Includes index

A retrospective analysis of the work of such stars as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Harry Langdon, and Laurel and Hardy

The silent camera. The Pickford paradox and the choice of silence ; The unique experience ; The fact in the fantasy ; The fantasy in the fact ; Fantasy intensified: music and the dancing image ; Serious film: the disadvantages of silence -- Comedy reborn. Comedy in search of its freedom ; Sennett: The insensitive master carpenter ; Chaplin: an outline becomes a character ; Chaplin: playfulness unleashed ; Harold Lloyd: hard work ; The Roach lot: a bit more method in the madness ; An inquisitive Keaton and a generous Arbuckle ; The Keaton "no" ; Keaton: exploring the gap between life and lens ; The Keaton curve: a study in cooperation ; Some imperfect tools -- The struggle toward maturity. The risks of length and complexity: Chaplin takes the plunge ; The Chaplin breakthrough: Making seriousness funny ; Chaplin betweixt and between ; Lloyd: the virtuous filmmaking of the virtuous American ; Lloyd: architect of sympathy ; The Keaton quiet ; Keaton as film ; Keaton: the girl and the grave ; Two epics ; Who was Harry Langdon ; Langdon: creating an amibiguity ; Langdon: the ambiguity dissolves ; The demiclowns ; The unexpected Raymond Griffith ; Missing film -- The twilight dance. Laurel and Hardy: the first turnaround ; Laurel and Hardy: the saving turnaround ; The transition, after and just before: a self-conscious Chaplin ; Chaplin confronts himself ; The end without an ending: Chaplin defines the road

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