4 - The Golden Age of Silent Pictures

When people go to the movies today, they can settle in to watch and listen to a story, but what if when the lights dimmed and the movie began, there was no dialogue, sound effects, or music? That’s what the first movies were like. Those silent films are important to film history.

When movie theaters showed silent films, a musician was often there to play live music along with the movie. Music was chosen to fit the mood of the movie. Occasionally, musicians or theater staff also produced sound effects, such as tires screeching or doors slamming. However, there was no sound in the movie itself. Instead, the story was told through the actors’ gestures and through words shown on the screen.

When movies first included sound, audiences weren’t sure what to think. Not everyone was excited about the new type of film, which became known as the “talkie.” Many silent film performers had trouble with the new format. Clara Bow, who was a renowned silent-movie actress in the early 1920s, was too nervous about her voice to become a star in the world of talking pictures. She faded from the spotlight and left show business altogether.

The first movie with sound, The Jazz Singer, was released in 1927. It marked the beginning of a new era, although silent movies continued to be released for two more years. Talking pictures became a huge success, and Hollywood abandoned silent films.

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