Silent Film Quotes

For years, I have specialized in one type of comedy—strictly panto­mime. I have mea­sured it, gauged it, studied. I have been able to establish exact principles to govern its reactions on audiences. It has a certain pace and tempo. Dialogue, to my way of thinking, always slows action, because action must wait on words.

They say pantomime’s a lost art. It’s never been a lost art and never will be, because it’s too natural to do.

Perhaps because 'dry' comedy is so much more rare and odd than 'dry' wit, there are people who never much cared for [Buster] Keaton. Those who do cannot care mildly.

Motion pictures need dialogue as much as Beethoven symphonies need lyrics.

What shall it profit a man if he gain the world - and lose his soul?

Shall we come to a reality like this visioned city of the future?

We have created amazing machines ... and used them to destroy our fellow men.

Love is stronger than death, and longer than my life, which is forget to thy vengeance.

[In the office of London Record Journal]
"I want your legal advice. Professor Challenger threatens to sue my paper for doubting his yarn about live dinosaurs."
"I believe challenger is insane! He nearly killed three reporters I sent to interview him today!"

The creation of an evil mind is overcome by love and disappears.