The SFSFF 2007 - Day 1

A Trip to the Dentist …

1924

Well here we are again, poised on the brink of that great indulgence, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. The twelfth annual celebration of movies our grannies loved, begins with MGM’s sensational The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927), starring Norma Shearer (never lovelier) and Ramon Novarro (no slouch himself), directed by the master of all he surveyed, Ernst Lubitsch. This is without question, among the most beautiful late era silent films ever made. Of course the icing on the cake is musical accompanist on the Castro’s Wurlitzer, Dennis James.

But first, a stroll around town on this perfect, sunny day, a trip up to Chinatown for dinner and a glass of champagne before the show.

Earlier, I found myself drawn to the business address of one John McTeague, a particularly sadistic, nail biting dentist and nasty little piece of work who allowed his Greed (1924) to get the best of him. His office at the corner of Hayes and Laguna was a featured location in Erich von Stroheim’s well-known masterpiece/monstrosity, originally 42 reels and ten hours in length. And yes, McTeague was actually a character in the film played by Gibson Gowland. The building still exists, although the tenants appear to have changed.

2007