Missing Reels: Lost Films of American and European CinemaDuring the first half of this century, motion pictures were often considered disposable once their circulations were over. The recycling of used film and the use of components for war efforts contributed to the loss of many movies, as did the unstable nature of the nitrate film itself. The loss of extant works has created gaps in the national cinematic history of the United States and most European countries. Eighty percent of all Western-made films produced before World War I are considered lost, while 15 percent of the films made from 1930 to 1950 are also missing. Here are descriptions of nearly 1,000 of the lost American and European films produced between 1900 and 1950, featuring the talents of the still famous as well as the now obscure. The films are arranged by country and reveal the remarkably prolific early filmmaking in countries like the Netherlands and Sweden. Each entry includes production information, cast, synopsis, history, and insights from reviews when available. Photographs from these films provide glimpses of what once was. An extensive index is included. |
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actor actress adaptation Adelqui Albert Alexander Korda American André artist Barcelona beautiful Benno Berlin called Carlos Charles Cine-Mundial cinema daughter Design directed director Dommelen drama duction Emilio Ghione Ernst Ernst Lubitsch F. W. Murnau falls in love famous Fejos film's filmmakers five-reel Florián Rey four-reel French French-language Gaziadis Georges German girl Harry Harry Stradling Henri Hollywood Irish Italian J. M. Kerrigan Jacques Jean Jeanne John José José López Rubio Karl Louis Mercanton lover Lubitsch Marcel María marry Mary Maurice melodrama meter Moreno mount Moving Picture World murder Music Noël-Noël novel Paris comedy Paul Photog Photogra Photography Pierre play popular production released René Guissart Robert romantic Saint-Granier scenes screen Script and dialogue shot Sidney Olcott silent singer sound film Spanish Spanish-language star story studio Swedish tale theater three-reel tion tography wife William wrote a critic wrote Variety young woman Yves Mirande