A chronological selection of good movies - Part 1: The early years

A group of astronomers go on an expedition to the Moon.

In this spectacular free adaptation of the popular theatre play "La Biche au Bois", the valiant Prince Bel-Azor pursues a baleful old witch to her impregnable castle, to save the beautiful young Princess Azurine.

A group of bandits stage a brazen train hold-up, only to find a determined posse hot on their heels.

Using every known means of transportation, several savants from the Geographic Society undertake a journey through the Alps to the Sun which finishes under the sea.

A housewife tires of her husband's annoying behavior and returns to her mother. At first, the husband is quite pleased to have the house all to himself. But he quickly discovers that even the most basic domestic chores can be fraught with difficulty.

On a warm and sunny summer's day, a mother and father take their young daughter Dollie on a riverside outing. A gypsy basket peddler happens along, and is angered when the mother refuses to buy his wares. He attacks mother and daughter but is driven off by the father. Later the gypsy sneaks back and kidnaps the girl. A rescue party is organized but the gypsy conceals the child in a 30 gallon barrel which he precariously places on the tail of the wagon. He and his gypsy-wife make their getaway by fording the river with the wagon. The barrel, with Dollie still inside, breaks free, tumbling into into the river; it starts floating toward the peril of a nearby waterfall . . .

A young couple are enjoying a romantic interlude in the young woman's home, when her father discovers them and angrily chases the young man out of the house. They thus decide to elope, and they make plans accordingly. But as they are leaving, a thief discovers their plans, and he decides to turn the situation to his own advantage.

This smokes husband, though little better than a smoked herring, more properly belonging to the crustacean type of piscatory, the lobster, for such he was and no mistake. While our friend Benj. Bibbs was not exactly parsimonious still there were times when he kicked most vigorously against his wife's extravagance. Such an occasion opens our story. Milady Bibbs has just had sent home a hat and gown, for which poor Bibbsy has to give up, but when he sees her attired in the duds, he softens, for she certainly does look stunning. All is well until she turns around when, O, horror! It is a sheath gown of a most pronounced type. "You brazen hussy, to appear such!" He could say no more, for he fairly choked with rage, and rushes from the room in a state of turbulent perturbation; but not until he has ruthlessly thrown a floor rug over his shameless wife. The maid of the family is in league with a crook, and the pair have plotted to rob the place. To this end the crook has written a note to the maid, telling her to signal when the coast is clear. This note falls into the hands of Bibbs, and as it is simply addressed "Honey" and signed "Lovingly, Tom," his jealous nature at once associates it with his wife. "Aha! Sheath gown, honey, signal from the window, meet in drawing room, lovingly, Tom. I see it all: You would deceive me, eh? We shall see!" Into the fireplace and up the chimney he goes to hide, intent upon trapping his apparently perfidious spouse and her paramour. He is hardly ensconced when the maid, on order of the madam, builds a fire on the hearth, and yon may imagine Bibbs' position is not a pleasant one. To descend is out of the question, and as he ascends he dislodges the soot which covers him from head to foot. The noise induced by his scrambling amid smoke and soot alarms the women folks and several policemen answer their cries, who capture "Lovingly, Tom" 'neatb the rose tree in the garden. The women insist that the real offender is still in the flue, and a mad rush to the roof brings the coppers there just as poor soot-begrimed Bibbs emerges from the chimney. Chased over the roofs, he in desperation leaps off, coming down on the heads of a couple of Willie boys who are gossiping alongside a mortar box. Into the cement tumble the trio, and a sorry sight they present when the police and others arrive. Explanations prove what a colossal fool Bibbs has been, but still it served him right, and his discomfort is the spectators' sport, for the subject is a most hilariously humorous one, with a scream in every foot of length.

A man rents an apartment and furnishes it in remarkable fashion.

1911 silent film and Italy's first full-length feature film, loosely adapted from "Inferno", the first canticle of Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy". It chronicles Dante's travel through the Circles of Hell, guided by the poet Virgil.

Inspector Juve is tasked to capture the infamous criminal genius Fantômas who, ruthless and particularly elusive, changes his appearance and holds Paris' high society in a crippling grasp.

The creeping black assassin Fantômas, the criminal lord of Paris and master of disguise, has won the first round. But the equally resourceful Inspector Juve swears to win the second.

After a body disappears from inside the prison, a series of crimes take place, all seemingly by the dead man. With Juve presumed dead, Fandor must investigate alone. Will Fantômas finally be brought to justice?

The cartoonist, Winsor McCay, brings the Dinosaurs back to life in the figure of his latest creation, Gertie the Dinosaur.

Charlie and another man compete in trying to help a young lady cross a muddy street. The rival finds a wooden plank which Charlie takes from him. They fight over an umbrella belonging to the rival. A policeman settles the dispute, ultimately arresting the rival. An innocent tramp is pushed into the lake.

Charlie attempts to meet his favorite movie actress at the Keystone Studio, but does not win friends there.

The press as well as the general public opinion suggest that Inspector Juve may in fact be Fantômas, the very criminal mastermind he tries to capture. But as Juve is imprisoned, the actual Fantômas schemes to keep him behind bars forever.

Charlie is hanging around in the park, finding problems with a jealous suitor, a man who thinks that Charlie has robbed him a watch, a policeman and even a little boy, all because our friend can't stop snooping.

Charlie is a clumsy waiter in a cheap cabaret and must endure the strict orders from his boss. He meets a pretty girl in the park and pretends to be a fancy ambassador but must contend with the jealousy of her fiancé.

Having committed murder in Belgium, Fantômas is sentenced to life imprisonment. Juve conceives the idea that if Fantômas is set free, he can follow him back to France and capture him and the remaining members of his gang once and for all.

To show his girl how brave he is Fatty challenges the champion to a fight. Charlie referees, trying to avoid contact with the two monsters.

Two drunks live in the same hotel. One beats his wife, the other is beaten by his. They go off and get drunk together. They try to sleep in a restaurant using tables as beds and are thrown out. They lie down in a rowboat which fills with water, drowning them--a fate apparently better than going home to their wives.

Charlie is janitor for a firm the manager of which receives a threatening note about his gambling debts. He throws a bucket of water out the window which lands on his boss and costs him his job. The boss, attempting to steal the money heeds from the office safe, is caught by his secretary and Charlie comes to save her and the money. He is briefly accused of being the thief but ultimately triumphs.

Charlie dreams he is in the Stone Age, where King Low-Brow rules a harem of wives. Charlie, in skins and a bowler, falls in love with the king's favorite wife, Sum-Babee. During a hunting trip the king is pushed over a cliff. Charlie proclaims himself king, but Ku-Ku discovers the real king alive. They return to find Charlie and Sum-Babee together.

Charlie is trying to get a job in a movie. After causing difficulty on the set, he is told to help the carpenter. When one of the actors doesn't show, Charlie is given a chance to act but instead enters a dice game. When he does finally act, he ruins the scene, wrecks the set, and tears the skirt from the star.