The Adventurer (1917) ****

Frantic comedy about an escaped convict (Charlie) hiding from police.

Teddy At The Throttle (1917) ***

An excellent Mack Sennett comedy starring Gloria Swanson (as an innocent, but rich heiress) and Wallace Beery (as her guardian trying to get her fortune). Good production values enhance this seriocomic melodrama, whose amorous intrigues lead to a climactic rescue sequence (with Gloria tied to the railroad tracks).

The Butcher Boy (1917) ***

Buster Keaton's first film, directed by Roscoe Arbuckle.

A Clever Dummy (1917) ***

Ben Turpin impersonates a mechanical dummy and steals some money during a theatrical performance. Unlike most Keystone comedies, this one has a long and amusing build-up, but a brief and unmemorable climactic chase. Directed by Ferris Hartman, Robert P. Kerr, Herman C. Raymaker and Mack Sennett.

A Romance Of The Redwoods (1917) ***

Cecil B. DeMille directed this silent western starring Mary Pickford.

The Cure (1917) ***

Charlie tries to cure his alcoholism.

Coney Island (1917) **

Roscoe Arbuckle's comedy where he dresses in drags. Aka "Fatty at Coney Island".

When Ben Bolted (1917) *

Ben Turpin plays a tramp who sets up a printing press and starts printing counterfeit money. Aka "He Looked Crooked" or "Why Ben Bolted". Directed by Robin Williamson.

Oh, Doctor! (1917) **

Dr Fatty takes his family to the races, but looses all his money on a horse that loves to run in circles. Later, he gets in other troubles, dresses as a cop, etc. Directed by Roscoe Arbuckle.

The Wrong Mr Fox (1917) **

Reverend Fox travels to Canaan, Vt. Mr Fox, an actor, finds himself in Canaan, NM. Problem is, the theatre is in Vermont and the church is in New Mexico. Nice little comedy, a possible inspiration for Chaplin's "The Pilgrim" (1923).

Easy Street (1917) ****

Policeman Charlie fights bullies in a tough neighbourhood.

The Rough House (1917) ***

Roscoe Arbuckle directed this wild farce after he left Mack Sennett's Keystone studio, but the influence of his mentor is quite evident here. Quite confusing, but very entertaining.

Bobby Bumps Starts For School (1917) ***

The title says it all.

Bobby Bump's Fourth (1917) ***

One of Bobby Bump's best films. Directed by Earl Hurd.

Colonel Heeza Liar On The Jump (1917) ***

Colonel fights with a kangaroo.

Top 10 Films of 1916

1. "Blind Justice" (Benjamin Christensen, Denmark)

2. "A Life For A Life" (Yevgeni Bauer, Russia)

3. "The Matrimaniac" (Paul Powell, Triangle)

4. "Judex" (Louis Feuillade, France)

5. "Snow White" (J. Searle Dawley, Paramount)

6. "Little Mary Sunshine" (Henry King, Pathe)

7. "Christus" (Giulio Antamoro, Italy)

8. "Battle Of The Somme" (Geoffrey H. Malins, UK)

9. "Homunculus" (Otto Rippert, Germany)

10. "The End Of The World" (August Blom, Denmark)

Top 5 Guilty Pleasures of 1916:

1. "Intolerance" (D.W.Griffith, Triangle)

2. "A Daughter Of The Gods" (Herbert Brenon, Fox)

3. "Civilization" (Thomas Ince, Triangle)

4. "Rituais e festas bororo" (Brazil) - short

5. "Purity" (Rae Berger, Mutual)

Short Top 10:

1. "One A.M." (Charles Chaplin, Mutual)

2. "The Pawnshop" (Charles Chaplin, Mutual)

3. "The Rink" (Charles Chaplin, Mutual)

4. "Behind The Screen" (Charles Chaplin, Mutual)

5. "Police" (Charles Chaplin, Essanay)

6. "La Folie du docteur Tube" (Abel Gance, France)

7. "The Vagabond" (Charles Chaplin, Mutual)

8. "Antos zgubil gorset" (Edward Puchalski, Poland)

9. "The Floorwalker" (Charles Chaplin, Mutual)

10. "The Count" (Charles Chaplin, Mutual)

Other great shorts:

Fatty And Mabel Adrift
The Fireman
He Did And He Didn't
Wife And Auto Trouble

Cartoon Top 3:

1. "Never Again! The Story Of A Speeder Cop" (Raoul Barre, IFS)

2. "Farmer Alfalfa In New York" (Paul Terry, Bray)

3. "Krazy Kat Goes A-Wooing" (IFS)

Other great cartoons:

At The Circus
Bobby Bumps Starts A Lodge
Professor Bonehead Is Shipwrecked

Weak films of 1916:

Burlesque On Carmen
Flirting With Fate
Hell's Hinges
His Picture In The Papers

Weak shorts:

The Cinema Director
Dizzy Heights And Daring Hearts
Eleanor's Catch
Live Wires And Love Sparks
A Movie Star
The Mystery Of The Leaping Fish
A Natural Born Gambler
One Too Many
Triple Trouble
The Waiter's Ball

Weak cartoons:

Bobby Bumps And The Stork
Bugologist
A Newlywed Phable
Phable Of A Phat Woman
The Phable Of Olaf And Louis
Twas But A Dream

Intolerance (1916) *****

Epic drama directed by D.W.Griffith. Less coherent than "The Birth Of A Nation", it consists of four episodes, set in different historical periods.

Blind Justice (1916) ****

A Daughter Of The Gods (1916) ****

The film has been reconstructed based on the original screenplay, using still photographs.

Christus (1916) ***

Impressive Italian epic film about the life of Jesus Christ.