Hail the Woman. 1921. USA. Directed by John Griffith Wray with Florence Vidor, Theodore Roberts, Lloyd Hughes. The Museum of Modern Art Film Stills Archive
December 01, 2021 – December 30, 2021
The Museum of Modern Art
Presented in memory of the Museum’s late film archivist. During her career in the Department of Film (1954-1998) under chiefs Richard Griffith, Donald Richie, Willard Van Dyke, Ted Perry and Mary Lea Bandy, Bowser significantly expanded the institution’s film collection and shaped its role in the developing film preservation movement of the nineteen-seventies and eighties. A respected scholar of silent film and an active member of the International Federation of Film Archives, Bowser was a pioneer in the repatriation of world cinema. Please join us in honoring her profound contributions to the Museum’s Film Collection with a selection of motion pictures she admired.
This series will be presented in seven programs screening in Titus 2.
Organized by Ron Magliozzi, Curator, Department of Film.
Program 1: Early Cinema Favorites, Wed, Dec 1, 1:00pm & Thu, Dec 16, 1:00pm
Teddy Bears. 1907. USA. Directed by Edwin S. Porter.
Amor Pedestre. 1914. Italy. Directed by Marcel Fabre.
Suspense. 1913. USA. Directed by Lois Weber. With Weber, Sam Kaufman, Valentine Paul.
Ménilmontant. 1925. France. Directed by Dmitri Kirsanov. with Nadia Sibirskaïa, Yolande Beaulieu, Guy Belmont.
Program approx. 64 min. Piano accompaniment by Ben Model.
Program 2: Cruel and Unusual Slapstick Comedies, Thu, Dec 2, 1:00pm
Their First Execution. 1913. USA. Directed by Mack Sennett. with Sennett and Ford Sterling
Tangled Tangoists. 1914. USA. Directed by George D. Baker. with John Bunny, Flora Finch
Lonesome Luke’s Wild Women. 1917. USA. Directed by Hal Roach. with Harold Lloyd
The Counter Jumper. 1922. USA. Directed by Larry Semon with Semon, Lucille Carlisle, Oliver Hardy
Red Pepper. 1925. USA. Directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom. with Al St John
Lizzie’s of the Field. 1924. USA. Directed by Del Lord. with Billy Bevan
Program approx. 90 min. Piano accompaniment by Ben Model.
Program 3: Hail the Women, Fri, Dec 3, 1:00pm & Wed, Dec 15, 1:00pm
Hail the Woman. 1921. USA. Directed by John Griffith Wray with Florence Vidor, Theodore Roberts, Lloyd Hughes. A daughter stands up to the sexism and hypocrisy of her father and brother in this famed, feminist feature which Bowser introduced in its broadcast premiere on Public Television in 1978. 80 minutes. Piano accompaniment by Makia Matsumura
Program 4: Stark Love, Wed, Dec 8, 1:00pm & Thu, Dec 23, 1:00pm
Stark Love. 1927. USA. Directed by Karl Brown. with Helen Mundy, Forrest James, Reb Grogan. Approx. 70 minutes. Piano accompaniment TBA.
Program 5: Gertrud, Thu, Dec 9, 1:00pm; Wed, Dec 22, 1:00pm
Gertrud. 1964. Denmark. Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer. with Nina Pens Rode, Bendt Rothe, Ebbe Rode. 116 minutes.
Program 6: The Projectionist, Fri, Dec 10, 1:00pm & Wed, Dec 29, 1:00pm
The Projectionist. 1971. USA. Directed by Harry Hurwitz. with Chuck McCann, Ina Balin, Rodney Dangerfield. 88 minutes.
Program 7: State Fair, Fri Dec 17, 1:00pm & Thu, Dec 30, 1:00pm
State Fair. 1933. USA. Directed by Henry King with Will Rogers, Janet Gaynor, Lew Ayres, Sally Eilers. 97 minutes. Give plot. Born Eileen Putt in 19.. in ….. rural ?? which may explain the charm the film held for her. Bowser Of the film Bowser observed fondly “Even the pig finds love.”
Film at MoMA is made possible by CHANEL.
Additional support is provided by the Annual Film Fund. Leadership support for the Annual Film Fund is provided by Debra and Leon D. Black and by Steven Tisch, with major contributions from The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art, Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), The Junior Associates of The Museum of Modern Art, the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation, Karen and Gary Winnick, and The Brown Foundation, Inc., of Houston.
