When Comedy Was King

If you have no knowledge about the great silent film comedians, then this is the right place to start learning. Youngson pieces together some of the best bits from Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd and Langdon, while tossing in clips of the lesser known comics on the periphery of silent slapstick comedy.

This film cuts out the intertitles and relies on narration instead, which is more grating than you can imagine. I understand why this movie was made, but that doesn't mean it's held up well. It's more interesting as a time capsule of 1960s nostalgia rather than a definitive look at silent comedy.

Good documentary.