Public Domain Movies released in 1921

The Playhouse

The opening scene, a dream sequence prior to the vaudeville routines which follow, is what makes this film famous. In it Keaton plays everyone in a theatre simultaneously (through multiple exposures). He is the band leader, all its members, the dancers on the stage and everyone in the audience.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

This is the movie that made Rudolph Valentino a star. Written by June Mathis it was released in 1921 and was the best selling movie of that year. It went on to tbe th 6th best selling silent of all time, and at one point it was likely the highest grossing movie of all time due to rereleases (it was bumped by Gone with the Wind's release). For more info about the film and production please see http://forgetthetalkies.com/2008/06/valentino-review-four-horsemen-of.html

Sands of Sacrifice

AKA Tangled Trails Corporal Jack Borden (Neal Hart), of the Northwest Mounted Police, trails the man who killed his partner to New York City. The killer is an unscrupulous promoter who is selling worthless stock in a gold mine. Borden, with the help of Blanche Hall (Gladys Hampton), locates the man in a Bowery dive, but he escapes and Borden tracks him back to Canada. Along the way, he discovers that Blanche and his sweetheart, Milly (Violet Palmer), are long-separated sisters and brings about a reconciliation.

Orphans of the Storm

Henriette and Louise, a foundling, are raised together as sisters. When Louise goes blind, Henriette swears to take care of her forever. They go to Paris to see if Louise's blindness can be cured, but are separated when an aristocrat lusts after Henriette and abducts her. Only Chevalier de Vaudrey is kind to her, and they fall in love. The French Revolution replaces the corrupt Aristocracy with the equally corrupt Robespierre. De Vaudrey, who has always been good to peasants, is condemned to death for being an aristocrat,

The Ace of Hearts

From IMDb: A secret society holds a meeting to determine what to do about a powerful and dangerous man whom they have been studying closely for the past three months. They all agree that he deserves to die. Two of the members, Farallone and Forrest, are both in love with Lilith, the group's only female member. But Lilith accepts neither of them, preferring to devote herself to the group's cause.

The Boat

Buster's handmade boat, The Damfino, is finished and is, of course, too large to get through the basement door. When he drives off with it in tow, the side of his house, then the whole thing, collapses. At the harbor he rides the boat out only to have it sink beneath him. The rest is a series of adventures he and his family have with the restored boat. This funny short has some good subtile gags plus the usual slapstick and gadgets.

The Three Musketeers

The young Gascon D'Artagnan (Douglas Fairbanks) arrives in Paris, his heart set on joining the king's Musketeers. He is taken under the wings of three of the most respected and feared Musketeers, Porthos (George Siegmann), Aramis (Eugene Pallette), and Athos (Léon Bary). Together they fight to save France and the honor of a lady from the machinations of the powerful Cardinal Richelieu (Nigel De Brulier).

The Nut

From IMDb: Eccentric inventor Charlie Jackson tries to interest wealthy investors in his girlfriend's plan to help children from poor neighborhoods. Stars: Marguerite De La Motte, William Lowery, Gerald Pring, Morris Hughes, Barbara La Marr, Sydney dé Grey, and Douglas Fairbanks

The Haunted House

Buster at his place of work, a bank. After being falsely accused of being a bank robber he escapes to the local 'haunted' which is really a cover for a gang of counterfeiters, also in the house are the cast of a lousy version of 'Faust' who are escaping a hostile audience.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - The Devil's Foot

Eille Norwood appears in this 1921 Episode of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series. Special contents of this edition copyright 2010 Shane I Sullivan. Permission to use these items is granted under creative commons licence.

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