Today, four silent films were among those selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry. James H. Billington, Head of the Library of Congress, made the announcement in what has become a much anticipated annual event for film enthusiasts of all stripes.
Billington named 25 motion pictures – including early Hollywood classics, recent blockbusters, documentaries, and innovative short films from every era of American filmmaking – to the National Film Registry.
The list included a couple of talkies starring the likes of W.C. Fields, Adolphe Menjou, and Mary Brian. Each starred in silent films featuring Louise Brooks.
Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, the Librarian of Congress annually names 25 films to the National Film Registry. The films are deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. The films are not selected as the “best” American films, but rather as works of enduring significance to American culture. To date, more than 525 films have been honored.
In a prepared statement, Billington stated, “As the nation’s repository of American creativity, the Library of Congress – with the support of the U.S. Congress – must ensure the preservation of America’s film patrimony. The National Film Registry is a reminder to the nation that the preservation of our cinematic creativity must be a priority because about half of the films produced before 1950 and as much as 90 percent of those made before 1920 have been lost to future generations.”
So far, no Louise Brooks film has been named to the list. However, three of her films are included on a Library of Congress list of suggestions for future nominations. This “shortlist” includes It's the Old Army Game (1926), Love Em and Leave Em (1926), and Beggars of Life (1928). This list of “Some Films Not Yet Named to the National Film Registry” can be found at www.loc.gov/film/NFRposs.html
Certainly, also deserving consideration are The Street of Forgotten Men (1925), The Show Off (1926), and A Girl in Every Port (1928). For various reasons, each is a notable entry in the annals of American film history. Fans of Louise Brooks interested in voting for her films should visit www.loc.gov/film/vote.html
More info: The Library of Congress press release announcing the 25 newest additions to the National Film Registry, as well as an annotated list of films, can be found at www.loc.gov/today/pr/2010/10-273.html.
Thomas Gladysz is an arts journalist and author. Recently, he wrote the introduction to a new “Louise Brooks edition” of Margarete Böhme's classic book, The Diary of a Lost Girl (PandorasBox Press). Gladysz will speak about his new book at the Village Voice Bookshop in Paris on January 13, followed by a screening of the film at the nearby Action Cinema.
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