This is an overview of 1921 in film, including significant events, a list of films released and notable births and deaths.
1917 in film was a particularly fruitful year for the art form, and is often cited as one of the years in the decade which contributed to the medium the most, along with 1913. Secondarily the year saw a limited global embrace of narrative film-making and featured innovative techniques such as continuity cutting. Primarily, the year is an American landmark, as 1917 is the first year where the narrative and visual style is typified as "Classical Hollywood".
Donald William Crisp was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1942 for his performance in How Green Was My Valley.
The Playhouse is a 1921 American two-reel silent comedy film written by, directed by, and starring "Buster" Keaton. It runs for 22 minutes, and is most famous for an opening sequence where Keaton plays every role.
Gerard Montgomery Blue was an American film actor who began his career as a romantic lead in the silent era; and for decades after the advent of sound, he continued to perform as a supporting player in a wide range of motion pictures.
The Lone Wolf is the nickname of the fictional character Michael Lanyard, a jewel thief turned private detective in a series of novels written by Louis Joseph Vance (1879–1933). Many films based on and inspired by the books have been made. The character also appeared briefly on radio and television.
Kick In is a 1922 American silent crime drama film produced by Famous Players–Lasky, distributed by Paramount Pictures, and starring Betty Compson and Bert Lytell. The picture was directed by George Fitzmaurice, who previously directed a 1917 film version of the story. Both films are based on Willard Mack's 1913 play that was produced on Broadway in 1914 starring John Barrymore. The supporting cast features Charles Ogle, who had played the first screen Frankenstein's monster in the original 1910 version of Frankenstein.
Bluebeard's Seven Wives is a 1926 American silent comedy film produced and released by First National Pictures. It was directed by Alfred Santell and starred Ben Lyon, Lois Wilson, and Blanche Sweet.
Our Mrs. McChesney is a lost 1918 American silent comedy-drama film produced and distributed by Metro Pictures, directed by Ralph Ince, and based on the 1915 play by Edna Ferber and George V. Hobart starring Ethel Barrymore.
Daughters of Pleasure is a 1924 American silent romantic comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Marie Prevost and Monte Blue. Based on a story by Caleb Proctor, the film features an early appearance by Clara Bow who plays a supporting role.
Heliotrope is a lost 1920 American silent drama film directed by George D. Baker and written by Robert W. Chambers and Will M. Ritchey. The film stars Wilfred Lytell, Ben Hendricks Sr., Julia Swayne Gordon, Betty Hilburn, Diana Allen, and Frederick Burton. The film was released on November 28, 1920, by Paramount Pictures.
The Man Who Saw Tomorrow is a lost 1922 American silent drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and written by Frank Condon, Will M. Ritchey, and Perley Poore Sheehan. The film stars Thomas Meighan, Theodore Roberts, Leatrice Joy, Alan Roscoe, Alec B. Francis, June Elvidge, and Eva Novak. The film was released on October 29, 1922, by Paramount Pictures.
The Ne'er-Do-Well is a 1923 American comedy silent film directed by Alfred E. Green. The film stars Thomas Meighan, Lila Lee, Gertrude Astor, John Miltern, Gus Weinberg, and Sidney Smith. The screenplay by Rex Beach and Louis Stevens is based on Rex Beach's 1911 novel of the same name. The film was released on April 29, 1923, by Paramount Pictures. This film is now considered lost. A previous version of the story was released in 1916.
The Fatal Hour is a lost 1920 American feature-length silent film directed by George W. Terwilliger. It starred Broadway star Thomas W. Ross (1873–1959) and Wilfred Lytell, and was released by Metro Pictures.
Lucretia Lombard, also known as Flaming Passion, is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Jack Conway and produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Based upon the 1922 novel of the same name by Kathleen Norris, it stars Irene Rich, Monte Blue, and a young Norma Shearer, just prior to her signing with MGM.
The Bush Leaguer is a lost 1927 American synchronized sound comedy film directed by Howard Bretherton and starring Monte Blue and Leila Hyams. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the Vitaphone sound-on-disc process. The film was produced and distributed by the Warner Bros..
Starring Bert Lytell, The Right of Way is a lost 1920 American remade silent film directed by John Francis Dillon and distributed by Metro Pictures. The film was previously filmed in 1915 and released on February 29, 1920 in the United States.
School Days is a 1921 American comedy film directed by William Nigh, written by Walter DeLeon, Hoey Lawlor and William Nigh, and starring Wesley Barry, George Lessey, Nellie Parker Spaulding, Margaret Seddon, Arline Blackburn, and J.H. Gilmour. It was released by Warner Bros. on December 25, 1921 and was Warner's biggest grossing film until The Sea Beast in 1926.
The Idle Rich is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Maxwell Karger. The film stars Bert Lytell, Virginia Valli, and John Davidson. It was released on December 26, 1921, by Metro Pictures. It is not known whether this film survives.
Diana Allen was a Swedish-American actress and Ziegfeld girl who starred in silent films such as 1921's Miss 139, which is now lost.
