(Originally posted as a message by R. Schauer on the Classic Movies Forum.)

My purpose here is to list silent films that are most accessible to people who do not watch silent films. Further, these are films that best introduce people to the world of silent cinema, hopefully to discover the wealth of silent films available. I try to get people to watch a silent film because I believe they are missing something, and I believe they will be surprised at the quality of the films and that they will enjoy them. My list does not include films simply for their historical significance or artistic achievement, my list includes only the films that have generated the most positive response from people viewing a silent film for the first time whether they are of historical importance or not. With that in mind you will not see Birth of a Nation, The Battleship Potemkin, Die Nibelungen, or Napoleon on the list. All great films but, for whatever reason - length, subject matter - they are more enjoyed by people who have developed an interest in silent films. My list does not include one or two reel shorts, they are all feature films.

If you decide to purchase a silent film, spend some time to find the best possible copy, paying attention to running time and speed. The best copies available today have often been put together from several surviving sources, so the running time is as close to the original as possible and the film speed has been corrected so the pacing of the film is correct. If you are interested, or develop an interest in silent cinema, there is a lot to discover, but for now just watch these films, or any one of them.

• The General (1927). I have not found a single person who did not laugh and enjoy this film. Buster Keaton stars and did most of the directing. There are several Keaton films to enjoy, the comedy being as fresh today as it was in the silent film days: Steamboat Bill, The Navigator, The Cameraman, Our Hospitality, Sherlock Junior, but it is The General that is Buster's masterpiece. Check out the Buster Keaton Collection on DVD.
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• The Mark Of Zorro (1920). Douglas Fairbanks Sr. was doing light comedy features until The Mark Of Zorro changed everything. He became the first great swashbukler. After Zorro he did The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, The Iron Mask, The Pirate; good films all, but it is The Mark Of Zorro that started it all.
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• Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). One of the most beautifully filmed movies ever. On a soundstage in Hollywood F. W. Murnau created a foggy marsh at the edge of a lake and crafted a simple story of love and temptation, forgiveness and redemption. (Out of print and difficult to find.)
  
  
• Metropolis (1926). Fritz Lang was the Spielberg and Lucas of the silent era. Kino has a restored version of this science fiction classic available. If you like this one look for Dr. Mabuse, Spiders ("Indiana Jones" in 1920), Die Nibelungen, and anything else because you will surely be a fan of one of the world's greatest directors.
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• Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1927). A huge epic film that is every bit as entertaining as the 1959 version. An interesting color sequence at the beginning of the film is a nice touch. This is a true classic.
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• Broken Blossoms (1919). When epic filmmaker D. W. Griffith turned his attention to this little film about love and friendship between a Chinese immigrant and a poor girl in London, he showed that he was, indeed, a great director. Richard Barthelmess and Lillian Gish star.
  
  
• The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1923). If you want an introduction to the talents of the great Lon Chaney, this is a good place to start. He dominates this film. The original version was 133 minutes long and there are some 98 minute versions out there, so check the running time.
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• The Gold Rush (1925). I would have prefered The Circus for a Charles Chaplin film but The Gold Rush keeps everyone laughing when I show it. Get the original version, not the later release with Chaplin's voiceover naration.
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• The Crowd (1928). King Vidor's silent film about a family's struggle to make it day by day is a powerful film about everyman.
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• My Best Girl (1927). Mary Pickford made a career out of playing a little girl well into her thirties, but in the last few years this film has at long last become recognized as a fine comedy. Mary, working in a department store, trying to balance a huge load of pots and pans while her underwear is falling around her ankles, is a delight. If you want to see Mary at her little girl best try Suds, Sparrows, and Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Her fans did not want her to grow up.
  
  
• The Thief of Bagdad (1924). The Douglas Fairbanks version of The Thief of Bagdad was overshadowed by the 1940 Alexander Korda version but it is not quite the same story. This is an excellent version and worth your time. Doug plays the thief with sweeping gestures, almost as a ballet. Very entertaining fantasy film.
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• Tol'able David (1921). A bit of Americana -- Richard Barthelmess as a young man living in the hills who wants to be a mailman. Henry King directed this wonderful film. Richard Barthelmess did not have a very successful career in the sound era, although he was in several films, but he was a major star in silent films.

There are several more I could list. But this is enough. Again, these are all films I have shown to people who did not like silent films. They enjoyed them all.

R Schauer