| Buck Privates | |
|---|---|
 Advertisement | |
| Directed by | Melville W. Brown |
| Written by |
|
| Story by | Stuart N. Lake |
| Produced by | Carl Laemmle |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John Stumar |
| Edited by | Frank Atkinson Ray Curtiss |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 70 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
Buck Privates is a 1928 American silent comedy film directed by Melville W. Brown and starring Lya De Putti, Malcolm McGregor, and Zasu Pitts. [1] [2]
As described in a film magazine, [3] John Smith left Yale University to make the world safe for democracy. After the World War I Armistice, he is quartered in a little German village near the Rhine River at the home of Major von Hartmann, and here he falls in love with Anne, the gruff Major’s daughter. Von Hartmann is president of a pacifist society and opposed to the army of occupation. To make matters worse, the village officials agree to shear the hair of any of their daughters found fraternizing with American soldiers. Annie is the first to be caught and shorn. To shield Smith from punishment, Anne allows the authorities to believe that the man seen with her in the garden was the tough American top sergeant whom she despises. Captain Marshall threatens to bring the sergeant to trial by court-martial unless he agrees to marry the girl. Anne escapes in a soldier’s uniform while her ugly maid puts on the bridal veil and marches to the altar in her stead. Smith, frantic over the outcome, stops the wedding by kidnapping the bride during the ceremony and racing away with her. He is followed by Anne on a motorcycle, but Smith tries to outdistance her, believing her to be a soldier pursuing him. The sergeant’s friends finally get the bride away from him and the top sergeant marries the wrong woman while Smith walks away dejected after his apparent defeat. As he nears the gate he sees Anne comes limping in. She falls in his arms while the sergeant lifts the bridal veil for the first time and learns that he has married the maid.
A print of Buck Privates is in the George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection. [4]
ZaSu Pitts was an American actress whose career spanned nearly five decades, starring in many silent film dramas, including Erich von Stroheim's 1924 epic Greed, and comedies, before transitioning successfully to mostly comedy roles with the advent of sound films. She also appeared on numerous radio shows and, later, made her mark on television. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 at 6554 Hollywood Blvd.
Two Arabian Knights (1927) is an American silent comedy film, directed by Lewis Milestone and starring William Boyd, Mary Astor, and Louis Wolheim. The film was produced by Howard Hughes and was distributed by United Artists. The screenwriters were James T. O'Donohue, Wallace Smith, and George Marion Jr.
Lya de Putti was a Hungarian film actress during the silent era. She was noted for her portrayals of vamp characters.
The Scarlet Lady is a 1928 American synchronized sound drama film, written by Bess Meredyth and directed by Alan Crosland. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the sound-on-film Western Electric Sound System process. It was produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. This film is important historically as it was the first sound feature released by Columbia Pictures.
Olga Engl was an Austrian-German stage and motion picture actress who appeared in nearly 200 films.
Mannequin is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. James Cruze directed and Alice Joyce, Warner Baxter, and Dolores Costello were the stars. The film is still extant.
The Fast Set is a 1924 American silent comedy-drama film directed by William C. deMille and starring Betty Compson. The film is based on the 1923 Broadway play, Spring Cleaning, by Frederick Lonsdale.
Lazybones is a 1925 American silent romantic drama film produced and directed by Frank Borzage and starring Madge Bellamy, Buck Jones, and Zasu Pitts. It opened in New York City on September 22, 1924, and received wider distribution by Fox Film Corporation during 1925.
Her Big Night is a 1926 American silent comedy film directed by Melville W. Brown and written by Brown, Rex Taylor, and Nita O'Neil. It is based on the 1925 short story, Doubling for Lora, by Peggy Gaddis that was originally serialized in Breezy Stories magazine. The film stars Laura La Plante in dual role, Einar Hanson, and Zasu Pitts. The film was released on December 5, 1926 by Universal Pictures under their 'Jewel' banner.
Freedom of the Press is a 1928 American silent mystery film directed by George Melford and starring Lewis Stone, Marceline Day, and Malcolm McGregor.
Lingerie is a 1928 American silent war drama film directed by George Melford and starring Alice White, Malcolm McGregor and Mildred Harris. Copies of the film still survive.
The Goldfish is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by Jerome Storm and starring Constance Talmadge, Jack Mulhall, and Frank Elliott.
Spuds is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Edward Ludwig and starring Larry Semon, Dorothy Dwan, and Edward Hearn. Semon and Dwan were married.
The Business of Love is a 1925 American silent comedy film directed by Irving Reis and Jess Robbins and starring Edward Everett Horton, Barbara Bedford, and Zasu Pitts.
The Unguarded Hour is a 1925 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Lambert Hillyer and starring Milton Sills, Doris Kenyon, and Claude King. The film's sets were designed by the art director Milton Menasco.
The Legend of Hollywood is a 1924 American silent romantic drama film directed by Renaud Hoffman and starring Percy Marmont, Zasu Pitts, and Alice Davenport.
Oh, Yeah! is a 1929 American pre-Code action film directed by Tay Garnett and starring Robert Armstrong, James Gleason and Zasu Pitts. The film's sets were designed by the art director Edward C. Jewell. An early sound film, it was made during the transition from the silent era. It is also known by the alternative title No Brakes after the original story it is based on that appeared in The Saturday Evening Post.
Old Shoes is a 1925 American silent independent drama film directed by Frederick Stowers and starring Noah Beery, Viora Daniel and Zasu Pitts.
Tipped Off is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Finis Fox and starring Arline Pretty, Noah Beery and Stuart Holmes. It was distributed by the independent Playgoers Pictures.
Can a Woman Love Twice? is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by James W. Horne and starring Ethel Clayton, Muriel Frances Dana and Kate Lester.
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