Greed

With live music by Makia Matsumara

 

Dir. Erich von Stroheim. 1924, 140 mins. Imported 35mm print from the British Film Institute. With Zasu Pitts, Gibson Gowland, Jean Hersholt. The story behind Von Stroheim’s legendary silent epic is a thing of myth: reportedly almost eight hours in its original edit, it was taken away from its visionary director by the studio and cut down to size against his wishes. Most of that footage is lost, but what remains of this primal story—about a San Francisco dentist and his wife undone after she wins the lottery—is undeniably brilliant and a major touchstone of silent cinematic craft.

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