Public Domain Movies

His Trysting Place (1914) starring Charlie Chaplin, Mack Swain, Mabel Normand, Phyllis Allen Charlie’s wife, Mabel Normand, sends him to the store to get a baby bottle of milk; Mack Swain’s wife sends him out to mail a letter. After the two meet and accidentally swap coats, Mable thinks that Charlie’s having an affair, and Mack’s wife thinks he has an illegitimate child! https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/his-trysting-place/

"Behind the Screen" is an early satire on the film industry. Charlie Chaplin is an overworked stagehand, abused by Eric Campbell. Charlie falls in love with Edna Purviance who has disguised herself as a man in order to get a job. The other workers eventually revolt, and destroy the movie studio. https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/behind-the-screen/

The City of the Dead, aka Horror Hotel (1960) starring Betta St. John, Denis Lotis, Christopher Lee The City of the Dead - a young college student goes to an obscure village, to research a paper on Witchcraft in old New England - but finds what she wasn't expecting. After her disappearance, her brother and fiancé come looking for her … https://family-friendly-movies.com/horror-movies/the-city-of-the-dead/

Hollywood on Parade # B-9 (March 30, 1934) - a hodgepodge of a variety of Hollywood stars of the time, on a set pretending to be a speakeasy - including Ted Healy and his Stooges in a short bit, as well as Rudy Vallee, Jimmy Durante, Ben Turpin, and many others

The Lost World 1925 - the original silent adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel, with explorers finding surviving dinosaurs. It features beautiful animation by Willis O'Brien. But more importantly, characters that we care about, and conflict between them. And a heartbreaking sacrifice by one member of the expedition.

The Goat (1921) a silent film comedy starring Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox. Proving that anything that can go wrong, will! Buster's mistaken for an escaped murderer …

What-No Beer? 1933 comedy starring Buster Keaton and Jimmy Durante, where the duo try to cash in on making cheap beer where Prohibition ends https://famousclowns.org/buster-keaton/buster-keaton-movies/what-no-beer/

In His Prehistoric Past, Charlie the Little Tramp falls asleep on a park bench, and dreams that he's a caveman. https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/his-prehistoric-past/

The Floorwalker was Charlie Chaplin‘s first Mutual Film Corporation film, made in 1916. The film stars Charlie Chaplin as the Little Tramp, as a customer who creates chaos in a department store. He inadvertently becomes entangled in the scheme of the store manager, played by Eric Campbell. Along with the store’s floorwalker, played by Lloyd Bacon, they scheme to embezzle money from the store. Edna Purviance plays a minor role as a secretary to store manager. https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/the-floorwalker/

Shanghaied (1915) starring Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance - a silent comedy, where Charlie the Little Tramp shanghais a crew for a ship - only to be shanghaied himself! Then he falls for the ship owner's daughter … https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/shanghaied/

The Kid was Charlie Chaplin’s first full-length movie. It, more than anything else to that date, made Chaplin a living legend. "A comedy with a smile — and perhaps a tear“. A woman gives up her newborn baby, which then falls into the hands of Charlie the Little Tramp. Charlie does his very best to raise the young child, who becomes a young boy, and then … https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/charlie-chaplin-movie-reviews/the-kid-1921-starring-charlie-chaplin-jackie-coogan-edna-purviance/

A Fair Exchange (1914) starring Charlie Chaplin, Mack Swain, Edgar Kennedy A Fair Exchange is a Keystone silent short film, where Charlie Chaplin the little tramp is walking in the park with his wife, & he's attracted to a lovelyyoung lady (Mabel Normand). But she's Mack Swain's wife! https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/a-fair-exchange/

Sunnyside (1919) starring Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance Sunnyside is an unusual Charlie Chaplin short film in several respects. First, although the main character is clearly Charlie the Little Tramp, he’s not really a tramp in this movie. He’s gainfully employed by Henry Bergman as a worker at a farm/hotel, working from 4:00 a.m. until late at night. Although worked hard, he still finds time to daydream, and to court a farmer’s daughter, played by his frequent co-star Edna Purviance. All seems well in his world (relatively speaking) until a young man from the city has a car accident. He is brought into the hotel, where the suave, well-to-do young man begins to steal Edna’s affections. The ending of the movie is ambiguous – either Charlie the Tramp prevails, and regains Edna’s affections, or she leaves the farm with the city slicker. The ending may, or may not, be a dream sequence. https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/sunnyside-1919-starring-charlie-chaplin-edna-purviance/

Hard Luck (1921) starring Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox - Buster Keaton's having a string of Hard Luck. He fails hilariously at multiple suicide attempts, gets hired by a hunting society, stumbles onto a gang of crooks, and … Jumps clear down to China? https://famousclowns.org/buster-keaton/buster-keaton-movies/hard-luck/

In Laughing Gas, we have Charlie Chaplin directing, and Charlie the Little Tramp working as a dentist's assistant. The Tramp is more vicious here than we are used to, assaulting people with little or no provocation https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/laughing-gas-1914/

In Carnival of Souls, Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) and her friends enter a drag race with some young men when tragedy strikes. Mary, and her friends car crashes into the river. After the car is presumed to be washed down the river Mary appears on the sandbank alive, and in a state of shock. Sometime later the car is still missing, and Mary is starting her new job in another state as an organist. On the road Mary begins to see things. This is the the point in the movie where it begins to build tension, and reality starts to unravel. https://family-friendly-movies.com/horror-movies/carnival-of-souls/

Buster Keaton's Go West - With little luck at keeping a job in the city a New Yorker tries work in the country and eventually finds his way leading a herd of cattle to the West Coast.

Misbehaving Husbands (1940) aka Dummy Trouble, starring Harry Langdon, Betty Blythe Store owner Harry Langdon is accused of cheating on his wife, when someone sees him carrying a blonde mannequin -- no seriously! https://family-friendly-movies.com/comedy/misbehaving-husbands/

Speedy (1928) starring Harold Lloyd, Ann Christy, Bert Woodruff, Babe Ruth, Byron Douglas Harold “Speedy” Swift, a fan of Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees, saves from extinction the city’s last horse-drawn trolley, operated by his girlfriend’s grandfather. https://famousclowns.org/harold-lloyd/harold-lloyd-movies/speedy-harold-lloyd/

The Saphead (1920) starring Buster Keaton, Ernest Torrence, Marion Byron, Tom McGuire, Tom Lewis - Buster Keaton's first starring role https://famousclowns.org/buster-keaton/buster-keaton-movies/the-saphead/

In The Hoose-Gow, Stan and Ollie and wrongly sent to prison. They’re actually innocent! But, it’s an excuse to send them to prison for comedy hijinks. It’s a very funny short film, and recommended. The “pie fight” at the end with wet rice is fun, but not as fast paced as I would have liked. That’s a minor quibble, though. https://famousclowns.org/laurel-and-hardy/movie-reviews-laurel-and-hardy/the-hoose-gow-laurel-and-hardy/

Mabel’s Strange Predicament is a short film, 17 minutes long, starring Mabel Normand, with Charlie Chaplin as the villain of the picture. Mabel Normand was, at the time, a major film star, as well as one of the first female movie directors. However, she is now remembered primarily for her work with Charlie Chaplin. In this movie, Mabel Normand is clearly the star, with Charlie Chaplin in a supporting role. Although dressed as the Tramp, Charlie Chaplin is not in character as the Tramp in this film. Rather, he plays a variation on his inebriate character that he made famous on the London stage. https://famousclowns.org/charlie-chaplin/short-films/mabels-strange-predicament/

The Play House - a classic Buster Keaton silent comedy, where Buster is besides himself - literally! https://famousclowns.org/buster-keaton/buster-keaton-movies/the-play-house/

The Cook (1918) starring Fatty Arbuckle, Buster Keaton The Cook - Fatty Arbuckle is chef of all trades while Buster Keaton waits tables . When a tough guy annoys the pretty cashier … it's Luke the Dog to the rescue!

Lady Gangster (1942) starring Faye Emerson, Frank Wilcox, Jackie Gleason In Lady Ganster, an aspiring actress gets mixed up with a group of bank robbers. This leads to her being caught up in a $40,000 heist …. And ultimately to prison. There she helps stage a break-out. And then she rescues a man from the mob.