There’s Something for Everyone in Silent Film

Before the showing of The Symbol of the Unconquered at this year’s Nederlands Silent Film Festival in Eindhoven, a guest speaker was invited to talk. The crowd, mainly made up of older folks, got quiet to hear him speak and introduce the film. He got on stage, got comfortable, and then said that he had never been able to sit through an entire silent film. That it was just not his thing. Well, I believe silent films can be anyone’s thing if you give them a chance, and the best place to successfully find this out is undoubtedly the NSFF.

I was kindly allowed to attend three films at the festival, which took place this year between January 16th and 19th in the cozy Pand P and Parktheater. Ironically, the film that got the guest speaker finally interested in silent film was my least favourite of the three. Its narrative was incoherent at times and the story was not the most interesting. Furthermore, though the film was created to fight against racism, this main message fell flat, leaving me with a feeling of general disappointment at the story. Still, I was glad I got to see it, considering its historical importance. The film’s director, Oscar Micheaux, was the first and for some time only major African-American filmmaker. Now, most of his films are either lost or in the process of getting restored, so The Symbol of the Unconquered was a rare watch, made possible by the NSFF.

The atmosphere at the festival is also incredibly warm and inviting. The scale of it is not too big, so it feels like going to a screening tailored just for you and other fans of old cinema. What mainly adds to both the calming atmosphere and the uniqueness of the festival is the fact that all films are accompanied by live music. The talented musicians score the film with fitting music, enhancing the film’s emotional impact and making the viewing feel more immersive. You get to forget all your worries and shut the outside world out by just focusing on the screen and letting the music guide your viewing experience. 

3 Bad Men was the highlight of this experience for me. The 1926 John Ford film is a silent Western – something I had truthfully not realised was a thing. The story follows a young girl who, after her father is killed, is taken care of by three outlaws. The film is a perfect mix of comedy, like the outlaws’ antics and witty intertitles; romance, between the girl and her potential husband; and drama, as the story has a big focus on human connections and society and, considering it’s a Western, the film unfortunately does not end without any casualties. The live score beautifully accompanied the film’s tensest moments, making me fully engage with the story and become attached to its characters. 

The third film I was lucky to see was the 1926 Kid Boots starring Eddie Cantor and Clara Bow. The comedy-romance was delightful, truly highlighting that when people say they don’t like silent films, they most likely just haven’t watched many. The intertitles again were full of jokes, often feeling very modern and being a good reminder that we’re the same people we’ve always been. Time changes, cultures change, society changes, but at our core we’re all still human, in need of a good laugh.

The NSFF is an ideal place to just be. For a little while, you don’t have to think about anything, you can take your mind off all your problems and simply be present in the room, enjoying the show together with other film lovers and live musicians. Everything will work out. And if it doesn't, film will always be there for you to cry or laugh at.