Beyond the Rocks

On Sunday November 13, 2005, The San Francisco Silent Film Festival will present the West Coast Premiere Revival Screening of Beyond the Rocks (1922), the only film that Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson made together. For nearly 80 years, only a one-minute fragment ofBeyond the Rocks was thought to exist. But in 2003, a complete print was discovered among 2,000 unmarked cans of film by the Nederlands Filmmuseum. In partnership with Haghefilm Conservation, they have employed state-of-the-art technology to create a dazzling new print of this long-sought-after classic.

Based on a novel by Elinor Glyn (author of IT ), Beyond the Rocks features Valentino at his most dashing as Lord Bracondale, a desirable bachelor who finds himself enchanted by Theodora (Swanson), a simple girl from the Dorset coast. There will be two screenings of this delightful romantic drama on Sunday November 13, 2005 at the Castro Theatre. Both programs will be presented with live musical accompaniment on the Mighty Wurlitzer by Dennis James.

I will be there! And am really looking forward to seeing this long lost film. For more information, check out the San Francisco Silent Film Festivalwebsite.