Event—Adult Education

Three Films by Lois Weber

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Go back to the silent era of film as we watch and discuss three early cinematic masterpieces.

Lois Weber, ca. 1916. Source: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Class Description

Lois Weber was one of silent film’s most accomplished and successful directors. In this class, we will discuss three of Weber’s most important films and consider her role in transforming Hollywood filmmaking. Films include the heartbreaking domestic drama Shoes (1916), the blockbuster historical romance The Dumb Girl of Portici (1916, starring prima ballerina Anna Pavlova), and the socially incisive The Blot (1921).

Steven J. Venturino, PhD, the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism, has led seminars at the Newberry Library and taught at Loyola University Chicago.

Materials List

No required materials.

First Reading:

  • In advance of the first session, please watch Shoes (1916, 36 mins.), available on DVD or streaming at Kino Now or the Criterion Channel.

Cost and Registration

Three sessions, $205 ($184.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

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