way.

All Americans

1929 • 19 min • United States of America

People of all nations come to America, sing a native song and go into a “melting pot”. This scene was later used in King of Jazz (1930).

Autour de l'argent

1929 • 40 min • France

A documentary about the making of L'argent, the epic silent film directed by Marcel L'Herbier. The film shows the details of many of the more complicated moving camera shots.

The Body Punch

1929 • 55 min • United States of America

Boxer Jack Townsend and wrestler Paul Steinert, at odds with each other, fight a benefit match.

One Good Turn

1929 • 8 min • United States of America

After singing all night, Felix decides to save a fox from hunters.

Und Nelson spielt

1929 • 12 min • Germany

Rudolf Nelson and the Weintraub Syncoptators lead thru a short musical revue, featuring eccentric dancers, singers, and a small chorus-line.

The Post

1929 • 15 min • Soviet Union

A boy is sitting at a table, writing a letter for Boris Prutkov. The cartoon follows the journey of this letter from Rostov to Leningrad, where its addressee Prutkov has just left for Berlin; when the letter arrives in Berlin, Prutkov has just departed for London; as the letter arrives in London, Prutkov is already on a steamboat to Brazil, and once the letters is delivered by postman Don Basilio, Prutkov is already on his way back to Leningrad– where the letter, having followed Prutkov around the world, finally reaches him. The film sings a song of praise to the global postal services and to the reliability of the postmen, but it also tells the story of a journey around the world, returning once more to the new Soviet capital: Leningrad.

No Children

1929 • 20 min • United States of America

Parents pretend they are in show business and their kids are ventriloquist dummies.

The Old Barn

1929 • 21 min • United States of America

The folks discover what appears to be a haunted barn.

Bread

1929 • 45 min • Soviet Union

An ideologically committed Red Army soldier returns home from the war and takes up a new struggle with the aim of collectivizing the land of a wealthy peasant.

The Cowboy and the Outlaw

1929 • 48 min • United States of America

Story of a cowboy tracking down his father's killer

Land o' Cotton

1929 • 6 min • United States of America

Mice sold into slavery and driven to pick cotton by whip-cracking cats plot their escape to freedom.

The Fly's Bride

1929 • 7 min • United States of America

The Fly's Bride was produced in 1929, one year following Van Beuren's edict that all cartoons would be produced in sound. The RCA Photophone System is the credited process, and Carl Edouarde is credited with "synchronization." The film continues the long-running silent series of Aesop's Fables ("sugar coated pills of wisdom" as the end titles remarked) that the studio turned out. This entry displays the lively brand of "rubber hose" animation that was common in the early sound era. The story opens as a swarm of white shoe-clad flies cavort in a kitchen (gags include a soft-shoe number danced over spilled salt and a cop fly directing traffic around a piece of flypaper). The story shifts outside as a fly calls his gal on the phone. Here some rare lip-synch is attempted during the dialogue; Van Beuren usually avoided dialogue in the years to come in favor of songs to help the story along.