January 18th marks the 133rd birthday of Oliver Hardy! Join us for a delightful celebration with cake and a screening of two silent short films starring this amazing actor, alongside his partner in comedy, Stan Laurel. We`ll be showcasing the 1928 comedy Two Tars and a 1929 classic Liberty, all with live piano accompaniment.

In Two Tars, at a rail crossing, a small fender-bender incident turns into a major tit-for-tat retaliatory war among various motorists. It is probably the best silent Laurel and Hardy ever made. It is hilarious. From the opening lamp-post gag, to the gumball machine, to the hilarious traffic jam and finally the train ending, this movie really is a rib-tickler.

In Liberty, with the police hot on their trail, Stan and Ollie attempt to change clothes in their getaway car, only to find themselves struggling to balance atop the girders of an unfinished skyscraper. Will they return to ground level in one piece? You have to come to find out!

Screening with live piano accompaniment

*****

IMDb RATING: 7.2/10 & 7.5/10

ROTTEN TOMATOES: 63% & 92%

Maciste all'inferno (Italian for "Maciste in Hell") is an Italian silent film directed by Guido Brignone published in 1925. What a headscratcher it is!

The devil takes Maciste (Bartolomeo Pagano) down to hell in an attempt to corrupt and ruin his morality. Maciste is apparently a do-gooder whose activities are giving Hell a bad name, so a devil is sent to Earth in order to tempt him; somehow, the former ends up in the underworld and, giving in to the affections of some devilish sirens (hot chicks in bikini!), is himself turned into a hellish creature until saved by a child's prayer on Christmas Eve!

Not just USA or Germany were there in the early cinema. Italy had a lot to say as well, and this silent moving picture proves it. Assolutamente da vedere! A must see!

Screening with live piano accompaniment by Mila Maia

*****

IMDb RATING: 6.8/10

ROTTEN TOMATOES: 88%

Laugh, Clown, Laugh is a 1928 American silent drama film starring Lon Chaney (one of his best performances) and Loretta Young (her film debut). The movie was directed by the famous Irishman Herbert Brenon and produced by Irving G. Thalberg for MGM Pictures.

A sound version of this film was released in the second half of 1928 and featured a synchronized musical score with sound effects.

The film was written by Elizabeth Meehan, based on the 1923 Broadway stage production Laugh, Clown, Laugh by David Belasco and Tom Cushing, which in turn was based on the 1919 play Ridi, Pagliaccio by Fausto Maria Martini.

Tito (Lon Chaney), a traveling circus clown, finds an abandoned child. He adopts her and raises her as his daughter, naming her Simonetta after his brother Simon (Bernard Siegel). One day the now-teenaged Simonetta (Loretta Young) encounters Count Luigi Ravelli (Nils Asther), a wealthy man who falls madly in love with her, but upon seeing that he already has a girlfriend, she rejects him. She returns home to the circus and Tito suddenly realizes she is no longer a child. Tito further realizes he has sexual feelings for Simonetta, but also knows his feelings are improper because he raised her as his daughter.

Screening with live piano accompaniment by Thomas Quill

*****

^{IMDb RATING: 7.5/10}

^{ROTTEN TOMATOES: 92%}

This evening is going to be memorable for a variety of reasons. We can't share too much just yet, as it's all part of the surprise! However, at least 20 tickets need to be sold for the event to take place. If we don’t reach that number, everyone will receive a refund. But if everything falls into place... get ready for an amazing time!

*****

^{OUR RATING: 69/69}

^{IMDb RATING: 10/10}

^{ROTTEN TOMATOES: 100%}

Silent Cinema won the Irish Hospitality Awards 2024 in the Best Independent Cinema Experience category!
Our heartfelt thanks go out to all our fans, friends, and artists who have collaborated with us. Your contributions have been invaluable in achieving this victory!
If you have not yet been to Silent Cinema, we would like to invite you to enjoy a silent film with live piano accompaniment.

Keep informed by checking our website, signing up for our newsletter, and connecting with us on social media.

*****

^{OUR RATING: 10/10}