One Hundred Years Ago: 1925

Once again, Il Cinema Ritrovato offers a selection of classics and rarities made or released in 1925, the year that marked the 30th anniversary of the birth of cinema. The year saw the emergence of future big-name auteurs such as Alfred Hitchcock, Jean Renoir, and Josef von Sternberg, whose 1925 debut features will all be showcased in the programme, curated by Oliver Hanley. Alongside undisputed masterpieces such as Sergei Eisenstein’s Strike or Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Master of the House, the programme will feature comparatively lesser-known gems, all with live musical accompaniment. For EFSP, Ivo Blom made a selection of 25 postcards of international films that premiered in 1925.


French postcard, no. 3.59. Andrée Rolane as Cosette in Les Misérables (Henri Fescourt, 1925).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 49. Photo: Ruth Harriet Louise / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Tom O'Brien, John Gilbert, and Karl Dane in The Big Parade (King Vidor, 1925), released in Italy as Grande Parata / La grande parata.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano. Photo: Westi. SAIC. Soava Gallone and Emilio Ghione in the Italian historical film La cavalcata ardente / The Fiery Cavalcade (Carmine Gallone 1925).


German postcard with Dutch imprint by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 36/10. Photo: Emelka Konzern. Himansu Rai in Prem Sanyas / Die Leuchte Asiens / The Light of Asia (Franz Osten, Himansu Rai, 1925).


Soviet postcard by Izdatelʹstvo 'Planeta' Fabrika Fotopečati, Moscow, no. 32, 1978. This postcard was printed in an edition of 25.000 cards. The price was 8 kop. Caption: Sergei Eisenstein on the set of Stachka / Strike (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925). Scenes from Stachka / Strike (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 133/3. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Messala (Francis X. Bushman) and Ben-Hur (Ramon Novarro) during the famous chariot race in the American silent film Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (Fred Niblo, 1925). Mark how the tribunes are empty and the upper part of the circus is missing (it was projected into the film using a hanging model).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 3677/1, 1928-1929. Photo: United Artists. Rudolph Valentino and Louise Dresser in The Eagle (Clarence Brown, 1925).


British postcard by Ross Verlag Foreign, no. 3658/4, 1928-1929. Photo: United Artists. Douglas Fairbanks is wearing the outfit from Don Q, Son of Zorro (Donald Crisp, 1925).


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 440. Photo: Sascha. Charlie Chaplin in The Gold Rush (Charles Chaplin, 1925).


Dutch poster by Frans Bosen for The Phantom of the Opera (Rupert Julian, 1925) with Lon Chaney.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, no. 680. Photo: United Artists. Mary Pickford in Little Annie Rooney (William Beaudine, 1925), released in Italy as Piccola Anna.


French postcard in the Les Vedettes de Cinéma Series, by A.N., Paris, no. 369. Mae Murray (the trema is a mistake) and John Gilbert as the romantic couple, Sally O'Hara and Prince Danilo, in The Merry Widow (Erich von Stroheim, 1925). The film was a huge success.


German postcard by Ross Verlag G.m.b.H., Berlin. Photo: Sofar-Film-Produktion. Werner Krauss in Die freudlose Gasse / The Joyless Street (Georg Wilhelm Pabst, 1925).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 25/4. Photo: Ufa. Lil Dagover in Zur Chronik von Grieshuus / The Chronicle of the Gray House (Arthur von Gerlach, 1925).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 26/5, 1927-1928. Photo: Ufa. Aud Egede Nissen and Paul Richter in Pietro der Korsar / Peter the Pirate (Arthur Robison, 1925).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 48/2. Photo: Ufa. Willy Fritsch in the German silent film Ein Walzertraum / The Waltz Dream (Ludwig Berger, 1925), based on the Oscar Straus operetta.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/1. Photo: Kulturabteilung der UFA. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle / Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) here probably with Gustav Oberg as Freiherr von Wulfshagen.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 24/9. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Wege zu Kraft und Schönheit / Ways to Strength and Beauty (Nicholas Kaufmann, Wilhelm Prager, 1925). Caption: Alt-Griechisches Gymnasion (Old Greek Gymnasium). Collection: Didier Hanson.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 1006/1, 1927-1928. Photo: Stein. Asta Nielsen in Hedda Gabler (Franz Eckstein, 1925), based on the play by Henrik Ibsen.


French postcard by Editions Jacques Haïk. Photo Combier Mâcon. Gaston Jacquet in Le Bossu / The Duke's Motto (Jean Kemm, 1925).


French postcard. Publicity still for the French rural drama La Brière (Léon Poirier, 1924). Caption: The home of Aoustin (José Davert). In the back are his wife (Jeanne Marie-Laurent) and daughter Théotiste (Laurence Myrga).


Yugoslav postcard by Jos. Caklovic, Zagreb, no. 75. Photo: Mosinger Film, Zagreb. Jaque Catelain in Le prince charmant / Prince Charming (Viktor Tourjansky, 1925).


British Postcard in the Picturegoer Series, London, no. 39A. Photo: Ivor Novello in The Rat (Graham Cutts, 1925).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano, 397. Photo: SAIC. Lido Manetti and Maria Jacobini in the Italian silent drama La bocca chiusa / The Closed Mouth (Guglielmo Zorzi, 1925).


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano. Photo: Dist. Società Anonima Stefano Pittaluga. Bartolomeo Pagano as Maciste in Maciste all'inferno / Maciste in Hell (Guido Brignone, 1926).