The years that followed World War I saw the very birth of movies and a period of unbridled exploration for the medium. Selecting the Best Films of the 1920s is particularly difficult, as so many important, popular and influential movies were created in that decade; many echo with us even today.
The Battleship Potemkin (1925)
Though not as epic in scale as D.W. Griffith’s much-ballyhooed Birth of a Nation, Sergei Eisenstein’s masterpiece stands out as a far more satisfying and well-realized historical drama. The Cinema’s first true propaganda film, Potemkin’s use of violence (shocking for its time) and stark visuals are the perfect framework in which to chronicle the events surrounding the 1905 mutiny by the sailors on the title vessel. The ideologies put forward are shaped by the fine editing, which represents the earliest gestation of montage in film, and the movie is a staple of filmmaking courses. So influential was this film over the decades that The Odessa Staircase chapter served as a template for a brilliant homage in Brian De Palma’s 1987 The Untouchables.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
The definitive example of German Expressionist Cinema delivered a shock to the emerging celluloid landscape, making it clear near the birth of the medium that there was an envelope that could be pushed. And push the envelope the film did, to such an extent that even modern audiences marvel at the audacity of the set design and the otherworldly performances from a team of trained theatrical professionals, including a young Conrad Veidt, who would later establish himself in such films as Casablanca. Though director Robert Wiene produced little else of note, his movie would inform later surrealist films from the Buñuel/Dali Un Chien Andalou, all the way forward to David Lynch’s Eraserhead.
The Gold Rush (1925)
Most every Chaplin film is considered a masterpiece. It is important, however, to acknowledge that Chaplin’s works, while brilliant and entertaining, often suffer from pacing issues and frequent pontificating. Not so with this film; The Gold Rush stands as the apex of Chaplin’s 1920’s period, a pure, unabashed, slapstick joyride that has left audiences howling with laughter for almost 85 years. The film showcases Chaplin’s many talents far more effectively than The Kid from four years earlier, and provides such iconic, Chaplinesque affectations as the dancing bread rolls, and the Tramp’s eating of his own boot when food becomes scarce. One of the highest-grossing silent films of all time, the movie is a true masterpiece which challenged future filmmakers to lend intelligence to their physical comedies.
Metropolis (1927)
Perhaps the foundation of the Dystopian Future subgenre, Fritz Lang’s oppressively bleak opus still holds up extremely well over 80 years later (due in no small part to the coexistent simplicity and gravitas of its themes). Metropolis is iconic in so many ways, from the grand scale of its Art Deco sets to the innovative costuming and character design, the most memorable of which is the scientist Rotwang’s Maschinenmensch robot, which is at once frightening and erotic. The film’s depiction of the worker revolt, and Man’s inhumanity to Man, influenced not only future dystopian Cinema, but also cultural ideals (most controversially, in Nazi Germany, as Joseph Goebbels was a fan of the film). More importantly, the film also influenced set design for countless science fiction films, including Blade Runner and Batman. So universally acknowledged is Metropolis’ influence that few other movies have garnered the incessant restoration and preservation efforts bestowed upon this beloved film.
The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
If there is one scene that defines The Phantom of the Opera, it is the brilliant “reveal” when the Phantom is unmasked by Christine, a sight which sent some moviegoers screaming for the exits. The impact of that shot has influenced horror films for decades, defining the premise of shock value. The film is a showcase for the amazing performance of The Man of a Thousand Faces, Lon Chaney. It is difficult to choose the best Chaney performance from the 20’s (with such a ubiquitous presence in other roles like The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and London After Midnight). Ultimately, it matters little what Chaney role is onscreen... his mastery of makeup (he designed, created, and applied the Phantom makeup himself) and the level of dedication that the actor had to his craft are evident at all times, and a true joy to behold.
As the 1920s drew to a close and the world entered the Great Depression, the Cinema was poised to change along with Society once again, leaving behind an impressive catalogue of films that helped to define the Roaring 20’s.
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