The 40 most popular 1920s comedy movies, ranked. Click any film for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.


Dyckerpotts Erben
1928 · 1h 26m · DE
No overview available


The Gold Rush
1925 · 1h 35m · US
A gold prospector in Alaska struggles to survive the elements and win the heart of a dance hall girl.


The Kid
1921 · 1h 8m · US
A tramp cares for a boy after he's abandoned as a newborn by his mother. Later the mother has a change of heart and aches to be reunited with her son.
Her Man
Her Man
1924 · 1h 10m · US
Silent Western about a gal fighting the elements and villains for her man!


Married Life
1920 · 50m · US
Ben Turpin's rival marries his college sweetheart played by Phyllis Haver.


Wandering Daughters
1923 · 1h · US
The daughter of straitlaced parents, Bessie Bowden is attracted to the social life of the fast set and finds Austin Trull, lounge lizard and sometime artist, more interesting than hard-working John Hargraves. Mr. Bowden and John try to compete with Bessie's new friends and spend all the family savings on making the Bowden home appear wealthy and a part of the social whirl. Bessie and Geraldine Horton finally catch Trull at his double-dealing, and Bessie wisely returns to home and Hargraves.


Welcome Stranger
1924 · 1h 10m · US
Stereotypical Jewish man Isadore Solomon (Dore Davidson) arrives with his daughter Essie (Virginia Brown Faire) in a small, predominantly-Christian New England town. The discriminating viewpoints of the populace, including the Mayor, drive them to try to get rid of the newcomers. Solomon is persuaded by Clem (William V. Mong) to invest in an electric-light plant. The town is brought prosperity and the Solomons' former adversaries honor him.


The Thoroughbred
1925 · 1h 3m · US
Bob Beemis comes to New York City hoping to get his family entrenched in the high-society circuit, but only succeeds in making friends with one person in the social whirl, Archie de Rennsaler. They party with a couple of chorus girls and Bob falls in love with one of them. His uncle arrives from the West to check out his progress, finds there has been none, and closes out his bank account. What's a poor rich-boy do do? Well, he could enter his horse in a really, really Big Race.


The General
1926 · 1h 19m · US
During America’s Civil War, Union spies steal engineer Johnnie Gray's beloved locomotive, 'The General'—with Johnnie's lady love aboard an attached boxcar—and he single-handedly must do all in his power to both get The General back and to rescue Annabelle.


Days of Youth
1929 · 1h 39m · JP
University friends Ben and Shūichi unknowingly vie for the attention of the beautiful Chieko while on a skiing trip.


Soft Cushions
1927 · 1h 10m · US
Douglas MacLean stars as The Young Thief, who falls in love with The Girl, played by Sue Carol. Alas, the Girl has been sold into the harem of The Wazir (Albert Prisco), forcing the Thief to sneak into the palace to rescue her.


Babs
1920 · 50m · US
Babs Marvin loves David Darrow, a young lawyer. Babs' father, the powerful Senator Marvin, is supporting Eben Sprague for a seat in the State Legislature. Darrow discovers that Sprague is a crook and threatens to expose the candidate unless the senator agrees to switch his support to him. Babs opposes Darrow's decision, fearing that it will ruin his promising law career. Determined to defeat Darrow, she promotes the candidacy of the village pauper, Hank Dawes, and contrives an elaborate campaign based upon the slogan that Dawes' election would remove him from the welfare rolls. Dawes wins the election, but Darrow is consoled with Babs's love and the senator's support of his law career.


Daughter of the Regiment
1929 · 1h 37m · DE
Marie, adopted as a baby by Warrant Officer Guippo, helps a smuggler escape because he saved his life previously. She finds him again in Paris while she is engaged to Count Bertrand.


Show People
1928 · 1h 19m · US
Hollywood hopeful Peggy Pepper arrives at a major studio, from Georgia, to become a great dramatic star. Things don't go entirely according to plan.


Flitterwochen
1928 · 1h 27m · DE
Newlyweds Käthe and Max met while studying law. Trouble ensues when Max takes on his first case without telling his wife.


The Navigator
1924 · 1h 5m · US
The wealthy and impulsive Rollo Treadway decides to propose to his beautiful socialite neighbor, Betsy O'Brien. Although Betsy turns Rollo down, he still opts to go on the cruise that he intended as their honeymoon. When circumstances find both Rollo and Betsy on the wrong ship, they end up having adventures on the high seas.


Kissed
1922 · 50m
Constance Keener, who is betrothed to young millionaire Merton Torrey, confesses to him her desire for romance such as he does not give her. On the occasion of a masquerade ball, Torrey is unable to escort her; and while she is alone on the balcony, someone suddenly seizes and kisses her, then disappears. She attempts to discover her assailant's identity.


Shore Leave
1925 · 1h 33m · US
"Bilge" Smith (Richard Barthelmess), a tough sailor, meets Connie Martin (Dorothy Mackaill), a seamstress in a small harbor who has never had a boyfriend. Connie is instantly smitten. She invites Smith to dinner, where he dances with her and gives her a kiss. Connie has a hard time letting him go, and makes him promise that he will come back.


The Cameraman
1928 · 1h 14m · US
A photographer takes up newsreel shooting to impress a secretary.
The Golf Bug
The Golf Bug
1924 · 22m · US
Golf with Monty Banks and pals.
Roman Candles
Roman Candles
1922 · 50m · US
Sent by his fireworks manufacturer father to South America to peddle the pyrotechnics, John Arnold, Jr., has his last chance to make good. He finds in Santa Maria a just-completed revolution, the celebration for which provides a ready market for his products. Adventure beckons him further, however, when John falls in love with Zorra Gamorra, the daughter of the deposed president. With the aid of his fireworks, John engineers another revolution that re-installs Zorra's father in the presidency. The celebration that follows requires a large order of fireworks from Arnold, Sr. - thus reinstating Arnold, Jr., in his father's good graces.


Bright Eyes
1929 · 1h 25m · AT
Jenny, a cheerful kitchen maid at the Paris-style Palais de Luxe, is hopelessly in love with charming head waiter Jean—only to be stood up when he forgets their planned tryst in favor of the hotel’s glamorous dancer, Lola. Humiliated and on the verge of arrest for “stealing” champagne, Jenny hides backstage where she’s mistaken for a performer, wows the crowd with an impromptu dance, and finally wins Jean’s heart.


Whispering Whiskers
1926 · 19m · US
Billy Bevan and Andy Clyde play hobos who hop onto a train where they are hired. Their misadventures lead to chaos, blending mistaken identity with classic physical comedy.


Sherlock Jr.
1924 · 45m · US
A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meager skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend's father's pocketwatch.


Breezing Along
1927 · 25m · US
This is a better than average Hamilton film thanks to the presence of a bratty kid who makes Lloyd's life miserable. It seems that Lloyd was hired as a combination chauffeur, butler, cook, etc. and isn't particularly adept at any of these tasks. however, to make things worse, there is a bratty kid in the home who does his best to ruin everything.


Home Made
1927 · 1h 10m · US
Home Made is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Charles Hines.
Twin Flappers
Twin Flappers
1927 · 50m · US
Two young women transform from an innocent girls into a jazz mad flappers.


Wife Savers
1928 · 57m · US
Stationed in Switzerland after the Great War, soldiers Louis Hozenozzle and Rodney Ramsbottom both fall in love with local damsel Colette, much to the dismay of Colette's self-appointed boyfriend, General Lavoris. When Lavoris issues a fake order that all unmarried women must immediately take husbands, Hozenozzle weds Colette, at her request, to "save" her for the absent Ramsbottom. A lost film.


Breakin' Loose
1925 · 25m · US
Lucy and her monkey arrives out west and cause disruption on the ranch.


39 East
1920 · 50m · US
The eldest daughter of a poor preacher, Penelope Penn leaves her country home to seek her fortune in the big city.


Triplepatte
1922 · 1h 18m · FR
Robert de Houdan is indecisiveness itself. He keeps hesitating, shilly-shallying and never reach any decision in any way. So much so that he finds himself on the verge of ruin and falls prey to Boucherot, a greedy loan-shark who puts pressure on him to marry Yvonne Herbelier. Boucherot is assisted in his undertaking by baroness Pépin, a typical matchmaker. But Robert, who does not know the young lady, shies away from her.


Limousine Love
1928 · 20m · US
On the way to his wedding the bride groom finds a nude, married woman in his car


Sharp Shooters
1928 · 1h · US
A "love-'em-and-leave-'em" sailor hooks up with a dance-hall girl in Paris while waiting for his ship to sail. She falls in love with him, and when his ship leaves port she decides to show up at its next stop and reunite with her lover. However, when she arrives at the ship's next destination, she discovers that her "lover" has already found another local girl to spend his time with. Complications ensue.
Modern Land-Sharks
Modern Land-Sharks
1926 · NL
Hugo Writley, the son of an American shipping magnate, travels to Holland accompanied by his steward, Longway. On the night of their arrival they go to a cabaret, where they get into conversation with two men and their girlfriends who, at closing time, invite the Americans to their home for a few drinks. The hosts, however, turn out to be 'land-sharks' planning to strip the two inebriated Yankees of their cash.


First Love
1921 · 50m · US
The O'Donnells are a typical, everyday family -- Tad (George Hernandez) is a sensible working man, his wife (Fannie Midgely) is a good mother and their daughter Kathleen (Constance Binney) is pretty and innocent to the point of naiveté. Kathleen works in a factory and its owner, Donald Holiday (Warner Baxter), has taken a shine to her. But instead she falls for slick cab driver Harry Stanton (George Webb), who insists, "Honest, kid, you're the only girl I ever loved." Kathleen falls for this, and when her perceptive father makes clear he doesn't approve of Stanton, she moves out on her own.


Penrod
1922 · 1h 20m · US
Young rapscallion Penrod Schofield causes a good deal of trouble in his community, all in the name of protecting kids from too-strict parents and nasty neighbors. He heads the ABPA (American Boys' Protective Association) and through it disrupts a number of local social events. The townspeople are pretty fed up with Penrod and his gang, but when a couple of outlaws come to town, Penrod shows his mettle.


Memory Lane
1926 · 1h 18m · US
Mary is marrying Jimmie, from whom she has kept a secret; Mary remains in love with another man. Problems ensue, jeopardizing the tranquility of their relationship.


No Control
1927 · 1h · US
Nancy Flood, whose father Noah operates a one-ring circus, decides to take a business job to earn extra money.


Two Tars
1928 · 21m · US
Two sailors on shore leave rent a car and go on a drive with their dates, but soon get involved in a huge traffic jam with dozens of ill-tempered motorists. A minor collision sets off an escalating series of retaliations.


Kid Boots
1926 · 1h 11m · US
A salesman is helped out of a jam with an angry customer by a wealthy playboy. In return, he agrees to help the playboy get a divorce from his wife, only to find himself falling for the girlfriend of the customer who got him in trouble in the first place.
The 1920s were silent cinema's artistic peak, when directors had perfected a purely visual storytelling language just as sound arrived to displace it. German Expressionism and Soviet montage both date from here.
Comedy is the genre that travels least well and dates fastest, which makes the films that survive genuinely remarkable. Screwball, satire, slapstick, and cringe each have their own era and their own rules.