THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI – Silent Film Plays at Webster University December 4th

THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI (1916) Screens Sunday December 4th at 7:30pm at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood).

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of two of Lois Weber’s most important films, Milestone Films has released  restored versions of SHOES and THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI. Working with the Netherland’s EYE Filmmuseum, the Library of Congress, archivist Lori Raskin and composers Donald Sosin and John Sweeney, these films will both be screening at Webster University. The small but magnificent ensemble SHOES, with Weber’s star discovery Mary MacLaren was released the same year as her epic blockbuster THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI featuring the legendary dancer, Anna Pavlova. The two films show brilliantly the tremendous range Weber had as a film director.

“Lois Weber was the most successful of all the women directors in the first quarter of the 20th century and, at the time, was placed alongside the likes of D.W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille as the major innovative forces in filmmaking.” 
— Cari Beauchamp,IndieWire

SHOES screens at Webster University December 11th

THE DUMB GIRL OF PORTICI takes place during the seventeenth century, where the Duke d’Arcos levies another onerous tax on the workers, who begin talk of a rebellion. Disguised as one of them, Alphonso (Douglas Gerrard), the duke’s son, goes among the common people to gauge their feelings and falls in love with Fenella (world-renown ballet dancer and choreographer Anna Pavlova), the dumb girl of Portici, a small Italian village. He visits her frequently, but then breaks her heart when he marries Elvira (Edna Maison), a woman from his own class. Meanwhile, the duke keeps levying taxes, and the people select Fenella’s brother Masaniello (Rupert Julian) as their leader and successfully storm the duke’s palace. The duke’s forces, led by Alphonso, stage a counter attack leading to tragedy.

Admission is:

$6 for the general public
$5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$4 for Webster University staff and faculty

Free for Webster students with proper I.D.

Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.

The Webster University Film Series site can be found HERE

http://www.webster.edu/film-series/