Camilla Horn

A 1929 American sound romantic drama film directed by Ernst Lubitsch, starring John Barrymore and Camilla Horn. Set in 1806 in the Swiss Alps village of Pontresina, the film follows Marcus Paltran (Barrymore), a mountain man in love with Ciglia (Horn). But the jealous and vindictive Pia throws herself at Marcus and, when rejected, spreads rumors that force Marcus into a loveless marriage with her. Marcus and Ciglia struggle to find happiness together amid the constraints of their marriages and the rigid village society. Based on the novel Der König der Bernina by Jakob Christoph Heer, this was the last silent film for both Lubitsch and Barrymore. While the film has no audible dialogue, it was released with a synchronized musical score and sound effects.

Drama · Romance

F.W. Murnau's final German film is a lavish silent adaptation of the Faust legend, drawing on Goethe and older folk versions of the tale. An archangel and Mephisto wager over the soul of an aged scholar, and the devil unleashes a plague to drive Faust to desperation. The pact gives Faust youth and worldly pleasure, but the story turns on his seduction of the innocent Gretchen and the tragedy that follows. Emil Jannings plays Mephisto as a leering, theatrical tempter, while Gosta Ekman ages and de-ages across the picture. The film is a high point of German Expressionism, famous for its optical tricks, painted skies, and the surreal image of Mephisto's wings spreading over a miniature town. It was a financial disappointment on release but has been revered by critics ever since. The film entered the public domain in the United States in 2022.

Fantasy · Horror · Drama · Silent