Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 7:30 p.m., Dryden Theatre
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(Allan Dwan, US 1925, 70 min., 35mm)
Gloria Swanson, silent film’s ultimate glamour queen, started out with Mack Sennett and continued to make comedies throughout her career, including this one, which is as far removed from “glamorous” as could be. Stage Struck is an authentic slice of industrial river town life, as the showboat arrives to enliven the lives of the populace with culture—and female boxing. Director Allan Dwan captures the atmosphere perfectly, and the terrific comic support of Lawrence Gray, Keystone veteran Ford Sterling, and statuesque but earthy Gertrude Astor (as well as a few early Technicolor surprises!) make for an entertaining romp.
Live piano accompaniment by Makia Matsumura.